St. Lucie County, FL Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- Primary-residence-only rule
- Preempted / not allowed
- Investment STRs
- Legal
- Whole-home rentals
- Permitted
- Preemption statute
- FS 509.032(7)(b)
- Grandfather date
- Rules before June 1, 2011
Summary
St. Lucie County and its cities cannot restrict vacation rentals to a host's primary residence. Florida Statute 509.032(7)(b) bars local rules that prohibit rentals or regulate their duration or frequency, so investment/non-owner-occupied STRs are allowed.
A local law, ordinance, or regulation may not prohibit vacation rentals or regulate the duration or frequency of rental of vacation rentals. This paragraph does not apply to any local law, ordinance, or regulation adopted on or before June 1, 2011.
Full Breakdown
Some cities elsewhere limit STRs to owner-occupied or primary residences; Florida forbids this. Section 509.032(7)(b) prohibits any local law from banning vacation rentals or regulating how long or how often a property may be rented. That preempts a primary-residence-only requirement in Port St. Lucie, unincorporated St. Lucie County, Fort Pierce, and St. Lucie Village. Non-owner-occupied and whole-home investment rentals are lawful, provided the owner holds a DBPR license, remits tourist tax, and completes any applicable local registration.
Violations & Fines
No penalty exists for renting a non-primary residence; enforcement instead targets operating without the required state license, tourist-tax account, or local registration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can St. Lucie County require me to live in the rental?
Are whole-home investment STRs legal here?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Lucie County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare St. Lucie County to another location·View the Florida short-term rentals overview
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