STR rules, regulations and loopholes in Sarasota County, FL

[Fred Bagirov]

I live in Sarasota County (outside of Sarasota City), FL and trying to understand the rules, regulations and loopholes with STR properties. It is my understanding that the minimum STR reservations are at least 30 days (also I see a lot of listings on AirBNB for 28 days minimum - why is that?).

However, I see hundreds of properties listed on Airbnb that do not follow the rules. 

I've heard that the Sarasota County is in need of money (and that's the reason AirBNB deducts taxes and directly passes them to the County) - how strictly are those rules enforced? Trying to understand the risks and implications of running an STR less than 30 days and if there are any loopholes to the policies.

Any feedback or discussion is appreciated!

[Andrew Steffens]

I am not a 100% expert in Sarasota County but I do know that they are in general not heavily enforced.  This was also the case in my area (Saint Pete) which has just started enforcing more.  Whatever you do, make sure you are prepared to follow the rules as enforcement can come at any time.