St. Petersburg's Rental Property Rules: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles rental property rules a little differently. In St. Petersburg, Florida, there are 3 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Rent Control

St. Petersburg has no rent control ordinance. Florida preempts all local rent control under Fla. Stat. Sec. 125.0103, and the 2023 Live Local Act (SB 102) eliminated the housing-emergency exception. HB 1417 (Fla. Stat. Sec. 166.0444) further preempted local tenant-protection ordinances. St. Petersburg cannot adopt rent stabilization, rent caps, or any local limit on rent increases. Landlords set rent and increases by lease contract subject only to state notice rules.

Key details: State Preemption: Fla. Stat. Sec. 125.0103 + Sec. 166.0444. Live Local Act: SB 102 (2023) bans local rent control. St. Petersburg Authority: None — cannot adopt rent control. Notice for Rent Increases: Per lease; 30 days for month-to-month. Rent Caps: No state or local cap.

No local rent-control rules exist to violate — state law preempts them. Rent-increase disputes are lease and state-law matters, not code enforcement issues.

St. Petersburg is more permissive than most cities when it comes to rent control. That said, there are still limits.

Rental Registration

St. Petersburg does not run a general residential rental registry due to state preemption, but rental operators must hold a city Business Tax Receipt and short-term rentals face additional zoning, licensing, and tax requirements.

Key details: City Business Tax: City Business Tax Receipt is required for all rentals. Short-term Rentals Capped: Short-term rentals capped at three per year in most zones. DBPR Vacation Rental: DBPR vacation rental license required for STR operators. Combined State and: Combined state and county lodging tax is 13 percent. No General Long-term: No general long-term rental registry exists.

Operating without a BTR or violating short-term rental frequency limits draws code enforcement penalties and possible state license action.

Just Cause Eviction

St. Petersburg does not have a just-cause eviction ordinance. Evictions are governed by the Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Fla. Stat. Ch. 83, Part II). The 2023 Live Local Act (HB 1417, codified at Fla. Stat. Sec. 166.0444) preempted local tenant-protection ordinances exceeding state law. The city encourages safe housing and protects against retaliatory rent hikes for habitability complaints under state law. Non-payment notice is 3 days (Sec. 83.56); month-to-month termination requires 30 days (Sec. 83.57).

Key details: Just Cause: No local just-cause eviction law. State Preemption: Fla. Stat. Sec. 166.0444 (Live Local Act). Non-Payment Notice: 3-day written notice (Sec. 83.56). Month-to-Month Notice: 30 days (Sec. 83.57). Retaliation: Prohibited under Sec. 83.64.

Landlords who skip the court process, lock tenants out, or retaliate against habitability complaints face liability under the Florida Residential Landlord and Tenant Act.

If you are coming from a city with tighter rules, you will find St. Petersburg gives residents more flexibility on just cause eviction.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, St. Petersburg gives residents more room on rental property rules. 2 of the 3 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

Keep in mind that St. Petersburg can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.