Pinellas County, FL Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Pinellas County only
- Availability
- 24 hours a day, seven days a week by phone
- Guest screening
- Must ask about sex-offender status before check-in
- Agent designation
- Requires notarized county form
- Max penalty
- $500 fine per day under Code § 1-8
- Posting requirement
- Name and phone posted inside front door
Summary
Pinellas County requires every unincorporated short term rental to designate one responsible party under Code § 138-3232(g)(5), reachable by phone 24 hours a day to handle inspections, complaints and guest problems. The responsible party, owner or an agent the owner registers with the county, must also screen guests for sex-offender status before check-in and accept legal notices on the owner's behalf.
(5)Responsible party. Responsible party will be available in a reasonable time to respond to inspections, complaints, or other problems related to the short term rental property. The duties of the short term rental responsible party are to: a.Be available by telephone at the posted phone number to handle any issues arising from the short term rental use 24 hours a day, seven days a week; b.If necessary, be willing and able to come to the short term rental unit following notification from an occupant, owner, law enforcement, or county official to address issues related to the short term rental; ... d.Be authorized to receive service of any legal notice on behalf of the owner for violations of this section; ... g.An agent who accepts a designation to act on behalf of a short term rental property owner and is designated as the responsible party is subject to the same compliance standards and applicable penalties.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 124).
Full Breakdown
The rule sits inside Pinellas County's short term rental certificate-of-use program, which applies only in the unincorporated county, not St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo or the county's other cities (§ 138-3232(d)). Code § 138-3232(e) defines "responsible party" as the owner, an agent, or any person 18 or older the owner designates who is tasked with responding to inspection requests, complaints and other problems tied to the rental, and who is authorized to report trespass issues to law enforcement for occupancy violations; only one responsible party may be on file per unit.
4815 and immediately notify the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office if a guest says yes, accept service of legal notices on the owner's behalf, and otherwise monitor the unit for compliance. An owner may hand the role to a property manager or other agent, but only after submitting a notarized county designation form; the agent then answers to the same standards and penalties as the owner and can be swapped only by filing a new signed form. The responsible party's name and 24-hour contact number must also be posted on a single page just inside the unit's front door.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a responsible party on file, or letting the posted contact go unreachable, is a violation of § 138-3232 punishable under the county's general penalty, Code § 1-8: a fine up to $500, with each day the lapse continues counted as a separate offense. The county can also deny or decline to renew the short term rental certificate of use, and an agent who fails these duties faces the same penalties as the property owner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the responsible party have to live at the rental?
Can a property manager serve as the responsible party?
What happens if a guest says they are a registered sex offender?
What's the penalty for not having a responsible party available?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pinellas County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Pinellas County to another location·View the Florida short-term rentals overview
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