St. Petersburg, FL Rental Inspections: Tenant Complaint Process (2026)
Key Facts
- Protected act
- allowing a City inspector/Fire Official into the unit
- Owner may not
- evict, non-renew, or discriminate for allowing access
- Re-letting bar
- can't re-let with uncorrected violation on file
- Before re-letting vacant unit
- owner must request POD inspection
- Governing section
- City Code § 8-203
Summary
St. Petersburg protects tenants who let City inspectors into a rental unit. City Code § 8-203(a)(1) bars owners from evicting, refusing to renew or otherwise retaliating against a tenant because the tenant allowed a Codes Investigator, Fire Official or POD designee to inspect the unit or common areas.
(a)The owner of a rental unit who has been given notice of violation of one or more of the requirements of this article shall have the following affirmative duties:(1)The owner shall not interfere with the rights of the tenant of the rental unit due to the tenant's having permitted a Codes Investigator, Fire Official, or other designee of the POD to inspect the rental unit, or to inspect any common area of the premises, and shall not prevent the tenant from giving access to any such official of the City for the purposes of inspecting the rental unit or common areas of the premises. The owner shall not terminate a rental agreement or refuse to renew a rental agreement with a tenant or discriminate against a tenant because the tenant, any member of the tenant's family, or any guest has permitted access to the rental unit or common area of the premises by a Codes Investigator, Fire Official, or other designee of the POD for the purpose of inspection.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 54).
Full Breakdown
Under City Code § 8-203(a), once an owner has been given notice that a rental unit violates the Code's property-maintenance requirements, the owner has affirmative duties. " The owner also may not "terminate a rental agreement or refuse to renew a rental agreement with a tenant or discriminate against a tenant because the tenant, any member of the tenant's family, or any guest has permitted access to the rental unit or common area of the premises" for a City inspection. Subsection (a)(2) requires the owner, once the unit is vacant, to fix the violations and "request an inspection by the Codes Investigator, Fire Official, or other designee of the POD" before re-letting.
Subsection (b) reinforces that: no one may let or re-let a rental unit after notice of a violation until the owner has corrected it or obtained a POD inspection confirming the correction. Subsection (c) closes a loophole -- vacancy is not a defense unless the owner certifies under oath that the residential use has been abandoned in favor of a nonresidential use.
Violations & Fines
Retaliating against a tenant for cooperating with a City inspection, or re-letting a unit with an uncorrected Code violation, is a violation of § 8-203 subject to the Code's general penalty under § 1-7 -- a fine up to $500, up to 60 days in jail, or both -- and referral to the Municipal Code Enforcement Board under Chapter 9.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my landlord evict me for letting a City inspector into my apartment in St. Petersburg?
Can a landlord rent out a unit that failed a City inspection?
Does an empty unit get the landlord off the hook for violations?
What must a landlord do before re-renting a unit cited for violations?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Petersburg
Florida rules heatmap·Compare St. Petersburg to another location·View the Florida rental inspections overview
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