Skip to main content
StartFL
Pinellas County
Brevard County16 municipalitiesBroward County31 municipalitiesDuval County / JacksonvilleJacksonville and 4 other municipalitiesHillsborough County3 municipalitiesLee CountySix incorporated municipalitiesMiami-Dade County34 municipalitiesOrange County13 municipalitiesPalm Beach County39 municipalitiesPasco CountyPermits, zoning, property records and local services across Pasco County.Pinellas County24 municipalities✓Polk County17 municipalitiesSarasota CountyPermits, zoning, property records and local services across Sarasota County.
Ask a question

Home-Based Business in Pinellas County

countywideStatewide

Florida Statute 559.955 (2021) preempts local governments from licensing or regulating home-based businesses differently from other businesses. A qualifying home business may operate in any residential zone, but it is still subject to local business taxes under Chapter 205, so a city BTR is still required inside municipalities like St. Petersburg and Clearwater.

Source references checked 2026-08-29. How we check sources

Check what applies to your address

Get a free answer for your location and project, rather than relying only on this general guide.

See the $19 Project Kit

Need everything organized? For eligible projects, the optional $19 Project Kit brings your filing steps, official documents, fees and progress checklist together. Government fees are separate.

Who needs this

Anyone running a business from their residence in Pinellas County.

Steps

  1. 1

    Confirm you qualify under FS 559.955

    Employees working at the dwelling must reside there, except up to two non-resident employees or independent contractors may work at the business. Parking must not exceed what is normal for a similar residence, the use as viewed from the street must be consistent with surrounding residential uses, and business activities must be secondary to the residential use.

    flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/559.955
  2. 2

    Register the entity or DBA with Sunbiz

    Same as any business: LLC $125, corporation $70, or fictitious name $50.

    dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/
  3. 3

    Get the city BTR if inside a municipality

    FS 559.955 explicitly leaves home businesses subject to applicable business taxes under Chapter 205. Clearwater, for example, requires the BTR plus a Home Based Business Affidavit. In unincorporated Pinellas no BTR exists.

    myclearwater.com/Business-Development/Clearwater-Business-Re
  4. 4

    Check activity-specific licenses

    Food (cottage food operates under FDACS rules), personal services, and professional work may still need state licenses regardless of the home location.

    myfloridalicense.com/

Requirements

  • Business secondary to residential use
  • External appearance consistent with the neighborhood
  • No more than two non-resident workers on site

Documents

  • Sunbiz registration
  • City BTR application where applicable

Fees

ItemAmountNotes
City BTR (if in a municipality)Varies by city and classificationHome-based businesses are not exempt from Chapter 205 business taxes

Good to know

FS 559.955 does not exempt home businesses from HOA or condo association restrictions; private covenants still apply.