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St. Petersburg, FL Short-Term Rentals: Taxes & Fees (2026)

Heavy Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

13% Combined Lodging
13% combined lodging tax applies to stays under 6 months
6% Tourist Development
6% Tourist Development Tax goes to Pinellas County
Florida Department of
Florida Department of Revenue registration is required
Pinellas County Tax
Pinellas County Tax Collector account is required
Business Tax Receipt
Business Tax Receipt fee is paid annually

Summary

St. Petersburg short-term rental operators must collect 7% Florida sales tax plus 6% Pinellas County Tourist Development Tax on stays of six months or less, in addition to paying for the city Business Tax Receipt.

212.03 Transient rentals tax; rate, procedure, enforcement, exemptions. — (1)(a) It is hereby declared to be the legislative intent that every person is exercising a taxable privilege who engages in the business of renting, leasing, letting, or granting a license to use any living quarters or sleeping or housekeeping accommodations in, from, or a part of, or in connection with any hotel, apartment house, roominghouse, tourist or trailer camp, mobile home park, recreational vehicle park, condominium, or timeshare resort. However, any person who rents, leases, lets, or grants a license to others to use, occupy, or enter upon any living quarters or sleeping or housekeeping accommodations in any apartment house, roominghouse, tourist camp, trailer camp, mobile home park, recreational vehicle park, condominium, or timeshare resort and who exclusively enters into a bona fide written agreement for continuous residence for longer than 6 months in duration at such property is not exercising a taxable privilege. For the exercise of such taxable privilege, a tax is hereby levied in an amount equal to 6 percent of and on the total rental charged for such living quarters or sleeping or housekeeping accommodations by the person charging or collecting the rental. Such tax shall apply to hotels, apartment houses, roominghouses, tourist or trailer camps, mobile home parks, recreational vehicle parks, condominiums, or timeshare resorts, whether or not these facilities have dining rooms, cafes, or other places where meals or lunches are sold or served to guests.

Source: St. Petersburg City CodeView official code

Full Breakdown

Stays of six months or less in St. Petersburg are subject to a combined 13% lodging tax, comprised of 6% Florida sales tax, 1% Pinellas County discretionary surtax, and 6% Pinellas County Tourist Development Tax (bed tax). Hosts must register with the Florida Department of Revenue and the Pinellas County Tax Collector before accepting bookings. Some platforms collect and remit on behalf of hosts; others do not, so operators must verify which taxes are handled automatically. Hosts also pay a recurring city Business Tax Receipt fee.

Violations & Fines

Failure to collect and remit lodging taxes can result in back taxes, interest, penalties up to 50% of unpaid tax, and license revocation by state and county authorities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Airbnb collect all the taxes for me?
Airbnb typically remits state sales tax and Pinellas Tourist Development Tax, but hosts should verify current arrangements and confirm their account settings.
Are stays longer than six months taxable?
No. Bona fide rentals exceeding six continuous months are exempt from transient lodging taxes under Florida law.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in St. Petersburg

All St. Petersburg rules

How St. Petersburg compares: Cities with the Highest Short-Term Rental Taxes·Florida rules heatmap·Compare St. Petersburg to another location·View the Florida short-term rentals overview

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Taxes & Fees in Nearby Cities

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