City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Sanibel, FL
How Sanibel regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Rules here limit which homes may operate as short-term rentals, how many, where, or for how many nights a year.
- pre-2011 grandfathered zoning scheme excludes transient/short-term rental from residential districts (STR confined to Resort Housing District)
- duration floor: 28-day / four-consecutive-week minimum rental in residential districts (a pre-2011 duration limit surviving preemption)
- dwelling-rental license regime (Limited $300 / Unlimited $100) enforcing the district+duration split
- one of the strictest residential-character STR regimes in Florida, rooted in the 1976 Sanibel Plan
Based on: Sanibel Land Development Code, Ch. 126 (Zoning), Art. XIV Div. 7 'Dwelling Rental' (§126-1075 et seq.); zoning-use
Summary of the rule
In residential districts (where Resort Housing is not a permitted use), dwelling units may be rented only for periods of no less than four consecutive weeks (28-day minimum) — nightly/weekly STR is not permitted.
Last reviewed Sep 9, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Sanibel · system last checked Oct 24, 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.