Rental Property Rules in St. Petersburg, FL (2026)
3 verified rental property rules for St. Petersburg, Florida, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
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.
St. Petersburg Rent Control
Few RestrictionsFla. Stat. § 166.043(2)–(5) (2020)
(2) No law, ordinance, rule, or other measure which would have the effect of imposing controls on rents shall be adopted or maintained in effect except as provided herein and unless it is found and determined, as hereinafter provided, that such controls are necessary and proper to eliminate an existing housing emergency which is so grave as to constitute a serious menace to the general public....
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).
St. Petersburg Just Cause Eviction
Few RestrictionsRental 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.
Rental Registration Rules in St. Petersburg
Some RestrictionsLooking for Pinellas County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement St. Petersburg city rules.
Rental Property Rules in Pinellas County →