Florida Ends 57-Year Tax on Commercial Leases Today
The state’s Business Rent Tax has officially been repealed after decades of advocacy by Florida Realtors, saving commercial tenants $2.5 billion annually.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A decades-old state tax on commercial leases, known as the Business Rent Tax, will disappear today after 57 years on the books.
Florida Realtors® has been actively working for years to eliminate this tax, making it a longstanding legislative priority. Lawmakers approved the repeal as part of a larger tax bill in June.
“This is a major step forward for Florida’s economic development, and we want to thank Florida lawmakers for once again leading the way — not just for the real estate and business communities, but for the entire state,” said 2025 Florida Realtors President Tim Weisheyer, broker-owner of Dream Builders Realty and dbrCommercial Real Estate Services in Central Florida. “By steadily reducing the business rent tax over the past decade and now fully eliminating it, lawmakers have removed a long-standing deterrent for out-of-state companies considering Florida. We’re now better positioned to attract new companies, scale existing ones, and compete nationally for the jobs and investment that will fuel our state’s long-term growth.”
The Business Rent Tax (BRT) began in 1968, when the state’s sales-tax rate was 4%. As the sales tax rose in the 1980s, so did the BRT, which eventually reached 6%. Over the past decade, legislators gradually lowered the rate until it hit 2% in June 2024.
Cutting the BRT means commercial tenants in Florida will be saving a total of $2.5 billion annually and represents an important milestone in the state’s efforts to become more competitive in attracting and growing businesses. This elimination includes both the state sales tax rate and the discretionary sales surtax that counties can levy on commercial leases. Removing the BRT provides Florida businesses with the capital to expand, hire more employees, buy new equipment, improve benefits and raise salaries.
“Eliminating this tax puts real capital back into the hands of Florida’s businesses, and that money gets reinvested directly into our communities. Small business owners have the space to grow, hire, and lower costs for customers, driving stronger local economies. Meanwhile, commercial landlords, who’ve long carried the burden of remitting this tax, will see meaningful savings in time and compliance costs,” added Weisheyer. “This is a win for every corner of Florida—our businesses, our people, and our future.”
© 2025 Florida Realtors®