City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Treasure Island, FL
How Treasure Island 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 exclusion: tourist dwellings forbidden in RU-75 and RM-15 residential districts
- changes-of-occupancy caps in residential districts (RU-75 max 2/12mo; RM-15 max 6/12mo)
- STR use spatially confined to five higher-intensity districts (CG, RFM-30, RFH-50, PR-MU Core, PR-MU Gulf Blvd)
- active/ongoing litigation over the ordinance (2019 Anand vagueness challenge); prior fed litigation (Schwarz, 11th Cir. 2008)
- layered registration/tax stack (DBPR license + city BTR/resort tax + county TDT)
Based on: Code of Ordinances ch. 68 (Zoning Regulations) — residential-vs-tourist-dwelling classification; zoning scheme predates
Summary of the rule
Tourist dwellings forbidden in RU-75 and RM-15; permitted only in RFM-30, RFH-50, CG (and PR-MU Core / PR-MU Gulf Blvd). Residential/tourist-dwelling zoning scheme in force pre-2011 (adjudicated 2008).
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Active litigation / open question
Schwarz v. City of Treasure Island, 544 F.3d 1201 (11th Cir. 2008) — Eleventh Circuit adjudicated the city's residential/tourist-dwelling zoning scheme (turnover-based occupancy limits forbidding tourist dwellings in RU-75/RM-15). Establishes the scheme was in force well before the 2011 FL preemption date; on remand a 2010 jury found the city's application against recovery halfway houses violated the Fair Housing Act. Source ↗
Anand v. City of Treasure Island (Pinellas Cir., filed ~April 2019) — Gulf-side RM-15 property owners sued alleging the STR ordinance's 'residential dwelling' definition is unconstitutionally vague; challenges the RM-15 changes-of-occupancy limit. Source ↗
Reported as fact only, reflecting the code as currently in effect — not legal advice, and not a prediction of the outcome. Verify current status before relying on it.
Last reviewed Sep 9, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Treasure Island · system last checked Oct 24, 2026
Owners in Treasure Island
Following Treasure Island adds it to the Followed cities list on your ASTRO dashboard, linked to its city page.
Add a home to the ASTRO registry and confirm ownership of it.
City Watch tracks changes from public sources — council agendas, state bills, local news — not a complete legal compendium.
A city permit is not the whole picture — HOA, condominium, deed, or lease rules may be stricter.
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.