Clerk begins taking over Brevard County tourist tax collection as tax collector cites budget cuts, data gaps with platforms

Brevard County began transitioning collection of the tourist development tax to the clerk's office in October, county staff told the Brevard County Tourist Development Council on Oct. 8, and officials warned that full compliance and reconciliations will take months.

Marty Miller of the clerk's office told the council the office assembled a team, bought new software designed for short-term rental tax collection and has been registering operators since the changeover. "As of today, we stand in collections around $844,000," Miller said, adding that the office has not yet received permitting or detailed remittance data from platforms such as VRBO and Airbnb.

Why it matters: TDT funds pay for Brevard County tourism programs and beach-related work; short-term rentals and third-party platforms account for a significant and growing share of local TDT revenue, and county staff said incomplete platform data complicates enforcement and reconciliation.

Miller said the clerk's office is concentrating first on getting hosts and property managers registered and that compliance work will follow. "Once we get the majority of people registered ...…