PROPERTYRADAR BLOG · VACATION RENTAL MANAGERS
A step-by-step guide for vacation rental managers who want to build a clean, public-records-sourced owner acquisition list — and turn it into a working pipeline with PropertyRadar.
By Josh Guerra · VP of Segment Growth, PropertyRadar · Licensed Real Estate Agent
Reading time: ~9 minutes · Last updated: May 2026
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QUICK ANSWER To get a list of active short-term rentals in your area, file a public records request (a FOIA request at the federal level, or its state/local equivalent) with the city or county agency that issues STR permits, business licenses, or transient occupancy tax (TOT) registrations. Most jurisdictions will release the property address, permit number, and issue date. They will not typically release owner phone numbers or email addresses. To turn that address list into a usable owner acquisition file, enrich it with a property data platform like PropertyRadar to append the owner's name, mailing address, equity position, and ownership tenure. |
If you manage vacation rentals, you already know the hardest part of growing your portfolio isn't operations. It's finding the owners. Specifically, the owners of properties that are already operating as short-term rentals in your market — because those are the people who have already decided to be in this business, and the people most likely to switch managers when the current one isn't earning its fee.
There is a public-records path to that list, and most managers either don't know it exists or assume it's harder than it is. It isn't. In most U.S. jurisdictions, an STR permit or short-term rental registration is a matter of public record. You can request it. The agency has to respond. And in three to four weeks, you can have a complete map of every legally operating short-term rental in your service area.
This guide walks through how to do it — the request itself, where to send it, what to ask for, and how to handle the gaps in what you get back. I've sent these requests myself and I'll be candid about where this approach is excellent and where it needs help.
What Is a FOIA Request, and Does It Apply to Short-Term Rentals?
FOIA stands for the Freedom of Information Act, a 1967 federal law that gives the public the right to request records from federal agencies. But here is the part that matters for vacation rental managers: FOIA itself only applies to federal records. Short-term rental permits are issued at the city or county level, which means you are actually filing a state or local public records request, not a federal FOIA.
Most people still call it a "FOIA request" colloquially, and most agencies will accept that language without correcting you. Every state has its own version — California has the California Public Records Act (CPRA), Florida has Chapter 119, Texas has the Public Information Act, and so on. The mechanics are nearly identical: you submit a written request, the agency has a defined number of days to respond, and the records have to be released unless an exemption applies.
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STRATEGIC ASIDE The reason this works at scale is that the same regulatory wave that frustrates STR operators — mandatory permits, local registration, TOT compliance — is what generates the records you can now request. The regulation that makes the business harder to operate also makes the owners easier to find. That is the trade. |
Why Vacation Rental Managers Should Build an STR Address List
Most owner acquisition campaigns in this industry are built on broad lists — second-home owners, absentee owners, owners of single-family homes in vacation markets. Those lists work, but they include thousands of people who have no interest in renting their home and never will. The list of permitted short-term rentals is different: every name on it is an owner who has already made the decision to be in this business.
That changes the economics of every channel. Direct mail response rates are higher because the message is relevant. Cold email reply rates climb because you're not guessing at intent. Paid social audiences built from these lists outperform interest-based targeting because they're built on revealed behavior, not inferred interest. And the conversation when you do connect starts at a different place — you're not explaining what short-term rental management is, you're explaining why you're better at it.
How to File a Public Records Request for STR Permits: Step by Step
Step 1: Identify the Right Agency
This is where most managers get stuck. The agency that issues STR permits varies by jurisdiction. In some cities it's the planning department. In others it's the finance department, code enforcement, the city clerk, or a dedicated short-term rental office. A few common patterns:
- Cities with mature STR ordinances (San Diego, Nashville, Austin, Denver) usually have a dedicated STR program office. Start there.
- Resort markets and tourist-heavy counties (Sevier County TN, Osceola FL, Maui County HI) typically route through the planning or finance department.
- Smaller jurisdictions often handle STR permits through general business licensing — same office that issues a contractor's license.
- If a city has no STR ordinance, there may still be a transient occupancy tax (TOT) registry, which is functionally the same list.
To find your agency: search "[city name] short-term rental permit" or "[city name] vacation rental ordinance." The result page will usually identify the issuing department. If not, call the city clerk's office and ask. They will tell you.
Step 2: Identify the Right Records
You don't want "information about short-term rentals." You want specific records. Vague requests get denied, narrowed, or buried. Specific requests get fulfilled. Ask for these by name:
- The current short-term rental permit registry, license list, or roster.
- Transient occupancy tax (TOT) registrants or business license holders categorized as short-term rentals.
- Permit application records including property address, permit number, status, and issue/expiration date.
Specify the format you want: CSV or Excel if possible, PDF if not. Most agencies maintain this data in a spreadsheet already — they just need to be told you want it in that format. Asking for it as a CSV instead of a PDF is the difference between a list you can use in a day and one that takes a week of cleanup.
Step 3: Write the Request
Keep it short, formal, and specific. Here is a template you can adapt — replace the bracketed fields with your jurisdiction's details:
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[Date] [Agency Name] [Department / Records Officer] [Address] Re: Public Records Request — Short-Term Rental Permit Registry To Whom It May Concern: Pursuant to [California Public Records Act / Florida Chapter 119 / your state's public records law], I am requesting the following records: 1. A current list of all active short-term rental permits, licenses, or registrations issued by [Agency / City / County]. 2. For each record, please include the property address, permit or license number, issue date, expiration or renewal date, and current status. 3. If available, please also include the transient occupancy tax (TOT) registrant list for properties categorized as short-term rentals. I request these records in electronic format (CSV or Excel preferred). I am willing to pay reasonable duplication fees up to $[50], and ask that you notify me in advance if fees will exceed that amount. Please respond within the statutory timeframe. If any portion of this request is denied, please cite the specific exemption. Thank you for your assistance. Sincerely, [Your Name] · [Your Company] · [Email] · [Phone] |
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FROM EXPERIENCE The single biggest improvement I've made to these requests over time is the fee cap. Without it, you can get back a notice that the records will cost $400 to produce — and a clock to either pay or walk. A pre-stated cap forces the agency to call you before the bill grows, which gives you a chance to narrow the request instead of negotiating from behind. |
Step 4: Submit and Track
Most agencies now have an online public records portal — search "[city name] public records request" and you'll find it. If they don't, email and certified mail both work; email gets faster responses, certified mail creates a paper trail. Whatever channel you use, log the submission date and the statutory response deadline in your state.
Typical response timelines by state:
- California (CPRA): 10 days to acknowledge, with extensions up to 24 days for complex requests.
- Florida (Chapter 119): No fixed deadline, but "reasonable time" — usually within 14 days.
- Texas (PIA): 10 business days to produce records or request an Attorney General opinion.
- New York (FOIL): 5 business days to acknowledge, 20 business days to produce.
- Federal FOIA: 20 business days, frequently extended.
If the deadline passes without a response, send a polite follow-up referencing your original request and the statute. Most delays are administrative, not adversarial.
Step 5: What You'll Receive — and What You Won't
What agencies typically release:
- Property address of the permitted rental.
- Permit number and issue date.
- Current permit status (active, expired, suspended).
- Sometimes: the name on the permit application — though this is often a property manager or LLC, not the owner of record.
What agencies typically withhold or won't have:
- Owner phone numbers and email addresses (personal contact info is exempt in most states).
- Verified owner of record, mailing address, and ownership history.
- Financial details — purchase price, mortgage, equity position.
- Whether the property is owner-occupied, second home, or investor-held.
This is the critical gap. A list of 800 STR addresses with no owner contact info is a starting point, not a campaign. To run direct mail, you need a verified mailing address — often different from the rental property itself for absentee owners. To run cold email or phone outreach, you need contact data the agency is legally prohibited from providing. To prioritize the list, you need ownership tenure, equity, and absentee flags to know which owners are most likely to switch managers.
Turning a FOIA Address List Into a Homeowner Acquisition File
This is the step that separates managers who use public records data well from managers who file a request, get a PDF, and never run a campaign off it. The address list from your jurisdiction tells you where the rentals are. It does not tell you who owns them, how to reach them, or which ones to prioritize. That layer comes from property data.
PropertyRadar exists for this enrichment step. You upload the address list from your public records request, and the platform appends — for every property — the verified owner of record, the owner's mailing address (which is frequently a different state for absentee STR owners), phone numbers, email where available, ownership tenure, equity position, and whether the property is owner-occupied or absentee-held.
| Field | What FOIA Gives You | What PropertyRadar Adds |
|---|---|---|
| Property Address | Yes — typically clean | Verified against assessor records |
| Permit Status | Yes — active/expired | Not directly; layered with property data |
| Owner of Record | Sometimes (often LLC or PM) | Verified individual owner behind the LLC where possible |
| Owner Mailing Address | No | Yes — critical for absentee owners |
| Phone / Email | No (privacy exempt) | Yes — multi-source matched |
| Ownership Tenure | No | Yes — purchase date and length of ownership |
| Equity Position | No | Yes — current loan vs. estimated value |
| Absentee Owner Flag | No | Yes — owner state vs. property state |
With the enriched file in hand, the same list of 800 permitted STRs becomes a segmentable acquisition database. You can pull the 240 owners who live out of state, the 180 with more than ten years of tenure, the 90 with high equity who would be most receptive to a refinance-then-switch conversation, and the 40 currently flagged with a recent life event. That's not one campaign — that's four, each with a tighter message and a higher response rate.
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STRATEGIC ASIDE The point of pairing FOIA with property data isn't to make the public records list "better." It's to convert the list from a research artifact into a working asset. The agency record proves intent — this owner is in the STR business. The property data provides the means — how to actually reach them, and which ones to start with. |
Running Campaigns Off Your Enriched List
Once you have an address list from your jurisdiction enriched with property and owner data, the campaign mechanics are the standard ones — but with a much tighter target. A few that work well in this segment:
Direct Mail to Absentee STR Owners
Out-of-state owners of STRs are the highest-intent switch audience in the industry. They are the most likely to be frustrated with their current manager, the most likely to have property care concerns, and the most likely to respond to a postcard that signals local presence. Postcards work better than letters here — they read in three seconds and don't get filed.
Cold Email and Phone Outreach
With phone and email appended, you can run a multi-touch sequence rather than a one-shot send. Reference the property address specifically — owners pay attention when you mention their actual home — and lead with a question or observation, not a pitch.
Quarterly Refresh Cadence
STR permit registries change every quarter. Owners exit the business. New owners enter. Re-file the public records request every 90 days and re-enrich the delta. The new entrants are particularly valuable — they've just made the decision to be in this business and don't yet have a manager they're loyal to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to request a list of short-term rental permits in my city?
Yes. Permit registries are public records in nearly every U.S. jurisdiction, and you have a statutory right to request them under your state's public records law. The agency may charge a reasonable duplication fee, but it cannot deny the request without citing a specific exemption.
How long does a public records request for STR data usually take?
Most jurisdictions respond within 10 to 20 business days, though resort markets with high request volume can take longer. California requires acknowledgment within 10 days; Texas requires production within 10 business days; Florida operates on a "reasonable time" standard that typically means under two weeks.
How much does a FOIA request for short-term rental records cost?
Most agencies waive fees for small requests or charge nominal duplication fees of free to $50. Larger requests with significant staff time can run into the hundreds. Always include a fee cap in your request so the agency contacts you before incurring costs above your threshold.
What if my city does not have a short-term rental ordinance?
Even without a dedicated STR ordinance, the city likely has a transient occupancy tax (TOT) registry, a business license database, or a hotel tax registrant list that captures the same properties. Request those instead. PropertyRadar can also identify likely short-term rentals using property characteristics and ownership patterns where no permit registry exists.
Will the FOIA response include the owner's phone number or email?
Almost never. Personal contact information is exempt from disclosure in most state public records laws. To get phone, email, and mailing address, you'll need to enrich the address list with a property data platform — this is the gap PropertyRadar is built to fill.
How often should I refresh my STR owner list?
Quarterly. Permit registries turn over meaningfully every 90 days as owners enter and exit the market. Re-filing the request and re-enriching the delta is the most efficient way to capture new entrants — who are typically the highest-converting segment in any acquisition campaign.
Can I use the enriched list for direct mail, email, and phone outreach?
Yes, with standard compliance — honor opt-outs, respect Do Not Call registrations for phone outreach, and follow CAN-SPAM rules for email. PropertyRadar's terms of service permit direct outreach to owners using the data; verify the terms of any other platform you use.
A Final Note
Most managers I talk to in the vacation rental space are running owner acquisition on intuition — a referral here, a Google Ads click there, a sphere of influence campaign once a quarter. That works, but it doesn't scale, and it doesn't compound. A public-records-sourced, property-data-enriched, quarterly-refreshed owner acquisition list compounds — every cycle, the list gets cleaner, the targeting gets tighter, and the response rates get better.
The mechanics in this post are the same ones our team uses internally, and the same ones our most disciplined customers use to grow portfolios in markets where every door matters. The first request is the hardest. Once you've done it once, the second one takes twenty minutes.
Want help enriching your public records list?
PropertyRadar is the property data platform vacation rental managers use to turn a FOIA address list into an actionable owner acquisition file. Start a free trial at propertyradar.com or book a walkthrough with our team to see how it handles your specific market.
About the author
Josh Guerra is VP of Segment Growth at PropertyRadar, where he leads go-to-market strategy for real estate investors, realtors, mortgage brokers, and home services. A licensed real estate agent, Josh writes about hyperlocal data, owner acquisition strategy, and the operational side of running a property-centric business.
Quick note: Public records request rules, response times, and available data can vary by city, county, and state. This article is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Always confirm the latest requirements with the appropriate local agency before submitting a request.
