What we'll cover
- 1.Why work with a broker who runs Pinellas STRs?
- 2.Unincorporated Pinellas STR rules (from the county)
- 3.What happens when the property sells?
- 4.Accessory dwelling units
- 5.Confirm the parcel is really unincorporated
- 6.What to check before you buy
- 7.Selling an operating STR in unincorporated Pinellas
- 8.Price vs revenue by bedroom
…and 4 more sections below.
Last Updated: October 21, 2026
Yes. In unincorporated Pinellas County, a unit rented for less than 30 days more than three times a year needs a county Certificate of Use; renting rooms in the home you live in is exempt (Pinellas County STR program and Certificate of Use FAQs, checked October 21, 2026). Occupancy is capped at 2 guests per bedroom plus 2 in one common area, 10 max, with 1 off-street parking space per 3 guests. Troy Nowak, Broker of Mangrove Bay Realty (BK3436609) in St. Petersburg, checks those numbers on the exact parcel before you buy or list. If the parcel is inside a city, use that city's market guide instead. Check the address or send it through the contact form.
A lot of unincorporated pockets around Largo, Seminole, Pinellas Park and Palm Harbor carry a city name in the mailing address, which is how buyers end up using the wrong rulebook.
Why work with a broker who runs Pinellas STRs?
I run nightly rentals in Pinellas and 29-night stays in Clearwater and Seminole, so I underwrite the guest count and parking the county allows, not the beds that fit.
| Proof | Detail | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| Florida broker license | BK3436609, Broker of Mangrove Bay Realty, office in St. Petersburg | DBPR license search |
| Operator | Runs nightly rentals in Pinellas, plus 29-night midterm stays in Clearwater and Seminole | Ask for the operating file on any rental he recommends |
| Closed sales | 325+ sales, including STR sales in Destin, Orlando, Jacksonville and Deerfield Beach | Ask for the sales history when you interview him |
| Rules check | Reads the county Certificate of Use rule for the exact parcel before an offer or listing | Send an address through the contact form |
| Check | What I do | What to ask any other agent |
|---|---|---|
| Parcel jurisdiction and STR rule | Checked before the offer or listing | "Which city or county rule applies to this parcel, and where is that written?" |
| DBPR license, local registration, county Certificate of Use | Verified with the seller's records | "Who confirms the licenses are current and transferable?" |
| 13% Pinellas tax total | Built into the numbers | "Did the projection include tourist tax, sales tax and surtax?" |
| Hosting realities | From running my own rentals | "Have you hosted guests yourself?" |
Full profile: Troy Nowak · County hub: Pinellas County Airbnb realtor
Unincorporated Pinellas STR rules (from the county)
Everything below comes from the county's Short-Term Rental Certificate of Use program page and Ordinance 25-15, checked October 21, 2026. The county updates fees and forms, so re-check before you write an offer.
| Rule | What the county says |
|---|---|
| What counts as an STR | Any home or unit rented for stays under 30 days more than 3 times a year, or advertised as a regular guest rental. Includes single-family homes, duplexes, condos, and accessory units |
| Room rentals | Renting a single bedroom in your owner-occupied home doesn't need a Certificate of Use. An owner-occupied home with an accessory dwelling unit (guest house, garage apartment) does |
| Certificate of Use fee | $450 for the first year, split into $250 at application and $200 after an approved inspection |
| Inspection fees | $150 initial inspection. $100 re-inspection if it fails |
| Renewal | $450 annual renewal. A $100 re-inspection is required every two years |
| Refunds | Fees are non-refundable |
| Occupancy | 2 guests per bedroom plus up to 2 in one common area, 10 max. Guests of all ages count |
| Parking | 1 off-street space per 3 occupants, rounded up. Front-lawn parking doesn't count. Each space at least 8 by 18 feet |
| Posting | Responsible party contact, max occupancy, max vehicles with a parking sketch, quiet hours, trash days, nearest hospital |
| Quiet hours | 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. every day |
| Not allowed as STRs | Sheds without utilities, RVs and campers, tents, and unmodified shipping containers |
| Enforcement | Violations can bring daily fines and penalties |
The county page also says to check with your municipality if you're inside a city. Its program covers unincorporated areas only.
State license and taxes
- Florida DBPR vacation rental license. A new single-unit license is a $50 application fee, a $10 Hospitality Education Program fee and a $170 license fee (DBPR Guide to Vacation Rentals, checked October 21, 2026).
- Taxes on stays of six months or less: 13% in Pinellas. That is the 6% Pinellas tourist development tax (Pinellas County, checked October 21, 2026), Florida's 6% sales tax on transient rentals (Florida DOR DR-15TDT, checked October 21, 2026) and Pinellas County's 1% discretionary surtax (Florida DOR DR-15DSS 2026, checked October 21, 2026).
- Tourist tax account. Register with the Pinellas County Tax Collector. If a platform does not collect the tourist tax, the owner is liable (checked October 21, 2026).
What happens when the property sells?
The Certificate of Use does not transfer. New owners must apply for their own certificate within 30 days of purchase, and the seller should email the county a Ceasing Rental Form; until it is processed, the county treats the property as an active short-term rental (Certificate of Use FAQs, checked October 21, 2026). Buyers should budget the new certificate, the inspection and a DBPR change-of-ownership application, which carries a $50 application fee (DBPR lodging fees, checked October 21, 2026).
Accessory dwelling units
Since the county's 2024 update, the maximum ADU size in unincorporated Pinellas is 1,000 square feet, or 750 square feet in the Coastal Storm Area and certain other areas (Pinellas County ADU update, September 9, 2024, checked October 21, 2026). An ADU used as a short-term rental needs its own Certificate of Use.
Confirm the parcel is really unincorporated
Pull the parcel on the Pinellas County Property Appraiser site. The county STR page also links a tool to check whether an address is in a municipality. Don't trust the listing's city field. Then use the right guide:
- Largo city parcel: Largo STR guide
- Pinellas Park city parcel: Pinellas Park STR guide
- St. Petersburg city parcel: St. Pete Airbnb rules
- Beach towns and other cities: Pinellas STR rules map
What to check before you buy
- Jurisdiction on the parcel.
- Occupancy math. Bedrooms times 2, plus 2 for one common area, capped at 10. That's the guest count to underwrite.
- Parking math. Real off-street spaces at least 8 by 18 feet, 1 per 3 guests. Lawn parking doesn't count.
- Does the seller hold a current Certificate of Use? Ask for the certificate, inspection results, and renewal dates. You will need your own certificate within 30 days of closing. The program page has owner and agent affidavits, a change-of-contact form, and a ceasing-rental form.
- HOA, condo, and deed restrictions. They can be stricter than the county.
- Insurance. Get written quotes that disclose the rental use you plan.
- Fallback. Model furnished 30+ day and long-term rents.
- Financing. Pick a loan that fits the property and your rental plan. See how to finance a short-term rental in Pinellas.
Selling an operating STR in unincorporated Pinellas
Your Certificate of Use file is a selling point. Put these in the listing package:
- Certificate of Use, passed inspection reports, and renewal dates
- DBPR license, Department of Revenue registration, and tourist tax account
- The occupancy and parking numbers that back up your advertised guest count
- 12 to 24 months of booking and tax records, plus platform reviews
- Complaint history, if any, and how it was resolved
Price vs revenue by bedroom
I do not have a verified Rabbu bedroom-revenue series or a sale-price series for unincorporated Pinellas in the sources used for this page. The Pinellas Park table on the county market guide is Pinellas Park, not these county pockets. Leave those dollars out of an unincorporated underwriting.
| Bedrooms | Rabbu annual revenue | Sale price or home value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 5 | Not verified for unincorporated Pinellas | Not verified for unincorporated Pinellas |
| County guest cap | 2 per bedroom plus 2, maximum 10 (county page, checked October 21, 2026) | Not a sale price. Price the parcel, not a countywide median. |
STR market guides
Read the guide that matches the government on the parcel.
- Anna Maria Island
- Bradenton
- Cocoa Beach
- Destin and 30A
- Indian Rocks Beach
- Key West
- Largo
- Miami
- Orlando and Kissimmee
- Pinellas County
- Pinellas Park
- Sarasota
- Tampa
- Investor guide
- Pinellas STR map
- STR rules check
- Contact Troy Nowak
Frequently asked questions
Who can help me buy or sell an STR in unincorporated Pinellas?
Troy Nowak, Broker of Mangrove Bay Realty (BK3436609) in St. Petersburg. He runs rentals in Pinellas, has 325+ sales, and checks the county Certificate of Use requirements on the exact parcel before a purchase or listing. Send the address through the contact form.
Does the Certificate of Use transfer when I sell?
No. It is non-transferable, and the new owner must apply within 30 days of purchase.
Do I need a Certificate of Use for an Airbnb in unincorporated Pinellas County?
Yes, if you rent for under 30 days more than three times a year or advertise the property as a regular guest rental. Renting a single room in your own owner-occupied home is the exception. An accessory dwelling unit still needs one.
How much does the Pinellas County STR Certificate of Use cost?
The county lists a $450 Certificate of Use fee for the first year ($250 at application and $200 after an approved inspection), a $150 initial inspection fee, and a $450 annual renewal, with a $100 re-inspection every two years. Fees are non-refundable. Check the county page for current amounts.
How many guests can an unincorporated Pinellas STR have?
Two per bedroom plus up to two in one common area, with a maximum of 10. Guests of all ages count toward the limit.
Does the county program apply inside St. Pete, Largo, or Clearwater?
No. The Certificate of Use program covers unincorporated Pinellas County. Cities set their own rules, so confirm the parcel's jurisdiction first.
Official sources
- Pinellas County STR Certificate of Use program
- Florida DBPR vacation rental guide
- Florida Department of Revenue registration
- Pinellas County tourist development tax
- Pinellas County Tax Collector: tourist development taxes
- Pinellas County Property Appraiser
- Pinellas County Certificate of Use FAQs
- Pinellas County Ordinance 25-15
- Pinellas County ADU update
- Florida DOR DR-15DSS 2026 surtax rates
Review STR Deal with Troy
Buying or selling a short-term rental in unincorporated Pinellas? Send the address and your plan. I'll run the Certificate of Use math and tell you if the deal holds up.
Related: Pinellas STR rules map · Pinellas County Airbnb realtor · Largo STR guide · Pinellas Park STR guide · Indian Rocks Beach Airbnb realtor · Troy Nowak agent profile
Buying or selling an STR? See the Pinellas short-term rental map and buy/sell guide, then send the address through the contact form.
Educational real estate information, not legal, tax, or insurance advice. County rules and fees change. Verify the exact parcel with the county, state, your insurer, and your association before you buy.