Complying with Local Registration Ordinances
Here at CiiRUS, we’re used to working with professional vacation rental managers of all shapes and sizes, including those just breaking into the industry. Many underestimate the various rules and regulations that come with managing and listing vacation rentals; they tell us it can be tricky or confusing to understand exactly what’s permissible when it comes to advertising.
It’s most important to do your research and ensure each listing complies with local regulations, in particular, obtaining a rental registration number. Although every municipality has differences in attainment and enforcement, most require you to obtain a license or registration number in order to rent. For instance, in Florida, the Department of Business and Professional Registration webpage walks vacation rental managers through the registration process online and explains all the requirements. Contact your state business regulators for more information about registration or ask your local vacation rental industry advocates, such as VRMA. Tech providers like CiiRUS, Vrbo, or Airbnb would also be happy to point you in the right direction! Once acquired, the registration number must be added to the listing for each property on the listing site.
If your local region does not require it, you’re still obligated to complete the registration field for booking sites such as Vrbo before they’ll put the listings live. If this is the case, notify representatives of the site before moving forward.
See below for Vrbo and Airbnb’s online tools to find out if your local area requires a rental registration number to advertise your listings.
Vrbo: https://help.vrbo.com/articles/What-is-the-Registration-Number-field-on-my-dashboard
Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1376/responsible-hosting-in-the-united-states
How do I add my rental registration number to my listing?
As recommended by Vrbo, you may add the registration number to the listing description field, but they do not recommend including it in the description of the property itself. And if you have more than one registration number it is recommended you enter the registration numbers separated by commas.
Just like some cities require hosts to obtain a rental registration number in order to list their homes on Vrbo, the same goes for Airbnb. Hosts are required to display that number directly on their listing to comply with local laws. However, if the city does not require hosts to register for a rental registration number, the absence of a number does not mean the host is non-compliant, allowing them to advertise their properties on Airbnb.
Steps to add my rental registration number:
First, log in to your Vrbo account, and click the listing you would like to edit. Then, click the Property icon located in the top left-hand corner to expand the navigation menu. Next, click Edit Property (e.g., single-unit listings, click Description, and multiple-unit listings, click Facilities). Finally, navigate to Registration Number, enter the number, and click Save.
With their years of diverse experience, the CiiRUS team brings a wealth of industry experience and knowledge to our users, giving them the technology and resources to maximize revenue and increase operational efficiency.
