3 citations for my short term rental inspection!

Now that my driveway and parking area is completed (something mandatory for short term rentals) it was time to get our Fire Safety officer to come by to review the house for anything else required.

It turns out I got three citations. While this might sound like a big deal, these are fairly easy fixes. The inspection is quick and officer Dustin Hamilton makes it easy to go over the details specific to the house and room layouts.

If you are considering a property or have it under contract and you plan to run a short term rental, it is also a good idea to have the fire safety officer walk through it to see what would need to happen to comply with their short term rental standards. Every house is different obviously and not every single thing is always required, depending on the layout, exits etc.

Fortunately, it is not a pass or fail situation, he will just tell you what you need to do to comply then you go ahead and get those done and submit the photos of the missing items within 45 days.

The full list of what you need is below, but in case you’re wondering, what I failed on, here are the three items;

1. I need an exit plan on the back of the door in one of the rooms. The master doesn’t need it as there is a door to the outside, an obvious exit.
2. The fire extinguisher I bought was not big enough and this needs to be switched to a 2A extinguisher ($45 or so on Amazon). The kitchen cabinet that it is in also needs a label to say it is inside.
3. Two safety lights need to be added into the living room that can go on if there is a power outage and can come on at night. Hopefully the guests won’t take them! (About $10 each on Amazon)

While your rental may not be located in this particular city, these are good to know to prepare your short-term rental anywhere for guests. Check with your local jurisdiction to see what they require.

9 STR Requirements for Short Term Rentals in the City of St Augustine

1. Each bedroom must have window or door to outside.
2. Bedrooms require smoke alarms.
3. Escape plan map must be located in each bedroom. Can be on back of door or in bedroom somewhere.
4. Emergency power failure night light(s) need to be located in the main living area. Can be several temporary plug ins or main installed light by electrician.
5. Fire extinguisher in main area or kitchen. 1 per floor if a multi floor. Needs to be 2A or BC rated. If in a cabinet, exterior door should be labeled.
6. If gas is being used, OR if the house has a garage attached, the main living area must have carbon monoxide detector
7. Exit signs need to be placed above exterior entrances/exits. Can be cute and does not need to be lit up
8. One parking space per bedroom. Spaces are considered as 8′ x 16′. Must have surface i.e: paved, stones but not grass. If there are not enough parking spaces it is possible to apply for one in the city’s parking garage.
9. Exterior yard cannot be all dry or stones. The property needs to have no more than 70% of the lot covered. (impervious surface). If more than 70% of the yard is covered with pavers, or other impervious surface, then the city may ask you to pull it up and replace it with grass.