9 Best Vacation Rental Management Companies in Jacksonville Beach, FL (2026 Fees and Rules)

Jacksonville Beach is the busiest of the three Jacksonville beach towns on Florida's First Coast, sitting between Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach to the north and Ponte Vedra Beach to the south. Guests come for the wide, flat beach and the Jacksonville Beach Pier, the Seawalk Pavilion concerts, the restaurants and bars along First Street, golf at TPC Sawgrass a short drive south, Jaguars weekends, and longer stays for patients and families visiting Mayo Clinic Jacksonville. That steady mix of demand makes Jacksonville Beach one of the stronger vacation rental markets in Northeast Florida. It is also one of the few beach cities in the area where short-term rentals are still allowed in residential neighborhoods, because its neighbors have banned them.

This guide compares nine companies that offer Jacksonville Beach vacation rental management today, using only the fees and facts each company publishes on its own website. It also explains the city's Short-Term Vacation Rental Certificate, the 13.5% Duval County tax stack and who files it, the rules in Neptune Beach, Atlantic Beach and Ponte Vedra Beach, what Surge market data says a rental here can earn, and the questions property owners and homeowners should ask before signing with any manager.

The best vacation rental management companies in Jacksonville Beach for 2026

Each company below manages short term vacation rentals, homes or condominiums in the Jacksonville Beach Ponte Vedra area or the nearby First Coast area. We last checked every company's website in October 2026; check the update date above for changes.

1. Surge: best for property owners who want full service, transparent fees and written exit terms.
2. Joseph Ellen Properties: best for owners who want a large local team with an in-house staff.
3. Nomad Hospitality: best for owners who want a published fee from a local manager.
4. Place To Be Rentals: best for owners in Jacksonville Beach and Ponte Vedra Beach who want a small, family-owned team.
5. SMV House Rental: best for owners who want a low starting fee and no lock-in contract.
6. Opulent Property Management: best for owners of luxury homes valued at $1M and up.
7. SUPRA Property Management: best for owners who want help with registration and tax filing as part of the service.
8. Awning: best for owners who want a national company with a published starting rate.
9. Evolve: best for owners who will handle cleaning themselves and want a national brand.

The order is not a ranking of guest ratings. No public website publishes verified performance data for every manager, so treat this as a shortlist and ask each one for its owner agreement, a sample monthly statement and references from owners on your street or in your building.

Quick answers for Jacksonville Beach property owners

• Are short-term vacation rentals legal in Jacksonville Beach? Yes, with a certificate. The city's Short-Term Vacation Rentals page says rentals are allowed in zoning districts where residential uses are permitted, and every single-family home, townhouse or multifamily unit used as a transient rental needs a Short-Term Vacation Rental Certificate, a Fire Marshal inspection and a local business tax receipt.
• What does registration cost? $150 a year per property for the city certificate, plus $79.20 a year for the city's local business tax receipt. Certificates renew every year by October 1.
• What about Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach? Both ban short stays in residential zones. Neptune Beach prohibits rentals of less than 28 days, and Atlantic Beach prohibits rentals of less than 90 consecutive days.
• What tax applies? 13.5% on stays of six months or less: 6% Duval County tourist development tax plus 7.5% state sales tax, according to the Duval County Tax Collector.
• Does Airbnb file it all? No. Airbnb's Florida tax page lists the state sales tax and county surtax, but Duval County is not on its list of counties where Airbnb collects the local tourist tax, so owners or their manager register and file the 6% TDT every month.
• What can a rental earn? Surge market data puts the Jacksonville Beach area (which also covers Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach) at about $55,300 a year, with an average daily rate near $282 and 63% occupancy.

1. Surge

Surge offers short-term rental management across Texas and Florida. We handle listing creation and optimization, professional photography, dynamic pricing and revenue management, guest communication and screening, cleaning and turnover coordination, maintenance, and monthly owner statements. Our fee structure starts at 15% for full service, and we put every fee in the agreement, including what cleaning and maintenance cost and who pays for them.

We are honest about fit. Surge does not have a dedicated Jacksonville Beach service page today, and if you want a property management team with an office a short walk from the pier that can visit your home every week, one of the local firms below may suit you better. Where we help most is with property owners who want tight reporting, nightly rates that follow the beach season, Players week and Jaguars weekends, and a manager who reads the city certificate rules before a single booking is taken. See how we work on our Florida Airbnb management page, or contact us for a free revenue estimate.

Surge lists homes on its own Airbnb account, which is common among managers because it launches listings faster and keeps guest communication in one place. Either model can work. What matters is that your agreement says in writing what happens to the listing, the guest reviews and future reservations if you part ways.

2. Joseph Ellen Properties

Joseph Ellen Properties markets itself as an award-winning vacation rental management company in Northeast Florida with a local, in-house team. Its rental guests can browse homes in Jacksonville Beach and other First Coast communities on its website, and owner testimonials on the page praise how quickly the team responds to both owners and guests. It does not publish a management fee, so ask for the rate, the fee base and the contract term in writing.

3. Nomad Hospitality

Nomad Hospitality says it manages more than 80 short-term rentals across Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach and Neptune Beach, including homes the company owns itself. It is one of the few local managers that publishes a rate: its cost page puts its full-service fee at 18 to 20% depending on the property, and says full-service local firms in the Jacksonville Beach area typically charge 18 to 30%. Because Nomad also lists homes in Neptune Beach, ask how it handles that city's 28-day minimum before you assume a short-stay plan works on your street.

4. Place To Be Rentals

Place To Be Rentals is a local, family-owned management and co-hosting company focused on the beach communities rather than inland Jacksonville. Its owners run their own short-term rentals in Ponte Vedra Beach and Jacksonville Beach, and the service list covers an in-house cleaning team, listing creation on Airbnb, Vrbo and direct booking, 24/7 guest messaging, PriceLabs pricing, maintenance, supply stocking, design advice and insurance guidance. It does not publish a fee and offers a personalized income estimate instead. It also claims "30 to 50% above market income", which no manager can promise for every home, so ask for actual results on properties like yours.

5. SMV House Rental

SMV House Rental offers tiered management starting at 10% of gross revenue for essential service, with full-service packages above that. It says it has no lock-in contracts, includes professional photography before listing, and aims to have a home live within two weeks. The 10% is the floor, not the full-service price, so ask exactly which services each tier includes and what the full-service rate is for your home.

6. Opulent Property Management

Opulent Property Management focuses on luxury vacation rentals valued at $1M or more across Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach and St. Augustine, and says it has worked in Northeast Florida since 2015. It publishes a 25% management fee and reports a portfolio average of $1,250 ADR and 64% occupancy. Those figures describe its own high-end homes, not the typical beach condo, so use them only if your property is in that bracket.

7. SUPRA Property Management

SUPRA Property Management is based in Jacksonville and offers both full short-term rental management and a co-hosting option for owners who want to keep running their own listing. Its service list includes Florida transient tax filing, city and county short-term rental registration, guest screening, turnovers and same-day repair response, which matters in Jacksonville Beach because the city certificate, the Duval TDT account and the state DBPR license all have to stay current. It does not publish a fee.

8. Awning

Awning is a national manager that offers full-service vacation rental management across the Jacksonville Beach Ponte Vedra Beach corridor. Its Ponte Vedra Beach page says its fees start at 10% of revenue with no setup fees, no cancellation penalties and a 90-day notice period to cancel. Ask what the 10% covers, who your local cleaning and maintenance contacts are, and what the rate is once full service is included.

9. Evolve

Evolve is a national company that handles marketing, booking and guest communication while owners keep local cleaning and maintenance. Its Core plan is 10% of booking revenue and its Plus plan is 15%, with a $250 onboarding fee. It suits owners who live nearby or already have a reliable cleaner and want a national booking engine without paying for full local service.

Jacksonville Beach management fees compared

Company	Published fee	Model
Surge	Starting at 15% for full service	Full service
Joseph Ellen Properties	Not published	Full service, local team
Nomad Hospitality	18 to 20%	Full service, local
Place To Be Rentals	Not published	Full service or co-hosting
SMV House Rental	From 10% (essential tier)	Tiered
Opulent Property Management	25%	Luxury full service
SUPRA Property Management	Not published	Full service or co-hosting
Awning	From 10%	National full service
Evolve	10% Core / 15% Plus + $250 onboarding	Owner handles cleaning

A percentage only tells you part of the cost. Ask whether the fee is charged on the nightly rate alone or on gross revenue including cleaning fees, who keeps the cleaning fee, what maintenance markups apply, and whether linens, supplies and hot tub or pool service are billed on top. For a deeper breakdown, see our guide to what Airbnb property management costs.

The rules any Jacksonville Beach manager has to follow

Jacksonville Beach regulates short-term vacation rentals under Ordinance 2019-8118 and its Land Development Code. A rental counts as a short-term vacation rental if it is rented to guests more than three times a year for less than 30 days, or is advertised as a place regularly rented to guests. Here is what the city's guidelines and application packet require:

• Zoning: rentals are allowed in the RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, RM-1, RM-2, CPO, C-1, C-2 and CBD districts. Check your zoning on the Duval property appraiser search before you buy.
• Certificate: $150 for the initial certificate and $150 for each annual renewal, transfer of ownership or modification. A notarized affidavit, a local business tax receipt ($79.20 a year) and proof of off-street parking go with the application. Renewals are due by October 1 every year.
• Inspection: the Fire Marshal inspects the unit before the first certificate is issued and after any modification, by appointment only. Missing the appointment costs a $100 no-show fee, and deck and balcony inspections for the state license must be done by a private inspector.
• Occupancy: two people per bedroom plus two, up to a maximum of 16, counting everyone older than 24 months.
• Parking: one off-street space for every four guests. Cars may not block sidewalks.
• Responsible party: someone 18 or older who answers a listed phone 24 hours a day, can reach the property within two hours of being notified, accepts legal notices and checks the unit at least once a week.
• Posting: a one-page notice by the main door or on the refrigerator with the responsible party's contact, maximum occupancy, quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., parking limits, trash and recycling days, sea turtle lighting rules, emergency numbers and the nearest hospital.
• State and county licensing: a Florida DBPR vacation rental license, a Florida Department of Revenue certificate, a Duval County business tax receipt and a Duval tourist tax account.

An owner-occupied home that rents out 50% or less of the unit is not subject to these rules. Renting a homestead can also affect your homestead exemption, so talk to the property appraiser before you list a primary home. Our Florida vacation rental license guide walks through the DBPR side, and the Florida short-term rental laws guide covers statewide rules.

Neptune Beach, Atlantic Beach and Ponte Vedra Beach

This is where many buyers get caught. Neptune Beach prohibits renting or advertising any private home, townhouse or condominium for less than 28 days in its residential zoning districts. Atlantic Beach goes further: its residential zones prohibit rentals of less than 90 consecutive days, and the city has said it enforces that rule on complaints. Florida's vacation rental law generally stops cities from banning short stays, but it kept local rules adopted on or before June 1, 2011, so check the city before you assume a beach house anywhere on the First Coast can take nightly guests. Ponte Vedra Beach sits in St. Johns County, which has its own tourist tax and its own licensing, so a manager who covers both sides of the county line should know both sets of local regulations.

Taxes

Short-term stays in Duval County carry a 13.5% tax: 6% Convention and Tourist Development Tax paid to Duval County and 7.5% state sales and use tax (6% state plus the 1.5% Duval surtax) paid to the Florida Department of Revenue. Airbnb collects and remits the state sales tax and surtax on its own bookings, but Duval is not one of the counties where it collects the tourist tax, so the 6% TDT has to be collected and filed by you or your manager. Returns are due monthly on the 1st, even in months with no bookings, and are late after the 20th; the penalty is 10% a month up to 50%, with a $50 minimum. Vrbo and direct bookings need the full 13.5%. Our Florida rental tax guide has the statewide details.

What a Jacksonville Beach rental can earn

Surge's last-12-month market data for the Jacksonville Beach submarket, which includes Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach zip codes, shows:

Area	Annual revenue	Average daily rate	Occupancy
Jacksonville Beach	$55,274	$282	63%
Ponte Vedra Beach	$55,009	$332	59%
St. Augustine Beach	$49,682	$290	57%
San Marco (inland Jacksonville)	$25,069	$125	68%

The beach premium is clear: a Jacksonville Beach rental earns about twice what an inland Jacksonville listing does. These are averages across every type of listing, though. A four-bedroom oceanfront house with a pool will beat them, and a one-bedroom condo a few blocks west of Third Street may fall short. Remember too that the submarket data includes listings in Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach, where nightly stays in residential zones are not allowed.

Here is a rough example. On $55,000 of gross revenue, a 20% fee costs $11,000 and a 15% fee costs $8,250. Add cleaning (often paid by guests), supplies, utilities, insurance, the $229.20 in city fees and repairs before you judge the return on an investment property. If the numbers barely beat a long-term lease, the lease may be the better choice.

What guests look for in Jacksonville Beach

Guests here want walking distance to the sand first, and for many vacation rentals the location is the whole pitch. Homes east of Third Street (A1A) and within a short walk of the pier, Seawalk Pavilion and the First Street restaurants book best. Families look for pools, beach gear and parking, golf groups want space close to TPC Sawgrass and the Ponte Vedra courses, and medical travelers visiting Mayo Clinic value quiet homes with full kitchens and flexible longer stays. Exceptional guest experiences in this market come from the basics done well: fast guest communication, a spotless turnover, clear parking instructions and beach chairs that are actually in the closet. That is what produces positive reviews and the guest reviews that push a listing up in search.

Where rentals are located in Jacksonville Beach

Most short-term rentals sit between the ocean and Third Street, from the Neptune Beach line south past the pier toward the Ponte Vedra border. The blocks around the pier and the Beach Boulevard corridor draw groups who want restaurants and nightlife nearby, while the quieter south end and the streets near Hanna Park and Beaches Town Center (on the Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach side) attract families. West of the Intracoastal Waterway, homes are cheaper but earn much less as nightly rentals. Location also decides which city's rules apply, so confirm the property is actually inside Jacksonville Beach city limits before you buy.

Long-term property management in Jacksonville Beach

Some homeowners decide a year-round lease suits them better. A long-term property management firm handles tenant screening, leasing, rent collection, repairs and renewals for a monthly fee, usually a smaller percentage than vacation rental management. Leasing avoids the certificate, the monthly TDT returns and turnover costs, and it is the only option in Neptune Beach and Atlantic Beach residential zones for stays shorter than the city minimums. Many real estate agents in the beach communities, and often the realtor who sold you the home, also manage long-term rentals, and some owners hold the property in an LLC for liability. Ask any property management team whether it handles both models, so you can switch if the numbers change.

Services to expect from a vacation rental manager

Most management companies that specialize in vacation rentals on the First Coast offer the same core services, but quality varies a lot. Before investing in a beach home, compare what each manager actually includes:

• Marketing and listing services: professional photos, listing optimization and distribution across Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com and a direct booking site to maximize exposure.
• Guest experience: 24/7 messaging, digital check-in, guest screening and local tips that enhance each stay. A strong guest experience is what keeps reviews high and rates up.
• Housekeeping and maintenance: hotel-level cleaning with inspections between stays, plus access to a vetted vendor network for repairs, pools and air conditioning.
• Revenue planning: dynamic pricing, minimum-stay rules by season and owner reporting that shows what worked and what did not.
• Compliance: the city certificate, DBPR license and Duval TDT filings handled on schedule, so homeowners do not pay penalties.

The best managers hold high standards on every turnover and show a real commitment to owner success, not just a large number of listings. Ask each company what resources it puts behind your home and who on the team is responsible for it.

What good property management looks like

• Pricing: nightly rates that move with the summer season, spring break, Players week, holiday weekends and Jaguars home games, not a flat rate all year.
• Compliance: a certificate renewed before October 1, a current DBPR license, monthly TDT filings and a responsible party who can reach the home within two hours.
• Marketing: professional photos, listing optimization on Airbnb, Vrbo and direct booking, and a description that answers the questions guests ask most, like parking and walking distance to the beach.
• Reporting: monthly statements that show gross revenue, fees, cleaning, repairs and the owner payout line by line.
• Personalized attention: one point of contact who knows your home, your goals and your HOA rules.

Why owners hire a local management team in Jacksonville Beach

The two-hour response rule means someone has to be close. A local team can meet the Fire Marshal for the inspection, handle a lockout at midnight, swap a broken air conditioner in August and check the unit weekly, as the ordinance requires. Local management companies also know which condominiums allow short stays, which streets flood in a nor'easter and which cleaners show up on a Saturday in July. That local knowledge is the difference between superior service and a manager who just runs the listing from another state.

How to check a manager before you sign

1. Confirm the company holds a Florida real estate license where required and read its reviews on Google and Airbnb.
2. Ask for three owner references with homes like yours, ideally on the ocean side of Third Street.
3. Read the full agreement: fee base, term, notice period, cancellation fees and who owns the listing and future reservations.
4. Ask who serves as the city's responsible party, who files the Duval TDT, and who pays any fines or late penalties.
5. Request a sample monthly statement and ask how and when owners are paid.

Questions to ask before you sign

• What occupancy and average daily rate did homes like mine earn last year, by month?
• How many homes does each manager handle, and who is my single contact?
• How do you price Players week, summer weekends and the slow winter months?
• Who answers the 24/7 line, and how fast can someone get to the property?
• What does a turnover cost, who supplies linens, and who keeps the cleaning fee?
• How do I end the agreement, and what happens to my bookings and reviews if I do?

Short-term stays or a long-term lease in Jacksonville Beach?

Not every home belongs among the area's short term rentals and vacation rentals. A long-term lease avoids the certificate, the inspection, monthly tax returns and turnover costs, and suits owners who want steady rent with less work. Short-term stays usually earn more near the beach, but the costs are higher: cleaning, supplies, utilities, furnishing, the city fees and a management fee. Run both numbers with real expenses before you decide, and remember that only Jacksonville Beach, not Neptune Beach or Atlantic Beach residential zones, allows nightly stays. Families who want to use the home a few weeks a year often qualify for a hybrid plan: short-term stays in peak months and blocked dates for personal use.

Self-manage or hire a manager?

Self-managing can work if you live nearby, can meet the two-hour response rule and are comfortable filing the monthly TDT return yourself. It saves the management fee but costs time: guest messages at all hours, cleaner scheduling, repairs, pricing and compliance planning. Owners who live out of town, own more than one home or want a hands-off investment usually come out ahead with a manager. Our guide on hiring an Airbnb manager in Florida covers how to decide.

Other markets in Florida

Comparing towns across the state? See our guides to the best managers in Jacksonville and Cocoa Beach, the statewide list of the best Airbnb management companies in Florida, and our ranking of the most profitable Airbnb cities in Florida. Ready to talk about your property? Visit our Florida management page for a free revenue estimate.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the best vacation rental management company in Jacksonville Beach?

It depends on your property and goals. Surge fits owners who want full service, transparent fees starting at 15% and written exit terms. Joseph Ellen Properties has a large local team, Nomad Hospitality publishes an 18 to 20% fee, Place To Be Rentals is family-owned and focused on the beaches, SMV House Rental starts at 10%, Opulent focuses on luxury homes, SUPRA includes tax and registration help, and Awning and Evolve are the national options.

Are short-term rentals legal in Jacksonville Beach, FL?

Yes. Short-term vacation rentals are allowed in the city's residential and commercial zoning districts with a Short-Term Vacation Rental Certificate, a Fire Marshal inspection, a local business tax receipt and state and county licenses.

Can I run an Airbnb in Neptune Beach or Atlantic Beach?

Not for short stays in residential zones. Neptune Beach prohibits rentals of less than 28 days and Atlantic Beach prohibits rentals of less than 90 consecutive days in residential zoning districts.

How much do Jacksonville Beach vacation rental managers charge?

Published rates run from 10% for limited or entry-level service (Evolve Core, SMV House Rental, Awning) to 18 to 20% for local full service (Nomad Hospitality) and 25% for luxury management (Opulent). Many local firms do not publish a rate, so get quotes in writing.

Does Airbnb collect the tourist tax in Duval County?

Airbnb collects the 7.5% state sales tax and surtax, but not Duval County's 6% tourist development tax. Owners or their manager must register with the Duval County Tax Collector and file the TDT monthly.

How much can a Jacksonville Beach Airbnb make?

Surge market data puts the Jacksonville Beach area at about $55,300 a year on average, with an average daily rate near $282 and 63% occupancy. Ponte Vedra Beach is similar at about $55,000 with a higher rate and lower occupancy.