City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Port St. Joe, FL
How Port St. Joe regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Short-term rentals here operate under a registration or permit system with ongoing operating rules.
- STR-specific city business license required (hotel/short-term rental) with annual renewal (Sept 30)
- Zoning verification gate: property must be in an allowable zoning district before an STR license issues
- Prerequisite registrations: FL DBPR vacation-rental license, Gulf County Tourist Development Tax (5%), FL Div. of Corporations
- No cap/quota, no duration/frequency limit, no residency requirement identified (post-2011 FL preemption bars such limits anyway)
Based on: City business-license requirement for hotels/short-term rentals (cityofportstjoe.com business-license page); zoning per
Summary of the rule
City of Port St. Joe requires a business license for hotels/short-term rentals; applicant must first register with FL DBPR, Gulf County Tax Collector (5% TDT), and FL Div. of Corporations, and verify allowable zoning district
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 9, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Port St. Joe · system last checked Oct 25, 2026
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City Watch provides good-faith summaries of publicly available information as of the review date shown. Rules, enforcement, and permit availability can change, and summaries may contain errors or omissions. Ratings describe the general regulatory environment; they do not establish whether a particular property or stay is permitted. This is general information, not legal advice. Before buying, listing, or hosting, verify applicable requirements with the responsible authorities and review any HOA, condominium, deed, or lease restrictions.