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  1. Home
  2. ·
  3. Regulations
  4. ·
  5. Florida
  6. ·
  7. Pinellas County

Pinellas County

Permissive
FloridaUpdated Apr 10, 2026
Gold-standard verification1% sourced

Cross-referenced against 3 official sources — municipal codes, planning-department pages, and government registries.

Verified Jan 30, 2026Sources 3

Summary

Plain-english overview

Unincorporated Pinellas County does not require a local county-level short-term rental permit or registration. However, all hosts must comply with Florida state law by obtaining a license from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and registering for both state and local taxes.

Restriction level

Severity 0
Classification
Permissive
0
Severity

Why this classification

  • No night cap
  • No primary residence requirement

In plain English

What this means for you

To host an Airbnb in unincorporated Pinellas County, you don't need a specific permit from the county government, but you must get a state license from Florida's DBPR. You are also required to register with the County Tax Collector for the 6% Tourist Development Tax, although platforms like Airbnb often collect this for you. Always check your address to ensure you are truly in an unincorporated area and not within a city like Clearwater or St. Pete, which have their own strict rules.

At a glance

Key numbers
Permit requiredNo
Night limitNone
Primary residenceNot required
Total tax rate0.1%
Permit fee$170
Processing time2-4 weeks

6 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps
  1. 1UNINCORPORATED ONLY: These rules do NOT apply to cities like Clearwater, St. Pete, or Largo, which often prohibit or strictly limit STRs.
  2. 2DBPR LICENSE: Even without a county permit, a state vacation rental license is MANDATORY for all whole-home rentals.
  3. 3TAX REGISTRATION: You must register with the Pinellas County Tax Collector even if Airbnb remits taxes on your behalf.
  4. 4SIX MONTH RULE: Tourist taxes apply to all rentals of 6 months (182 days) or less.
  5. 5HOA RESTRICTIONS: While the county doesn't prohibit STRs, your Homeowners Association or Condo Board still can.
  6. 6ZONING BOUNDARY: If your property is on the border of a city, verify your jurisdiction via the Pinellas County Property Appraiser (PAPA) website.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code
Eligibility6 rules
  • Pinellas County, FL: You can have a co-host or property manager help manage your listing.
  • Pinellas County does NOT require the property to be a primary residence. Investment properties are allowed.
  • Pinellas County: Your HOA can prohibit short-term rentals even if the city allows them. Check your CC&Rs before applying.
Requirements12 rules
  • Pinellas County: HOA RESTRICTIONS: While the county doesn't prohibit STRs, your Homeowners Association or Condo Board still can.
  • Pinellas County STR warning: SIX MONTH RULE: Tourist taxes apply to all rentals of 6 months (182 days) or less.
  • Pinellas County STR warning: DBPR LICENSE: Even without a county permit, a state vacation rental license is MANDATORY for all whole-home rentals.
Application process6 rules
  • STR regulations overview for Pinellas County: Unincorporated Pinellas County does not require a local county-level short-term rental permit or registration. However, all hosts must comply with Florida state law by obtaining a license from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and registering for both state and local taxes.
Fees & costs1 rule
  • Pinellas County charges a registration fee of $170 (annual).
Taxes4 rules
  • Pinellas County: SIX MONTH RULE: Tourist taxes apply to all rentals of 6 months (182 days) or less.
  • Pinellas County: TAX REGISTRATION: You must register with the Pinellas County Tax Collector even if Airbnb remits taxes on your behalf.
  • Florida has a state sales tax of 7% that applies to STR rentals.
Safety requirements1 rule
  • Pinellas County requires: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher.
Penalties1 rule
  • Pinellas County enforces penalties: First offense: Varies by code violation.
Exemptions4 rules
  • Pinellas County: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).
  • Pinellas County exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals 30+ days (county).

Frequently asked questions

4 answered

Disclaimer

Regulatory information is AI-researched from public city/county codes for educational purposes. Details may be outdated or incomplete. Always verify requirements directly with your city/county planning department before operating a short-term rental.

Researched & verified by Learn STR at GoStudioM

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