Hundreds of Sarasota vacation rentals still need to register with city officials

Earlier this year the Sarasota City Commission expanded its vacation rental registry to include property on the mainland, while also increasing the annual fees and setting a Halloween deadline for mainland property owners to register their rentals inside city limits.

Prior to the expansion of the registry this year, only vacation rentals on St. Armands, Lido Key, Bird Key and northern Siesta Key had to meet city regulations on vacation rentals, which includes an annual inspection.

Owner-occupied vacation rentals, condominiums, cooperatives or properties rented for 30 days or more are exempt from the city's registration requirements, although renting property where a resident lives can still have significant impact on homesteaded property.

The Sarasota County Property Appraiser's Office has issued more than 160 rental liens against homeowners this year claiming more than $1 million in back taxes and penalties for properties that were entirely or partially rented, such as through Airbnb.

Previous coverage: Sarasota Property Appraiser cracks down on homeowners renting out homestead property

The Oct. 31 deadline for city vacation rental owners is fast approaching, with an estimated 600 properties still not signed up, according to a Monday news release from city officials. Missing the deadline comes with a $200 late fee.

Any vacation rental property not registered with the city by Jan. 1 will be in violation of city code, according to the Monday announcement.

“We want to make sure that owners don’t feel uninformed or blindsided as these deadlines approach,” said Hannah Chabica, Supervisor of Vacation Rental Compliance. “Informational letters were sent to vacation rental owners in both April and June, and additional information has been shared on the City’s website and social media pages."

There is a $500 application fee for those submitted after Oct. 31, as well as a $200 late fee.

The final deadline to register is Dec. 31

"We’re encouraging those who have not registered their vacation rental property to do so by visiting our website and applying before October 31," Chabica stated in the news release. If anyone needs guidance during the application process, they can contact us by emailing Vacation.Rentals@sarasotafl.gov or calling 941-263-6623.”

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Hundreds of Sarasota vacation rentals still need to register with city officials