All violations of City Code Section 34.5, vacation rentals, shall be enforced in accordance with Chapter 162 of the Florida Statutes and the City of Sarasota Code of Ordinances. In order to ensure compliance with the established Vacation Rental Regulations, Code Compliance will be addressing complaints related to unsupervised vacation rentals, including but not limited to, over-occupancy, open and late-night parties, excessive noise, parking on public sidewalks and excessive trash and garbage accumulation.

Violation Information - Violations of the Vacation Rental Ordinance include, but are not limited to, the following unlawful conduct:

• It is unlawful to rent out a vacation rental without a current certificate of registration when required.
• It is unlawful to offer a vacation rental for rent or to advertise a vacation rental for rent without a current certificate of registration when required.
• It is unlawful to rent a vacation rental for occupancy in excess of the applicable maximum occupancy.
• It is unlawful to be an occupant of a vacation rental at any time that the number of occupants of the vacation rental exceeds its maximum occupancy.
• It is unlawful to fail to provide any of the information required to be provided to occupants of the vacation rental.
• It is unlawful to provide any false or misleading information in connection with any application for an initial or renewed certificate of registration, or for amendment of a certificate of registration as required by this Chapter. 

** Note: Each day a violation exists shall constitute a separate and distinct violation. **

The vacation rental owner is liable for any violations pertaining to the vacation rental. In addition, when two or more persons commit a violation, each violator shall be jointly and severally liable for any fines or penalties assessed. Any fines to occupants resulting from violations after the property owner or a designated responsible party was advised shall also be the responsibility of the property owner to pay.

All repeat violations of the same applicable Vacation Rental provision or other applicable City ordinance within a one-year period shall be scheduled for a hearing before the special magistrate and the repeat violator shall not have the option to pay a fine prior to the hearing. 

Suspension of the Certificate of Registration

In addition to any fines and any other remedies provided by law, a special magistrate may, in his or her discretion, suspend an initial or renewed certificate of registration for a vacation rental upon request in accordance with the following suspension time frames:

A vacation rental may not host any occupants during any period when the certificate of registration for the vacation rental is suspended. Operation and hosting of occupants during any period of suspension is a separate violation.

Making A Complaint:

If you would like to register a complaint with Code Compliance, please visit our Citizen Connect Portal, email us  at VacationRentals@sarasotafl.gov, or call us at 941-263-6623 for assistance.

Additional Resources

Excessive Noise Information: The Code Compliance Division works together with Sarasota Police Department to enforce the city’s noise ordinance as set forth in Chapter 20 of the City of Sarasota Code of Ordinances. If you would like to register a noise complaint, please call the Sarasota Police Department non-emergency number at 941-316-1199.

Sea Turtle Lighting Information:

The City of Sarasota has a partnership with Sarasota County to enforce issues related to sea turtle lighting here in our city limits. Sea turtle nesting season begins May 1 and runs through October 31. For questions or complaints about sea turtle lighting please call Sarasota County at 941-861-5000.