The Tampa Bay area is no stranger to short-term rentals (STR). According to a recent report by the ChamberofCommerce.org, St. Pete and Tampa are among the top 10 American cities with the highest number of Airbnb listings.

The Burg ranked No. 3 overall with 3,379 listings + Cigar City ranked No. 9 overall with 3,434.

Whether you’re planning a summer getaway, plan to work remotely on a workcation, or get into the rental arbitrage business yourself — we’re diving into everything you need to know about short-term rentals in TBAY.

What are short-term rentals?

Take in the breathtaking skyline views of Downtown Tampa while chilling in your next STR. | Photo via Airbnb

The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (also the resource to find the right applications and licenses) defines a short-term rental as:

“Any unit or group of units in a condominium or cooperative or any individually or collectively owned single-family, two-family, or four-family house or dwelling unit that is also a transient public lodging establishment but that is not a timeshare project.”
In Hillsborough, Airbnb and Vrbo are legal at the state + county levels. Right now, the county does not have any official short-term rental laws of its own set in stone.

Check out the zoning map.

Pinellas County allows you to rent for a month or longer periods.

Most condo buildings and areas of St. Pete do not allow rentals under 30 days — so check in with your neighborhood or complex before making moves.
Check out the zoning map.

Must-know resources

It’s worth noting ordinances and rules are subject to change at any time. For the most recent information, we suggest reaching out to your city/county supervisor.