Short Term Rental/Certificate of Use: FAQs

Pinellas County Government created the Certificate of Use program to help keep neighborhoods safe, peaceful and enjoyable for both residents and visitors. The program ensures that short-term rentals in unincorporated Pinellas County meet safety standards, comply with local laws and address potential issues like noise and parking before problems arise. These guidelines help protect residents’ quality of life while also supporting tourism.

Any property owner or entity renting out a short-term rental unit in unincorporated Pinellas County more than three times per year for stays of less than 30 days must obtain a valid Certificate of Use for each unit.

If you’re renting out a room or rooms within your home while you’re living there, you don’t need a Certificate of Use under the current short-term rental rules. Your ad must clearly show that guests are only renting part of the home, not the whole property.

Apply for a Certificate of Use through the Pinellas County Access Portal.

All short-term rentals in Pinellas County must display a single-page notice inside the property, near the main entrance. This notice helps ensure guests understand the rules and are prepared for a safe and enjoyable stay.

You are welcome to use this sample fillable form to complete the required information. Remember to print and display the notice inside your STR property.

• Responsible Party Details: The name and phone number of the short-term rental’s responsible party.

• Occupancy and Parking Information:
  • Maximum occupancy of the unit is two per bedroom, plus up to two in one common area, with a maximum of 10 total occupants.
  • Maximum number of vehicles allowed (one vehicle for every three guests, rounded up), along with a sketch showing the location of designated off-street parking spaces.
• Quiet Hours: The daily quiet hours as referenced in the ordinance is 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. Excessive and unreasonable noise can deprive neighbors of the peaceful enjoyment of their private property.
• Trash and Recycling: The schedule for trash and recycling pickup.
• Emergency Information:
  • The location of the nearest hospital.
  • The after-hours short-term rental monitoring hotline number.
• Guest Reminder:
  • Include the following statement (or similar):
    “You are vacationing in a residential area. Please be a good neighbor by keeping noise to a respectful level during the day and night. Excessive and unreasonable noise can disturb the peace of the neighborhood.”

To maintain compliance, ensure your property meets all ordinance requirements, including, but not limited to:

• Following occupancy and parking limits.
• Posting required rental information (emergency contacts, noise rules, trash schedules).
• Keeping the property safe by addressing any inspection issues.
• Renewing your Certificate of Use annually and undergoing inspections every two years.
• Following local noise, safety, and operational guidelines as outlined in the ordinance.

The inspection ensures your rental meets safety and compliance standards, including:

• Meets requirements of Florida Building Code and manufacturer’s specifications for smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Verifying bedrooms meet the ordinance definition:
  
  Bedroom means a room that can be used for sleeping and that:
  • (1) For site-built dwellings, has a minimum of 70 square feet of conditioned space and minimum ceiling height in accordance with the Florida Building Code and complies with the Pinellas County Code Section 22-300 (dwelling space)
  • (2) For manufactured homes, is constructed according to the standards of the Unite States Department of Housing and Urban Development and has a minimum of 50 square feet of floor area;
  • (3) Is located along an exterior wall;
  • (4) Has a closet and a door or an entrance where a door could be reasonably installed;
  • (5) Has an emergency means of escape and rescue opening to the outside in accordance with the Florida Building Code;
  • (6) A room may not be considered a bedroom if it is used to access another room except a bathroom or closet;
  • (7) “Bedroom” does not include a hallway, bathroom, kitchen, living room, family room, dining room, den, breakfast nook, pantry, laundry”
    
• If the property has a swimming pool, meets the requirements of the Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act.

Once your application is approved, you will receive an email from Pinellas County Code Enforcement with instructions on how to schedule an inspection. After paying the inspection fee through Accela portal account, one of our STR Support team members will call you to schedule an inspection.

If you fail an inspection, you will receive a printed correction notice at the inspected property. A re-inspection must be scheduled and performed within 30 days of receiving a reinspection notification. A $100 re-inspection fee applies and may be paid through the Pinellas County Access Portal.

Failing to register or renew your STR property can result in penalties, citations or daily fines.

Yes, a separate Certificate of Use application is required for each short-term rental property, and the associated fees will apply to each one. Apply for a Certificate of Use online via the Pinellas County Access Portal.

No. Certificates of Use are non-transferable. New STR owners must apply for a certificate within 30 days of purchase.

The owner should email a completed Ceasing Rental Form to str-support@pinelas.gov. Until the form is processed, then the County will consider the property remains an active short-term rental.

The Certificate of Use Program is only for properties that reside in unincorporated Pinellas County. Contact the specific municipality for more information. Not sure if your STR property in a municipality or unincorporated Pinellas County? Find out here.

Yes. A state license does not replace the County’s Certificate of Use requirement. Your DBPR license must remain valid as part of maintaining compliance.

Complete our Change of Contact Information form and email it to str-support@pinellas.gov or upload it to the Pinellas County Access Portal.

If you want to let someone like a property manager or family member access your account, follow the instructions on this page.

The following documents are required to be uploaded online through the Certificate of Use application through the Pinellas County Access Portal. Check out our Application Instructions page for details on how to apply. A tax bill is not an accepted proof of ownership.

• Parking Plan – to include the number and location of on-site parking spaces, with a drawing of the location of parking spaces if applicable. Each marked parking space must accommodate a standard car that is 8 feet wide and 18 feet long.
• Copy of Recorded Deed or recent profile from the Pinellas County Property Appraiser
• DBPR Active Vacation Rental License – Proof of active license from the Department of Business Professional Regulation (DBPR)
• * Verification for Active status from the Florida Division of Corporations, if property is corporately owned
• If Registered Agent/ Emergency Contact is not the short-term rental property owner:
  • Owner Affidavit
  • Agent affidavit

• $450 Certificate of Use fee (split into two payments).
• $150 initial inspection fee ($100 re-inspection fee applies if the rental fails).
• $450 annual renewal fee.
• $100 re-inspection fee (every two years).
  

Maximum occupancy depends on bedroom size and available parking. Bedrooms must meet minimum square footage requirements, and you need at least one off-street parking space for every three guests (rounded up). If either standard is not met, your occupancy will be reduced. For more details, see Article VI (Housing Code) in the Pinellas Conty Code of Ordinances.