Pinellas County, Florida, tightens short-term rental rules
- Apr 22, 2025 | Jennifer Sokolowsky
Short-term rental (STR) operators in unincorporated Pinellas County, Florida, will need to receive an operating permit and follow other rules under a new ordinance passed by the Pinellas County Commissioners. The regulations, which apply to properties rented for fewer than 30 days at a time more than three days per year, are designed to preserve quality of life in residential neighborhoods.
“The updated short-term rental ordinance addresses residents’ concerns by bringing greater accountability with the requirement of a Certificate of Use, compliance with minimum life safety standards, providing for increased code enforcement staff, and a mechanism for data collection allowing for evaluation of future updates,” Pinellas County Commission Chair Brian Scott said.
Under the law, operators must obtain a Certificate of Use from the county. Depending on the ZIP code of the property, the deadline for applying may be May 31, June 30, or July 31, 2025. Cost for the certificate is $450 per year, which is split into two payments the first year. Operators must apply for a separate Certificate of Use for each STR property, and certificates are nontransferable
Operators must also undergo a property inspection and pay a $150 initial inspection fee. If the property fails the inspection, a $100 reinspection fee applies. For subsequent inspections, required every two years, the fee is $100.
Other provisions of the law include:
- Maximum occupancy is set at 10 occupants, with two guests per bedroom allowed, plus two additional guests in common areas.
- STRs must provide one off-street parking space per every three guests, rounded up to the next whole number. Front-lawn parking doesn’t count toward the requirement.
- Guests must observe quiet hours between 10:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m.
- Operators are required to display a single-page notice inside the property that includes the name, address, and phone number of the responsible party for the STR, as well as information on occupancy limits, parking, quiet hours, trash and recycling, the location of the nearest hospital, and the after-hours STR monitoring hotline number.
The county has also set up ways for residents to report STR issues. For noise complaints, residents can reach out to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office at 727-582-6200 and the 24/7 STR hotline at 727-353-2436. Residents can submit general STR complaints through the hotline or online.
Short-term rental rules include lodging tax compliance
Pinellas County STR operators must also follow lodging tax regulations. At the county level, hosts who collect rent for any living quarters for a period of six months or less are required to register for a tourist development tax account with the Pinellas County Tax Collector. They must collect tourist development taxes from guests and remit them to the county.
Operators are also required to comply with state STR laws. STR operators must obtain a state business license, register for a state tax certificate, and collect and remit state-administered lodging taxes when they receive payments directly from guests.
STR marketplaces Airbnb and Vrbo collect and remit state lodging tax and Pinellas County tourist development taxes on behalf of their Florida listings. Operators are responsible for lodging tax compliance if marketplaces don’t do it for them.
Avalara MyLodgeTax can help STR hosts automate and simplify lodging tax compliance on the local and state level, including tax registration and filing. For more on vacation rental lodging taxes in Florida, see our state vacation rental tax guide. If you have tax questions related to vacation rental properties, drop us a line and we’ll get back to you with answers.
