A condo's rental income depends on the building more than the unit. Some towers run their own rental office. Some leave every owner to hire a manager. One of the nine I've researched sits inside city limits and answers to a city permit. Here is how each one works.
I've sold on this beach since 2003, and I'm also one of the owners of Emerald Beach Rentals, so rental statements cross my desk as often as contracts do. Before I talk price with an investor, I ask a plainer question: who books this condo, under whose rules, and what does the owner keep? A building with its own rental office hands you a booking system and set terms. A building without one leaves you to pick and negotiate with a manager.
This is what I found in October 2026 in each building's recorded documents, the county records and the rental offices' own websites. Rental office terms are company rules, not association rules, so ask the association for its written rules.
Building | Built | Who rents the units | What stood out |
|---|---|---|---|
1975, second section 1981 | On-site rental program | The resort publishes its split: 20% to the program, 80% to the owner. Guests must be 25 or older. | |
1987 | No rental office. Owners hire their own manager or self-manage. | No new pets since 2015, and guests can't bring any. | |
1980 | No association rental desk. Outside managers and owner-run listings. | Each owner sets terms. The listings I read say no pets. | |
2001 | Princess Condo Rentals, owned by the owners' association since 2006 | Guests pay a $140 resort fee that includes a parking pass. | |
1983 | Rental office in the main lobby, or an outside company | The lease signer must be 25. Pet-friendly units take up to two small dogs. | |
1981 | On-site rental office | Ask the association if you can hire an outside manager. | |
1985 | Commodore Owners Association Rentals | Renters must be 25 or older. I couldn't find out if owners may use another manager. | |
2006 | Joining the on-site program is up to each owner. Outside companies rent units too. | The declaration calls every residential unit a "resort unit," so short stays are built in. | |
2005 | Royal American runs a program. Other managers and owners rent units too. | A 2011 amendment bars renting to anyone under 25. |
Only Boardwalk is inside Panama City Beach city limits. There, each unit rented short term needs its own city Vacation Rental Certificate, and a new owner has to register again after closing. The other eight sit in unincorporated Bay County. The county's certificate was written for one to four unit properties, so towers are exempt for now.
Every owner still needs a state vacation rental license and has to collect state sales tax and Bay County's bed tax, which has gone to the Bay County Tax Collector since October 1, 2026. My post on renting out a Panama City Beach condo covers each step.
For insurance, taxes and net income, read my investment property post.
If you want a manager, I'll show you more than one. Emerald Beach Rentals is mine, and it charges 20% on qualifying properties, spelled out in a written agreement. My brokerage is Allison James Estates & Homes, and rental management is a separate business. I put the local companies side by side in how Panama City Beach rental managers compare.
Of the nine above, Regency Towers, Princess, Pelican Walk, Moonspinner and the Commodore each have a rental office on the property, and Seychelles has an optional on-site program. Watercrest and Mariner East don't, so owners there find their own manager.
It depends on the address, not the street name. Of these nine, only Boardwalk is inside city limits and needs the city certificate. The others fall under Bay County, which currently exempts high-rise condos from its own certificate.
Send me the building, your budget and how often you'd use the place yourself, and I'll pull the rental terms and dues ahead of any offer. My number is 850-596-5844, or send a message here, or browse Panama City Beach investment condos for sale.
Written by Roger Rietsema, a Realtor® with Allison James Estates & Homes since his Panama City Beach career began in 2003. Rental rules, fees and association policies change, so confirm the details for any building with the association, the city or county, and the rental company before buying. This is general information, not legal, tax or investment advice.