What is the Bay County
Tourist Tax?
By
what authority are these guidelines issued?
How are the monies used?
What
facilities are subject to the Tourist Development Tax?
What is subject to the
Tourist Development Tax?
Who
collects and pays this tax?
When are the rentals exempt
from this tax?
How often are tax returns submitted and in what period do I report income?
What is the procedure for an
audit?
Advertising
(your tax dollars at work)
Who else do I need to register
with?
What is the Bay County Tourist Tax?
The tourist development tax is a 5% bed tax that is collected from a special
taxing jurisdiction within Bay County on short term/vacation rentals. The taxing
jurisdiction includes all properties from the Phillips Inlet Bridge to the
Hathaway Bridge south of Panama City Beach Parkway as well as all property
within the city limits of Panama City Beach, Panama City and Mexico Beach.
By what
authority are these guidelines issued?
Florida Statute 125.0104 permits the Board of
County Commissioners of Bay County, Florida to levy a tourist development tax.
Florida Statute Chapter 212 Tax on Sales, Use and Other Transactions authorize
how the tourist development tax is to be administered, enforced and audited by Bay
County, Florida. Bay County Ordinances 85-06, 86-01, 97-11, 09-06, 09-09 and
12-15 created the Tourist Development Council, established the tax rate and
identified the special taxing districts within Bay County. Bay County Ordinance
93-16 authorizes the Clerk of Court and Comptroller to locally administer the
Tourist Development Tax.
How
are the monies used?
Florida Statute 125.0104(5) specify that the
taxes must be used for advertising and promotion of tourism in the special
taxing jurisdiction, fund convention bureau, tourist information centers,
convention centers and the like and finance beach maintenance and renourishment.
What
facilities are subject to the Tourist Development Tax?
All
facilities within the special taxing jurisdiction that are rented for six months
or less are subject to the tourist development tax. These facilities include but
are not limited to hotel/motel room, apartment, condominium, townhouse,
time-share, single family home, multi-unit structure, mobile home, recreational
vehicle park, rooming house, or watercraft.
What is subject to the
Tourist Development Tax?
Nightly, weekly, monthly room
rates, cleaning fees, resort and reservation fees, Panama City
Beach license fee, Panama City license fee, and any other fee that the guest is required to pay to stay in
the accommodations. Refundable security deposits are not taxable,
Who collects and pays this tax?
All owners/operators/property managers of short term/vacation rental
properties collect this tax from their guests.
When are the rentals exempt
from this tax?
Guests that provide a copy of a Florida Sales
tax exemption certificate, guests that are staying TDY and have presented a copy
of their orders and guests that have signed a written qualified residential
lease for more than 6 months are exempt from the Bay County Tourist Tax.
How often are tax returns submitted and in what period do I report income?
Tax returns and payments are due monthly by the 20th of the following month.
A tax return is due EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO INCOME TO REPORT. Late returns are
subject to loss of collection allowance, interest and a minimum $50.00 penalty.
Income is reported in the period that it is earned and received.
What is the procedure for an audit?
Florida Statute 212.13 specifies the records that are required to be
maintained. These include but are not limited to cash receipts, guest ledgers,
general ledger, Florida Sales Tax Exemption Certificates, bank statements, state
sales tax reports. Records must be maintained for three years. The Clerk of
Court and Comptroller’s office will contact you at least 30 days prior to an
audit in writing. Audits will take place at the taxpayer’s place of business
provided it is in Bay County otherwise it is the taxpayer’s responsibility to
have all records brought to the Clerk of Court and Comptroller’s office.
Advertising (your tax
dollars at work)
Panama City Beach and Mexico Beach have
developed a section of their destination websites for individually owned and
operated properties to advertise provided they are registered tax collectors.
Please contact the Panama City Beach Convention and Visitor Bureau at
850-233-5070 or Mexico Beach Convention and Visitor Bureau at 850-648-8196 for
further information.
Who else do I need to register
with?
City license fee - Panama City (1.0%)
City Hall
501 Harrison Ave
Panama City, FL 32401
850-872-3033
www.panamacity.gov/184/Business-Services
State sales tax (7.0% effective January 1, 2017)
Florida Department of Revenue
2480 Saint Andrews Blvd
Panama City, FL 32405-2169
850-872-4165
floridarevenue.com
City license fee-Panama City Beach (1.0%)
City Hall
17007 Panama City Beach Parkway
Panama City Beach, FL 32413
850-233-5100
www.pcbgov.com
Our goal is to assist rental owners and managers of properties in Bay County in
fulfilling their statutory responsibilities through collector education and voluntary
compliance. For additional information, please contact:
Bay County Clerk of Court
Tourist Development Tax
PO Box 1230
Panama City, FL 32402
Phone: (850) 747-5226
Fax: (850) 747-5212
Email: tdc@baycoclerk.com