Florida § 509.251 - License fees.

§ 509.251. License fees.

(1) The division shall adopt, by rule, a schedule of fees to be paid by each public lodging establishment as a prerequisite to issuance or renewal of a license. Such fees shall be based on the number of rental units in the establishment. The aggregate fee per establishment charged any public lodging establishment may not exceed $1,000; however, the fees described in paragraphs (a) and (b) may not be included as part of the aggregate fee subject to this cap. Vacation rental units or timeshare projects within separate buildings or at separate locations but managed by one licensed agent may be combined in a single license application, and the division shall charge a license fee as if all units in the application are in a single licensed establishment. The fee schedule shall require an establishment which applies for an initial license to pay the full license fee if application is made during the annual renewal period or more than 6 months before the next such renewal period and one-half of the fee if application is made 6 months or less before such period. The fee schedule shall include fees collected for the purpose of funding the Hospitality Education Program, pursuant to s. 509.302, which are payable in full for each application regardless of when the application is submitted. (a) Upon making initial application or an application for change of ownership, the applicant shall pay to the division a fee as prescribed by rule, not to exceed $50, in addition to any other fees required by law, which shall cover all costs associated with initiating regulation of the establishment. (b) A license renewal filed with the division after the expiration date shall be accompanied by a delinquent fee as prescribed by rule, not to exceed $50, in addition to the renewal fee and any other fees required by law. (2) The division shall adopt, by rule, a schedule of fees to be paid by each public food service establishment as a prerequisite to issuance or renewal of a license. The fee schedule shall prescribe a basic fee and additional fees based on seating capacity and services offered. The aggregate fee per establishment charged any public food service establishment may not exceed $400; however, the fees described in paragraphs (a) and (b) may not be included as part of the aggregate fee subject to this cap. The fee schedule shall require an establishment which applies for an initial license to pay the full license fee if application is made during the annual renewal period or more than 6 months before the next such renewal period and one-half of the fee if application is made 6 months or less before such period. The fee schedule shall include fees collected for the purpose of funding the Hospitality Education Program, pursuant to s. 509.302, which are payable in full for each application regardless of when the application is submitted. (a) Upon making initial application or an application for change of ownership, the applicant shall pay to the division a fee as prescribed by rule, not to exceed $50, in addition to any other fees required by law, which shall cover all costs associated with initiating regulation of the establishment. (b) A license renewal filed with the division after the expiration date shall be accompanied by a delinquent fee as prescribed by rule, not to exceed $50, in addition to the renewal fee and any other fees required by law. (3) The fact that a public food service establishment is operated in conjunction with a public lodging establishment does not relieve the public food service establishment of the requirement that it be separately licensed as a public food service establishment. (4) The actual costs associated with each epidemiological investigation conducted by the Department of Health in public food service establishments licensed pursuant to this chapter shall be accounted for and submitted to the division annually. The division shall journal transfer the total of all such amounts from the Hotel and Restaurant Trust Fund to the Department of Health annually; however, the total amount of such transfer may not exceed an amount equal to 5 percent of the annual public food service establishment licensure fees received by the division.