Sarasota County · Florida
Sarasota Vacation Rental Market
Short-term rentals are allowed in the City of Sarasota, but only with a City Certificate of Registration under Chapter 34.5. Florida law prevents the City from banning vacation rentals or setting a minimum stay, so registration, inspection, occupancy caps, parking and a local responsible party are the levers the City uses instead.
Rules last checked September 10, 2026 · last material change July 21, 2025
Can you operate a short-term rental here?
Yes, with City registration
Minimum stay
No City minimum
City registration required
Yes
Taxes
13% total — 7% state sales tax plus 6% county tourist tax
Revenue and occupancy
Not published yetAshota does not publish revenue or occupancy benchmarks for this market yet. We only publish figures we can source and date.
Model it with your own assumptionsWhat owners run into here
Registration is no longer limited to the barrier islands — Chapter 34.5 applies citywide, so mainland owners near Southside, Arlington Park and downtown are covered too. Ordinance 25-5560 (July 2025) changed process details, so guidance written before then is out of date. Condo and HOA documents are frequently stricter than the City code.
County and jurisdiction notes
Unincorporated Sarasota County is a separate regime: RSF and most RMF zones require a 30-day minimum lease, while the barrier islands (Siesta, Casey and Manasota Keys) permit short stays.
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