Short Term Rental Fire Safety Requirements 1 Fire Department (all

Short Term Rental Fire Safety Requirements 1

Fire Department (all properties)

The following requirements are considered minimum fire safety standards as described in the Florida

Fire Protection Code, Florida State Statutes, and the Florida Administrative Code (69A-43). Installation

of any hardwired smoke/carbon monoxide alarm will require a permit from the appropriate building

department. Permit information is included at the end of this document.

(1) One- and two-family dwellings, recreational vehicles and mobile homes licensed as public

lodging establishments shall comply with Chapter 24, One-Family and Two-Family Dwellings, of NFPA

101, Life Safety Code, as adopted in chapter 69A-3, F.A.C., and incorporated by reference therein.

(2) Three family and four family dwellings licensed as public lodging establishments shall comply

with Chapter 28, New Hotels and Dormitories or Chapter 29, Existing Hotels and Dormitories, of NFPA

101, Life Safety Code, as adopted in chapter 69A-3, F.A.C., and incorporated by reference therein.

(3) Smoke alarms.

(a) One- and two-family dwellings and mobile homes shall have an approved single station or

multiple station smoke alarms continuously powered by the house electrical system.

(b) Recreational vehicles shall have an approved single station smoke alarm continuously powered

by 120-volt electrical service.

the building electrical system, and 120-volt AC electrical service for recreational vehicles, shall be

provided in each sleeping room.

(d) To qualify as “approved,” smoke alarms shall be installed in accordance with manufacturer’s

instructions.

(4) Means of egress.

(a) All one- and two-family dwellings, recreational vehicles or mobile homes licensed as a public

lodging establishment shall have a minimum of one primary exit and one secondary means of escape.

(b) The primary means of exit shall be a door, stairway, or ramp providing a means of unobstructed

exit travel to the outside of the dwelling, recreational vehicle, or mobile home, at street or ground level.

1. A door, stairway or ramp providing a way of unobstructed exit travel to the outside of the

dwelling, recreational vehicle, or mobile home, at street or ground level that is independent of and remote

from the primary means of exit; or

2. An outside window or door operable from the inside, without the use of tools or special

equipment, that provides a clear opening having a minimum of 5.7 square feet of area with no dimension

less than 20 inches in width or 24 inches in height. The bottom of the opening shall not be more than 44

inches off the floor. The opening must be directly accessible to fire department rescue apparatus or fire

department extension ladder.

(d) The secondary means of exit and sleeping room smoke alarms are not required if the dwelling,

recreational vehicle or mobile home is protected throughout by an approved automatic sprinkler system

Short Term Rental Fire Safety Requirements 2

in accordance with NFPA 13, Standard for Installation of Sprinkler Systems, or NFPA 13D, Standard for

the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One and Two Family Dwellings and Mobile Homes, or NFPA

13R, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in Residential Occupancies Up to Four Stories in

Height, as adopted in chapter 69A-3, F.A.C., and incorporated by reference therein.

(5) The maximum occupancy load permitted for one- and two-family dwellings and mobile homes

licensed as public lodging establishments shall be computed at 150 square feet gross floor area per

person. The occupancy load for recreational vehicles licensed as public lodging establishments will be

the occupancy load designated by the manufacturer of the recreational vehicle, which shall be posted in

the vehicle.

(6) Battery powered emergency lighting shall be provided for a period of not less than one (1) hour

to illuminate the primary exit. The emergency lighting shall provide illumination automatically in the

event of any interruption of normal lighting.

(7) Minimum acceptable portable fire extinguisher requirements shall conform to: A minimum of

one portable fire extinguisher, with a minimum rating of 2-A:10-B:C should be provided per floor level

of a living unit, with a maximum of 40 ft of travel distance to the extinguisher.

Portable fire extinguishers should be installed as follows:

(1) In an accessible spot, free from blocking by storage and equipment, and near room exits that

provide an escape route.

(2) So that the top of the extinguisher is not more than 5 ft. above the floor and not less than 4 in.

above the floor; should be easy to reach and remove and should be placed where it will not be damaged

(3) On hangers or in the brackets supplied by the manufacturer, mounted in cabinets, or placed on

shelves.

(4) Placed so that the operating instructions on the extinguisher face outward.

For personal safety, the following precautions should be observed for locating and using a fire

extinguisher:

(1) Most fires produce toxic decomposition products of combustion, and some materials can produce

highly toxic gases. Fires can also consume available oxygen or produce dangerously high exposure to

convected or radiated heat. All these factors can affect the degree to which a fire can be safely approached

with extinguishing equipment.

(2) Discharging portable fire extinguishers from too close a distance on cooking grease fires can

cause splashing of the burning grease or oil and spread the fire. The recommended distance for operating

portable fire extinguishers is shown on the label.

(3) Portable fire extinguishers should not be installed adjacent to the location of a potential fire hazard

but should be accessible to the hazard.

Short Term Rental Fire Safety Requirements 3

(8) A floor diagram reflecting the actual floor arrangement, primary exit location, secondary exit

location and room identification shall be posted in a conspicuous location.

(9) A fire safety information pamphlet describing evacuation of the dwelling or vehicle, smoke

alarm information, procedures for reporting a fire or other emergency shall be provided to guests.

(10) Non-vented fuel fired heaters shall not be utilized in one- and two-family dwellings,

recreational vehicles or mobile homes licensed as public lodging establishments.

(11) Specialized smoke alarms for the deaf and hearing impaired shall be available upon request by

guests in public lodging establishments at a rate of at least one such smoke alarm per 50 dwelling units

or portions thereof, not to exceed five such smoke alarms per public lodging facility, as provided in

section 509.215(8), F.S.

(12) Carbon monoxide alarms or alarms shall be installed as follows:

(a) Outside of each separate dwelling unit sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the

bedrooms.

(b) On every occupiable level of a dwelling unit, including basements, excluding attics and crawl

spaces.

manufacturer’s published instructions that accompany the unit.

Building Department (all properties)

Permit information

A permit is required to install hardwired Smoke Alarm/Carbon Monoxide detectors.

City of Largo: An Electrical contractor is required to apply and can be applied for online through the

City of Largo’s online web portal. Please contact [email protected]om for assistance.

Pinellas County: Permit information can be found at https://www.pinellascounty.org/build/ or call 727-

464-3888.

Town of Belleair: Permit information can be found at https://www.townofbelleair.com/401/Building or

call 727-588-3775.

Smoke Alarm/Carbon Monoxide detectors shall be installed in compliance with Florida Building Code

Residential sections 314 and 315. (See below or visit Floridabuilding.org)

Short Term Rental Fire Safety Requirements 4

R314.3 Location.

Smoke alarms shall be installed in the following locations:

1. In each sleeping room.

2. Outside each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms.

3. On each additional story of the dwelling, including basements and habitable attics and not

including crawl spaces and uninhabitable attics. In dwellings or dwelling units with split levels

and without an intervening door between the adjacent levels, a smoke alarm installed on the upper

level shall suffice for the adjacent lower level provided that the lower level is less than one

full story below the upper level.

4. Smoke alarms shall be installed not less than 3 feet (914 mm) horizontally from the door or

opening of a bathroom that contains a bathtub or shower unless this would prevent placement of

a smoke alarm required by Section R314.3.

R315.1 Carbon monoxide protection.

Every separate building or an addition to an existing building for which a permit for new construction is

issued and having a fossil-fuel-burning heater or appliance, a fireplace, an attached garage, or other

feature, fixture, or element that emits carbon monoxide as byproduct of combustion shall have an

operational carbon monoxide alarm installed within 10 feet of each room used for sleeping purposes.

Short Term Rental Fire Safety Requirements 5

City of Largo Community Standards Department requirements (properties inside city limits)

Dear Short Term Vacation Rental owner,

Below is the City of Largo, Comprehensive Development Code related to the minimum

requirements that must be complied with if you wish to operate a Short-Term Vacation Rental

property within the City limits of Largo. We are providing this document to you in an effort to

assist you in setting up your Short-Term Rental property and to avoid any unnecessary delays.

Please note that you are required to have two separate inspections prior to renting your property.

These inspections include a Life Safety inspection conducted by the Fire Department and a

Compliance inspection conducted by the Community Standards Division. These inspections can

be done in any order.

Please contact the following departments to schedule your inspections:

• City of Largo Fire Department: (727) 587-6737

• City of Largo Community Standards Division: (727) 587-6799

Failure to obtain the required inspections may lead to delays in starting your business and/or other

consequences related to violation of the established code. Please feel free to contact either

department if you have any questions related to the Short-Term Vacation Rental code or inspection

requirements.

Section 15.18 - Short-Term Vacation Rentals

Short-term vacation rentals shall be permitted in all future land use designations that allow for

residential uses provided they are in compliance with this section. No person shall rent or lease all

or any portion of a dwelling unit as a short-term vacation rental, as defined in this section, without

complying with the following criteria:

A. Definitions -

1. Designated Responsible Party. The term "designated responsible party" means the owner,

or any person eighteen (18) years of age or older designated by the owner, tasked with

responding to requests for complaints, and other problems relating to or emanating from

the short-term vacation rental. There shall only be one designated responsible party for

each short-term vacation rental. An owner may retain a private property management

company to serve as the designated responsible party.

2. Owner. The term "owner," shall mean the person or entity holding legal title to the shortterm

vacation rental property, as reflected in the Pinellas County Tax Collector's records.

3. Short-Term Vacation Rental. A "short-term vacation rental" means any unit or group of

units in a condominium or cooperative or any individually or collectively owned singlefamily, two-

family, three-family, or four-family house or dwelling unit within a single

complex of buildings which is rented to guests more than three (3) times in a calendar year

for periods of less than thirty (30) days or one (1) calendar month, whichever is less, or

which is advertised or held out to the public as a place regularly rented to guests but that is

not a timeshare property, as defined in chapter 721, Florida Statutes, all as defined and as

Short Term Rental Fire Safety Requirements 6

may be amended by Sections 509.242(1)(c); (g), and 509.013(4)(a)1., Florida Statutes.

4. Transient Occupants. Any person or guest or invitee of such person, who occupies or is in

actual or apparent control or possession of a short-term vacation rental. There shall be a

rebuttable presumption that any person who holds themselves out as being an occupant or

guest of an occupant of a short-term vacation rental is a transient occupant.

B. Minimum life/safety requirements -

1. Compliance with applicable laws. All short-term vacation rental units must meet the

minimum standards for habitable structures set forth in the Florida Building Code, the

Florida Fire Code, the Florida Life Safety Code; and the City's Comprehensive

Development Code. (FIRE DEPARTMENT INSPECTION REQUIRED)

2. Swimming pool, spa and hot tub safety. All swimming pools, spas and/or hot tubs at shortterm

vacation rentals shall comply with the standards of the Residential Swimming Pool

Safety Act, Chapter 515, and Florida Statutes.

(COMMUNITY STANDARDS INSPECTION REQUIRED)

3. Fire extinguisher. A portable, multi-purpose dry chemical 2A:10B:C fire extinguisher shall

be installed, inspected, and maintained in accordance with NFPA 10 on each floor/level of

each dwelling unit of a short-term vacation rental. The extinguisher(s) shall be installed on

the wall in an open common area or in an enclosed space with appropriate markings visibly

showing the location. (FIRE DEPARTMENT INSPECTION REQUIRED)

4. Internal posting. The following information shall be posted in a visually unobstructed area

within each unit of a short-term vacation rental, all in a form prescribed by the city: the

name and telephone number of the designated responsible party required by this Section,

notice that all transient occupants must comply with the requirements of the City's Code of

Ordinances including the maximum occupancy, parking, and minimum life/safety

requirements prescribed in this section, as well as the City's Code of Ordinances governing

noise, nuisances, and litter; the scheduled days of trash pick-up and recycling; the location

of the nearest hospital, and a statement that all transient occupants must promptly evacuate

the short-term vacation rental upon posting of any evacuation order issued by state or local

authorities. (COMMUNITY STANDARDS INSPECTION REQUIRED)

C. Maximum occupancy –

The maximum occupancy for each short-term vacation rental unit

is one (1) person per one hundred fifty (150) gross square feet of permitted, conditioned

living space. (AS NEEDED BY COMMUNITY STANDARDS OR PD)

D. Parking –

All short-term vacation rental units within the city are required to provide one

(1) off-street parking space per three (3) transient occupants. On-street parking shall not

count towards this minimum parking requirement. Garage spaces may count towards this

minimum parking requirement if the space is open and available and the transient

occupants are given vehicular access to the garage. (COMMUNITY STANDARDS

INSPECTION REQUIRED)

E. Designated responsible party -

Short Term Rental Fire Safety Requirements 7

1. The name and telephone number of the designated responsible party shall be either (i)

prominently posted on the front exterior of the short-term vacation rental in a place visible

to the public, or (ii) if there is a City of Largo Police Department Emergency Decal

Registration associated with the short-term vacation rental and the name and telephone

number of the designated responsible party has been provided as part of the Emergency

Decal Registration, the encoded Emergency Decal may be posted in a place visible to the

public instead of the name and telephone number of the designated responsible party.

(COMMUNITY STANDARDS INSPECTION REQUIRED)

2. The designated responsible party must be available at the posted telephone number twentyfour (24)

hours a day, seven (7) days a week and capable of directly responding, or directing

a designated agent to directly respond to and resolve any issues or concerns raised by

transient occupants, City staff, or law enforcement when the short-term vacation rental is

occupied. If necessary, the designated responsible party must be willing and able to come

to the short-term vacation rental unit within two (2) hours following notification to address

any issue that is not capable of being addressed via telephone. (COMMUNITY

STANDARDS INSPECTION REQUIRED)

F. Other standards –

Any other standards contained the City's Code of Ordinances and

Comprehensive Development Code shall apply to short-term vacation rentals to the extent

allowable by law. (AS NEEDED BY COMMUNITY STANDARDS AND PD)

G. Enforcement –

The provisions of this section shall be enforced using the procedures set

forth in Chapter 9 of the City Code and/or Chapter 162, Florida Statutes. (AS NEEDED

BY COMMUNITY STANDARDS AND PD)

Properties located in unincorporated Pinellas County

Pinellas County code of ordinances.

Sec. 138-3232. - Short-term vacation rentals.

(a) Purpose. The intent of short-term vacation rentals is to allow for an individual dwelling unit to be

rented to an individual or party at a lease term that is less than one month while protecting the

immediate vicinity from associated negative impacts relating to traffic, noise, safety, and maintenance.

Short-term vacation rentals generally occur in typical residential units and mostly within residential

neighborhoods. Individual rooms within owner-occupied properties may also be used for short-term

vacation rentals.

(b) Applicability. This section shall apply to short-term vacation rentals consisting of individual

dwelling units/rooms and the rental periods for said unit/room is more than three times in a calendar

year for periods of 30 days or less. This section is not applicable to hotels/motels and bed and breakfast

uses. This section is also not applicable to other residential dwelling units that are rented for periods

over one month.

Short Term Rental Fire Safety Requirements 8

(c)Standards. (1) Maximum occupancy. Maximum occupancy shall be no more than two persons per

bedroom plus two persons in one common area, not to exceed more than ten persons total per unit,

whichever is less.

(2) Parking. A minimum of one off-street parking space shall be provided for every three occupants.

Garage spaces count towards minimum requirement if available to the occupant(s). Front lawn parking

does not count towards the minimum requirement.

(3) Noise. Quiet hours are to be observed between 10:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. daily or as superseded by

any county noise regulation.

(4) Responsible party. The property owner or designee shall be available in a timely manner to

respond to inspections, complaints, or other problems related to the short-term vacation rental property.

The duties of the short-term vacation responsible party are to:

a). Be available by telephone at the posted phone number to handle any issues arising from the

short-term vacation rental use.

b). If necessary, be willing and able to come to the short-term vacation rental unit following

notification from an occupant, owner, law enforcement, or county official to address issues related to

the short-term vacation rental.

c). Be authorized to receive service of any legal notice on behalf of the owner for violations of

this section; and

d). Otherwise regularly monitor the short-term vacation rental unit to assure compliance with

the requirements of this section.

(5) Posting short-term vacation rental unit information. On the back of, or next to, the main

entrance door or on the refrigerator, there shall be provided as a single page the following information:

a). The name, address, and phone number of the short-term vacation rental responsible party.

b). The maximum occupancy of the unit, per section 138-3232(c)(1), above.

c). The maximum number of vehicles that can be parked at the unit, per section 138-3232(c)(2),

above, along with a sketch of the location of the off-street parking spaces.

d). Noise standard, per section 138-3232(c)(3), above.

e). The days of trash pickup and recycling; and

f). The location of the nearest hospital.

(6) Fines. Any person convicted of violating any provisions of section 138-3232 may be punishable by

a fine of up to $300.00, per violation, per day.

(Ord. No. 18-36, § 3(Att. B), 10-23-18; Ord. No. 21-11 , § 53, 4-27-21)