Here is how the work splits. Your local person handles the visits and the on-site inspection. BnBGenius answers guest messages on Airbnb and Vrbo 24/7 and creates cleaning and repair tasks after checkout. You handle the city licence and the taxes.
Hollywood, Florida requires every vacation rental to have a representative who answers the phone at all times.
“Be available by landline or mobile telephone answered by the vacation rental representative at the listed phone number, 24-hours a day, seven days a week, to handle any problems arising from the vacation rental”
Source: City of Hollywood Vacation Rental License Regulations
What this means for you: the phone number on your licence application must be answered by your representative. This applies every day, around the clock.
The same person must be able to be physically present within 60 minutes.
“Be willing and able to be physically present at the vacation rental within 60 minutes following notification from a vacation rental occupant, law enforcement officer, code compliance officer, emergency personnel, or the city for issues related to the vacation rental”
Source: City of Hollywood Vacation Rental License Regulations
What this means for you: after a call, your representative must reach the property within 60 minutes. The call can come from a guest, police or the city.
What BnBGenius Does for a Host in Hollywood
Answers guest messages on Airbnb and Vrbo 24/7
Guests in Hollywood ask how loud they can be and where they can park. The city’s noise statement and noise device requirement are these:
“A statement advising the occupant that that the volume of noise generated at the Vacation Rental is limited by the City Noise Ordinance. A noise level detection device alerting the property owner/representative and tenant shall be installed in every Vacation Rental;”
Source: City of Hollywood Vacation Rental License Regulations
What this means for you: every rental must post a notice about the City Noise Ordinance. It also needs a noise device. The device alerts the owner, the representative and the tenant.
The parking notice is this:
“Notice of the parking locations allowed and other requirements shall be posted inside the Vacation Rental.”
Source: City of Hollywood Vacation Rental License Regulations
What this means for you: a notice telling guests where parking is allowed has to be posted inside the rental.
Put these answers in your house rules and check-in instructions on both Airbnb and Vrbo. BnBGenius answers guest messages on Airbnb and Vrbo 24/7, but it does not know local rules by itself. BnBGenius is not the city’s vacation rental representative.
Requests a review from the guest and publishes the host’s review
This works the same way on Airbnb and Vrbo. BnBGenius requests a review from the guest and publishes the host’s review. A review does not replace house rules.
Kent Morgan, BnBGenius co-founder:
“We went from reviewing 40% of stays to 100% overnight. The AI even thanked guests for things we fixed mid-stay. Our review-to-review rate jumped immediately.”
Kent Morgan, BnBGenius co-founder, on bnbgenius.ai/reviews
Creates cleaning and repair tasks after checkout
The city requires an on-site inspection at the end of each rental period — that requirement is described under “Your Local Person” below. BnBGenius creates cleaning and repair tasks after checkout; the cleaning, the inspection and the repairs themselves are done by your person on site. Agree turnover times with them so the inspection and the cleaning fit between one guest and the next.
Kent Morgan, BnBGenius co-founder:
“We used to find out about issues in post-stay reviews. Now BnBGenius flags them mid-stay, creates the task, and our cleaners respond in under 15 minutes.”
Kent Morgan, BnBGenius co-founder, on bnbgenius.ai/tasks
Answers guest calls with a voice AI agent
Voice Concierge is an add-on that answers guest calls with a voice AI agent. It does not make BnBGenius the city’s vacation rental representative, and it does not replace a person who can be physically present within 60 minutes. The city’s phone requirement stays with your representative.
Kent Morgan, BnBGenius co-founder:
“The concierge answered 84% of our after-hours calls last month without waking anyone up. Guests thought it was our in-house team the whole time.”
Kent Morgan, BnBGenius co-founder, on bnbgenius.ai/voice
Sells gap nights, early check-in and late checkout
BnBGenius sells gap nights, early check-in and late checkout. Any offer has to stay within the city’s occupancy rules — the floor-area rule and the bedroom cap quoted under “What the City Requires” below. Agree early check-in and late checkout times with your local person first, so cleaning still fits between guests.
Is run from Telegram
BnBGenius is run from Telegram. The split of responsibilities does not change: your local person still does the visits, you still hold the licence and the taxes.
Your Local Person
A cleaner or handyman can do the visits, and the same person can be the vacation rental representative if you appoint them as your authorised designee in the licence application — the city defines the representative as the owner or the owner’s authorised designee. The representative must also be physically present within 60 minutes, as quoted at the top of the page. The representative has two more duties. First, the on-site inspection:
“Conduct an on-site inspection of the vacation rental at the end of each rental period to assure continued compliance with the requirements of this chapter.”
Source: City of Hollywood Vacation Rental License Regulations
What this means for you: at the end of each rental period, your representative checks the property. They confirm it still meets the city’s vacation rental rules.
Second, the guest log:
“Maintain for three years a log of all guests of the vacation rental to be available for inspection upon request.”
Source: City of Hollywood Vacation Rental License Regulations
What this means for you: your representative writes down every guest. They keep this record for three years and show it if the city asks.
You organise cleaning and repairs yourself — your local person, or a cleaning company you choose — while BnBGenius creates cleaning and repair tasks after checkout. Keep the same house rules and check-in instructions on Airbnb and Vrbo so guests get identical answers on both. BnBGenius is not the city’s vacation rental representative; the representative is always the owner or the owner’s local person.
What the City Requires
Licence. You need it before you list:
“a property owner operating a Vacation Rental shall obtain a Vacation Rental license prior to advertising a property available for short term rental.”
Source: City of Hollywood Vacation Rental License Regulations
What this means for you: you cannot advertise on Airbnb or Vrbo until the city licence is issued.
“A separate Vacation Rental license shall be required for each Vacation Rental.”
Source: City of Hollywood Vacation Rental License Regulations
What this means for you: each rental property needs its own licence — five rentals means five licences.
Application and renewal.
“shall submit to the city a completed vacation rental license application, in a form promulgated by the city, together with an application fee in an amount set by resolution of the City Commission.”
Source: City of Hollywood Vacation Rental License Regulations
What this means for you: you fill in the city’s application form and pay the application fee. The City Commission sets the fee amount by resolution.
“The vacation rental license shall expire each September 30, and may be annually renewed thereafter only if the property is in compliance with this chapter and a renewal fee, to be established by resolution of the City Commission, is paid.”
Source: City of Hollywood Vacation Rental License Regulations
What this means for you: the licence expires each September 30. You can renew each year if the property is in compliance and you pay the renewal fee, which is also set by resolution of the City Commission. Set a reminder before the expiry date.
“Renewal will be subject to an annual inspection.”
Source: City of Hollywood Vacation Rental License Regulations
What this means for you: expect a city inspection each year as part of renewal.
Late renewal.
“Each application for renewal received after September 30 shall be assessed a late fee of $100.00.”
Source: City of Hollywood Vacation Rental License Regulations
What this means for you: if your renewal application arrives after September 30, it costs an extra $100.00. Renew before the deadline.
Occupancy.
“Each vacation rental shall have a minimum gross floor area of not less than 150 square feet for the first occupant, and not less than 100 square feet for each additional occupant.”
Source: City of Hollywood Vacation Rental License Regulations
What this means for you: the unit needs at least 150 square feet for the first occupant and 100 square feet for each additional one. Three occupants need 150 + 100 + 100 = 350 square feet.
“The maximum number of occupants for each bedroom shall be two.”
Source: City of Hollywood Vacation Rental License Regulations
What this means for you: no more than two occupants per bedroom. Two bedrooms hold at most 2 × 2 = 4 people; the floor-area rule above can lower the total.
“At all times other than overnight, the maximum occupancy of a Vacation Rental shall not exceed one and one-half (1.5) times the maximum overnight occupancy.”
Source: City of Hollywood Vacation Rental License Regulations
What this means for you: outside overnight hours, occupancy can be 1.5 times the overnight maximum. If the overnight maximum is 4, the maximum at other times is 4 × 1.5 = 6.
Postings in the unit.
“The name, address and phone number of the vacation rental representative;”
Source: City of Hollywood Vacation Rental License Regulations
What this means for you: the postings must show your representative’s name, address and phone number.
“Notice of the parking locations allowed and other requirements shall be posted inside the Vacation Rental.”
Source: City of Hollywood Vacation Rental License Regulations
What this means for you: the parking notice quoted above has to be posted inside the rental. The noise statement and noise detection device are covered in the messaging section above.
Advertising.
“Advertisements for the vacation rental must display the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation Transient Lodging license number and the City of Hollywood vacation rental license number.”
Source: City of Hollywood Vacation Rental License Regulations
What this means for you: your Airbnb and Vrbo listings must show two licence numbers. One is your Florida Transient Lodging licence number, the other your City of Hollywood vacation rental licence number. Both listings need them equally.
Fines.
“the violation shall be subject to a fine in the amount of $250, for the first offense, $500 for the second and subsequent offenses”
Source: City of Hollywood Vacation Rental License Regulations
What this means for you: a violation costs $250 for the first offence and $500 for each one after that. Keep the licence current and the postings in place to avoid them.
Taxes
Florida taxes transient rentals at the state level:
“Florida’s 6% state sales tax, plus any applicable discretionary sales surtax, applies to rental charges or room rates paid for the right to use or occupy living quarters or sleeping or housekeeping accommodations for rental periods of six months or less, often called ‘transient accommodations’ or ‘transient rentals.’”
Source: Florida Department of Revenue
What this means for you: the state charges 6% sales tax plus any applicable surtax on stays of six months or less.
The Broward County tourist development tax rate listed by the Florida Department of Revenue:
“Broward 6.0% County”
Source: Florida Department of Revenue
What this means for you: Broward County has a 6.0% rate.
| Platform | What the platform lists | What the owner checks |
|---|---|---|
| Airbnb | “Florida Transient Rental Tax: 6% of the listing price including any cleaning fee for reservations 182 nights and shorter.” (Source: Airbnb Help) “Florida Discretionary Sales Surtax: 0.5%-1.5% of the listing price including any cleaning fee for reservations 182 nights and shorter.” (Source: Airbnb Help) “Broward County Tourist Development Tax: 6% of the listing price including any cleaning fee for reservations 182 nights and shorter in Broward County.” (Source: Airbnb Help) | “Hosts may need to manually collect and remit other applicable taxes on their stay or experience price.” (Source: Airbnb Help) |
| Vrbo | “Broward County under 184 nights” (Source: Vrbo Help) | “You’re also responsible for collecting and remitting lodging taxes when we’re not liable to do so.” (Source: Vrbo Help) |
What this means for you: Airbnb lists three taxes on stays of 182 nights or shorter. These are the Florida transient rental tax, the Florida surtax and the Broward County tourist development tax. Vrbo lists the Broward County tax on stays under 184 nights. Both platforms say you may still owe taxes they do not collect. Check each booking yourself.
BnBGenius is not an accounting tool.
Airbnb and Vrbo
| Guest work | Airbnb | Vrbo |
|---|---|---|
| Messages | “Every reservation automatically creates a group thread where all bookers, co-travelers, hosts and co-hosts can connect.” (Source: Airbnb Help) | “You can send a message to a host through our secure messaging platform.” (Source: Vrbo Help) |
| Reviews | “After a guest checks out, both the guest and their host will be prompted to leave a review. Both parties will have 14 days after checkout to submit their review.” (Source: Airbnb Help) | “You and your guests have 180 days to provide your review. Once one party submits their review, the other party has 14 days to complete their review.” (Source: Vrbo Help) |
| Check-in details | “Guests will see your check-in method (such as smart lock, keypad, or lock box) but they won’t see the detailed check-in instructions until 48 hours before check-in.” (Source: Airbnb Help) | “The welcome guide information is emailed to your guests in the language you wrote it in, three days before check-in.” (Source: Vrbo Help) |
What this means for you: on Airbnb, every reservation creates a group thread for messaging. Guests see your check-in method, but detailed instructions appear only 48 hours before check-in. Reviews open after checkout and close 14 days later. On Vrbo, guests message you through the platform’s secure messaging. The welcome guide is emailed three days before check-in. Reviews stay open for 180 days, and the second party gets 14 days after the first submits.
On both platforms, answers about noise, guest numbers, parking and the representative’s contact must rest on your house rules and check-in instructions. BnBGenius answers guest messages on Airbnb and Vrbo 24/7 and requests a review from the guest and publishes the host’s review. You check taxes separately.
How to Start
BnBGenius is not a PMS, a channel manager, a calendar sync, a direct-booking, pricing or accounting tool.
More City Guides
- Self-managing an Airbnb in Hallandale Beach, FL
- Self-managing an Airbnb in Sunny Isles Beach, FL
- Self-managing an Airbnb in Davie, FL
- Self-managing an Airbnb in Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Florida short-term rental laws by city
Rules and rates last checked on 2 October 2026.
