Florida Car Rental Compliance Guide | Surcharges, Insurance & Airports | VettyDrive
Rental Surcharge Requirements
Florida imposes several mandatory surcharges on rental car transactions that independent operators must collect and remit. The state surcharge is $2 per day per vehicle, collected by the rental company and remitted to the Florida Department of Revenue. This surcharge funds the state's general transportation programs.
Many Florida counties also impose their own surcharges. For example, Miami-Dade County has an additional $2-per-day surcharge for road improvements, and Orange County (Orlando) has a similar county-level fee. Independent operators must track and remit surcharges for each county where they operate or where the vehicle is rented.
All surcharges must be clearly itemized on the rental invoice. Florida law prohibits bundling surcharges into the base rental rate — they must appear as separate line items. Failure to properly disclose and remit surcharges can result in audit liability, penalties, and interest on unpaid amounts.
Insurance Minimums and Requirements
Florida's minimum liability insurance requirements are $10,000 per person for bodily injury and $20,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $10,000 for property damage. However, Florida is a no-fault state, which means you must also carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage of at least $10,000 per person.
For independent operators, the minimums are rarely adequate. A single accident involving a rental vehicle in Florida's litigious environment can quickly exceed these limits. Most experienced operators carry at least $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus comprehensive collision coverage on each vehicle.
Florida law requires rental companies to maintain liability coverage on each rental vehicle and to provide proof of coverage upon request. If you operate at an airport, the airport authority will almost certainly require proof of significantly higher coverage limits as a condition of your concession agreement.
GPS Disclosure and Privacy
Florida's Security of Communications statutes create liability for intercepting or recording electronic data without consent. While these laws were originally designed for wiretapping, courts have applied them to GPS tracking in rental vehicles. The safest approach is to obtain explicit written consent for any GPS or telematics data collection.
The Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA) provides an additional avenue for consumer claims related to undisclosed tracking. Renters who discover GPS tracking after the fact have successfully brought FDUTPA claims, which allow for actual damages plus attorney fees.
Your rental agreement should include a clear GPS disclosure that states the purpose of tracking (e.g., vehicle recovery, mileage enforcement), the type of data collected, and how long the data is retained. Florida does not currently require a standalone disclosure form, but including a separate acknowledgment checkbox is best practice.
DOT Compliance for Airport Operations
Operating at a Florida airport requires a concession agreement with the airport authority. Each major airport — Miami International, Orlando International, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood — has its own concession rules, fee structures, and operational requirements. These agreements typically require off-airport operators to collect customers via shuttle and pay a permit fee or percentage of revenue.
Airport authorities conduct regular compliance audits of concession holders. They will review your insurance certificates, vehicle safety inspections, driver qualification files, and customer complaint records. Non-compliance can result in fines, suspension, or termination of your airport operating privileges.
If you offer shuttle service between the airport and your lot, your drivers must comply with DOT regulations, including valid commercial driver's licenses where required, drug and alcohol testing programs, and hours-of-service recordkeeping. Many independent operators contract with professional shuttle services to avoid the administrative burden of direct DOT compliance.