Short-Term Rentals in Clearwater, FL (2026)
8 verified short-term rentals rules for Clearwater, Florida, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Permit Requirements
Clearwater prohibits rentals under 31 days in residential districts and requires a Business Tax Receipt, state DBPR license, and a designated local representative for any qualifying transient rental.
Clearwater Short-Term Rental Permit Requirements
Heavy RestrictionsNoise Rules
Vacation rental guests must comply with Clearwater Code Section 3-1508, which prohibits loud and raucous noise audible from 100 feet away or that disturbs reasonable persons in adjacent dwellings.
Clearwater Short-Term Rental Noise Rules
Some RestrictionsTaxes & Fees
Operators must collect Florida sales tax, the 6 percent Pinellas Tourist Development Tax, and pay city Business Tax Receipt and county Certificate of Use fees for inspection and renewal.
Clearwater Short-Term Rental Taxes and Fees
Heavy RestrictionsParking Rules
Vacation rentals must follow Community Development Code Division 14 parking standards, including off-street spaces for guests and limits on RVs, trailers, and front-yard parking.
Clearwater Short-Term Rental Parking Rules
Some RestrictionsOccupancy Limits
Occupancy at vacation rentals is shaped by Florida fire and building codes plus county Certificate of Use rules, generally allowing two persons per bedroom plus two additional occupants.
Clearwater Short-Term Rental Occupancy Limits
Some RestrictionsInsurance Requirements
Pinellas County requires Clearwater short-term rental hosts to maintain $1 million commercial liability insurance naming the county as additional insured before issuing the Certificate of Use.
Clearwater Short-Term Rental Insurance Requirements
Heavy RestrictionsNight Caps
Clearwater does not impose an annual night cap, because Florida Statute 509.032(7)(b) preempts cities adopted after June 1, 2011 from limiting the frequency or duration of vacation rentals. Instead, the city enforces a zoning-based minimum-stay floor: rentals of less than 31 days, or one calendar month, are prohibited in residential zoning districts. Tourist District and Commercial parcels with a Business Tax Receipt may rent for any duration with no per-year night limit.
Short-Term Rental Night Caps (Clearwater, FL)
Some RestrictionsF.S. 509.032(7)
(7)  PREEMPTION AUTHORITY. — (a)  The regulation of public lodging establishments and public food service establishments, including, but not limited to, sanitation standards, inspections, training and testing of personnel, and matters related to the nutritional content and marketing of foods offered in such establishments, is preempted to the state. This paragraph does not ...
Registration Rules
Clearwater allows transient lodging (rentals under 31 days) only in Tourist District and Commercial zoning where the use is permitted, and requires a city Business Tax Receipt for any property rented for 30 days or less. Operators must also hold a Florida DBPR vacation rental license and register with the Pinellas County Tax Collector for the 6% Tourist Development Tax. Pinellas County's STR Certificate of Use program does not apply inside city limits.
Short-Term Rental Registration Rules (Clearwater, FL)
Heavy RestrictionsLooking for Pinellas County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Clearwater city rules.
Short-Term Rentals in Pinellas County →