Florida county rules
Pinellas County, FL vacation rental rules and taxes
Pinellas County adds a 6% tourist tax on stays of six months or less, on top of 7% state sales tax. Airbnb and Vrbo collect it on their bookings; otherwise you register with the Tax Collector. Many beach towns set minimum stays and their own registration, so check your city.
Checked against official sources November 4, 2026What to do
Register for the tourist tax if you take direct bookings
Anyone who collects rent for stays of six months or less registers for a tourist development tax account, collects the tax from guests, and remits it to the county. If every booking goes through a platform that collects the tax, confirm that it does; if it doesn’t, you’re responsible.Source
Then your city
Pinellas has 24 cities with very different rules. Pick your city for its checklist.
Towns
Belleair
Belleair doesn’t allow short-term rentals: rentals must be seven months or longer (Ordinance 466). Every rental needs a town rental business tax receipt ($100 a year) and a tenant information sheet.
Full guideBelleair Beach
Belleair Beach requires residential rentals to be at least three months; the city has no commercial zoning.
Full guideBelleair Bluffs
Belleair Bluffs’ code, as published by a third party, requires residential rentals of at least three months with no more than four tenancies a year, and city registration of rental properties with a business tax receipt renewed by October 1. Confirm with the city before you list.
Full guideBelleair Shore
Belleair Shore’s homes may be used only as single-family residences, not for transient accommodation (rentals of less than a month more than three times a year). The rule dates from 2006.
Full guideClearwater
In Clearwater, a rental of less than 31 days (or advertised that way) isn’t a residential use, so it’s allowed only in districts that permit overnight accommodations, mostly on the beach. Every residential rental needs a city residential rental business tax receipt with a housing inspection.
Full guideDunedin
Dunedin defines a short-term rental as a stay under 90 days and doesn’t allow them in residential zoning. Where allowed, they need a yearly city registration ($200 a unit), a city business tax receipt with fire inspection, liability insurance, and a 24/7 responsible party.
Full guideGulfport
Gulfport treats a rental of less than a month more than three times in 12 months as temporary/tourist lodging, allowed only in certain zoning districts (some only with conditional use approval). Check the city’s map before you list.
Full guideIndian Rocks Beach
Indian Rocks Beach requires a yearly Vacation Rental Registration ($600 a unit from October 1, 2026) plus a city business tax receipt and a fire inspection. Up to 2 guests per bedroom plus 2 (max 10 in most districts, 12 in CT), one parking space per bedroom, a responsible party who answers within an hour, and the registration number, occupancy, and parking in every ad.
Full guideIndian Shores
We found no short-term rental rules in Indian Shores’ code or website. Ask Town Hall about minimum stays and registration before you list.
Full guideKenneth City
Kenneth City’s single-family district allows single-family homes and states that transient apartments are prohibited; transient accommodations are allowed in its commercial districts. There’s no rental registration. Ask the town whether short-term rental of a house is allowed.
Full guideLargo
Largo allows short-term rentals wherever homes are allowed, with no minimum stay. Up to 1 guest per 150 square feet of air-conditioned space, one off-street space per 3 guests, a city compliance inspection and a yearly $100 fire inspection, and a responsible party who can be there within 2 hours. A new $600 yearly registration starts January 1, 2027.
Full guideMadeira Beach
Madeira Beach sets minimum rental periods by area: nightly along the Gulf, 3 months in some neighborhoods, 6 months on the bayside finger islands. Vacation rentals need a city certificate of compliance ($300) with a yearly inspection ($100), a responsible party within 25 miles who can be there in 2 hours, and a city business tax receipt.
Full guideNorth Redington Beach
All residential zoning districts in North Redington Beach have a 90-day minimum rental.
Full guideOldsmar
Oldsmar has no vacation rental registration or rules in its code. You need the DBPR license; Airbnb and Vrbo pay the Pinellas tourist tax on their bookings. Confirm with the city before you list.
Full guidePinellas Park
Pinellas Park has no vacation rental registration or rules in its code. You need the DBPR license; Airbnb and Vrbo pay the Pinellas tourist tax on their bookings. Confirm with the city before you list.
Full guideRedington Beach
Redington Beach requires every short-term rental in its single-family district to register with the town and pass a preliminary inspection before it’s offered for rent. The town publishes lists of registered and pending rentals. Ask Town Hall for the fees and occupancy limit.
Full guideRedington Shores
Redington Shores prohibits transient rentals in its RS-7, RS-10, RD-15, and RM-15 districts (under 181 days in the single-family districts, under a month in the others). Where allowed, a Vacation Rental Certificate of Use is required: up to 2 guests per bedroom plus 2 overnight (max 12), two guest vehicles, and no outdoor amplified sound.
Full guideSafety Harbor
Safety Harbor allows transient rentals only with a conditional use approval: “tourist homes” (single-family homes housing guests for six weeks or less) and transient accommodations in certain multifamily districts with the Resort Facilities Overlay, at least 1,200 feet from another tourist home. The conditional use application is $400.
Full guideSeminole
Seminole’s land development code allows “temporary lodging” (stays under one month, more than three times a year) only in its Commercial General and Industrial Limited districts, not in residential districts. Many “Seminole” addresses are in unincorporated Pinellas, which follows county rules.
Full guideSouth Pasadena
South Pasadena prohibits transient and tourist dwellings in its single-family districts (Sec. 130-8B, Ord. 2008-01). Ask the city about multifamily districts and whether a business tax receipt applies.
Full guideSt. Pete Beach
St. Pete Beach doesn’t allow rentals of less than a month in most districts. Stays under 30 days are allowed up to three times in 12 months only in the RM district and the Pass-A-Grille Overlay; rentals of a month or more are allowed in all homes. Permanent transient lodging needs a city business tax license reviewed by Zoning and the Fire Marshal.
Full guideSt. Petersburg
In St. Petersburg, a residential property may be rented for less than 30 days no more than three times in any 365 days. More than that requires operating as a licensed hotel or motel or being in an approved Resort Facilities Overlay, and no overlay has been approved yet.
Full guideTarpon Springs
We found no short-term rental registration in Tarpon Springs’ code; transient accommodation uses are listed in some commercial districts. News reports mention older rules the city considers grandfathered. Ask the city before you list.
Full guideTreasure Island
Treasure Island doesn’t allow tourist dwellings in its RU-75 single-family and RM-15 multifamily districts: advertising there, or more than two changes of occupancy a year (five in RM-15), counts as one. They’re allowed without limits in CG, RFM-30, RFH-50, and the PR-MU districts, with an annual city business tax.
Full guideUnincorporated Pinellas
Outside the cities, every short-term rental (under 30 days, more than three times a year) needs a Pinellas County Certificate of Use: $450 a year plus a $150 inspection the first year, with a $100 reinspection every two years. Up to 2 guests per bedroom plus 2 (max 10), one off-street space per 3 guests, and quiet hours 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
Sources
- Tourist development taxes · Pinellas County Tax Collector
- Occupancy tax collection and remittance in Florida · Airbnb
- Lodging license fees and renewal dates by district · Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels and Restaurants
A plain-language summary to help you prepare, not legal advice. Rules and fees change; confirm with the office before you apply. Spot something out of date? Email hello@licensedrental.com.