Tarpon Springs, FL Local Ordinances Guide

Tarpon Springs, Florida may not be the biggest city in the state, but it has its own set of local rules that residents need to follow. With 15 tracked ordinances across 11 categories, there is more here than you might expect.

Solar Energy

HOA Restrictions: Florida Statute 163.04 preempts HOAs and the City of Tarpon Springs from prohibiting solar collectors, allowing only narrow placement decisions that do not impair operation, giving Tarpon Springs homeowners strong rights to install solar..

Short-Term Rentals

Occupancy Limits: Tourist homes are capped at two persons per bedroom plus two persons in one common area, with an absolute maximum of ten total occupants under the city's Land Development Code..

Also covered: Short-Term Rental Parking Rules (moderate). See the full short-term rentals guide for Tarpon Springs for details.

Swimming Pools & Spas

Fencing & Safety Requirements: Tarpon Springs enforces Florida's Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act, requiring a 48-inch barrier around all residential pools, with no climbable footholds and self-closing, self-latching gates that swing outward..

Also covered: Pool Permits (moderate). See the full swimming pools & spas guide for Tarpon Springs for details.

Animal Ordinances

Pet Limits: Tarpon Springs addresses hoarding through Chapter 4 sanitation and number-of-animals provisions, with cruelty and neglect prosecuted under Florida Statutes Chapter 828, and Pinellas County Animal Services investigating complaints..

Also covered: Breed Restrictions (permissive). See the full animal ordinances guide for Tarpon Springs for details.

Cannabis Regulations

Home Cultivation: Florida Statute 893.13 makes cultivating cannabis a third-degree felony statewide, with no carve-out for medical patients in Tarpon Springs; only state-licensed Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers may grow cannabis legally..

Also covered: Dispensary Zoning (moderate). See the full cannabis regulations guide for Tarpon Springs for details.

Parking Rules

EV Charging: Tarpon Springs follows Florida's statewide framework for electric vehicle charging, with installation governed by Florida Building Code permitting and zoning provisions in the Comprehensive Code..

Accessory Structures

ADU Rules: Tarpon Springs allows accessory dwelling units in certain residential zoning districts subject to size, owner-occupancy, parking, and design standards in the Comprehensive Zoning and Land Development Code. Florida statute also encourages local ADU adoption..

Rental Property Rules

Rent Control: Tarpon Springs cannot impose rent control. Florida Statute 125.0103(2) flatly prohibits local rent control, the 2023 Live Local Act deleted the old housing-emergency exception, and Statute 83.425 preempts local landlord-tenant regulation..

Home Business

Home Daycare: Tarpon Springs zoning treats in-home day care as a home occupation requiring Board of Commissioners approval (max 2 persons by board approval) and Pinellas County child care licensing handles state-mandated registration of family day care homes..

Trash & Recycling

Pickup Rules & Schedules: Tarpon Springs residential trash is collected Monday and Thursday. Materials must be at curbside by 7 a.m.

Soliciting & Door-to-Door

No-Knock Registry: Tarpon Springs prohibits door-to-door solicitation at residences with posted 'No Soliciting' signs and restricts solicitation outside reasonable hours. Violations are enforced by the Tarpon Springs Police Department under Chapter 10 of the Code..

What to Do With This Information

If you are moving to Tarpon Springs, buying a home, or starting a project, use this as a starting point. Each category links to detailed pages with the full text, penalties, and FAQs. Verify anything time-sensitive with Tarpon Springs's city hall or code enforcement office.