Longboat Key Vacation Rentals
Homes on residentially zoned property on Longboat Key must be rented for at least 30 consecutive days or one calendar month at a time, under Town of Longboat Key rules. Only tourism-zoned districts and properties grandfathered as a tourism use can take shorter stays. Stays of six months or less carry about 13% tax. We do not list any homes on Longboat Key itself yet; the closest homes we list are in Anna Maria Island, Downtown Sarasota and Bradenton, shown below.
Homes near Longboat Key
We do not list any homes on Longboat Key itself yet. These are the closest homes on srq.rentals, grouped by area, with the way you get from each one to the island.
Anna Maria Island
Just north, across the Longboat Pass Bridge from Bradenton Beach
- Sand Dollar in Anna Maria Island, 3 bed 2 bath, sleeps 8, from $350/night
- 2-Minute Walk to Beach - Heated Pool - Hot Tub - Family in Anna Maria Island, 3 bed 2.5 bath, sleeps 8, rates on request, books direct with TrustFirst Management
- NEW! Waterfront + Sauna + Pool + Pet Friendly + Gym in Anna Maria Island, 4 bed 4 bath, sleeps 10, rates on request, books direct with TrustFirst Management
Anna Maria Island vacation rentals
Downtown Sarasota
On the mainland: west over the John Ringling Causeway to St. Armands Circle, then north through Lido Key and across the New Pass Bridge
- The Triple Villa Downtown Sarasota in Downtown Sarasota, 15 bed 10 bath, sleeps 40, from $2,500/night, books direct with Heartfull Homes
Downtown Sarasota vacation rentals
Bradenton
On the mainland: drive west to Anna Maria Island, then south across the Longboat Pass Bridge
- Canal front - Kayaks - Next to reserve and Anna Maria Island - Family in Bradenton, 4 bed 2 bath, sleeps 11, rates on request, books direct with TrustFirst Management
- Fire pit - Arcade Games - Pets Allowed in Bradenton, 2 bed 2 bath, sleeps 6, rates on request, books direct with TrustFirst Management
- Heated Pool Near Beaches Arcade Games Family in Bradenton, 4 bed 2 bath, sleeps 12, rates on request, books direct with TrustFirst Management
- Heated Pool,Mini Golf, Game Room, Near Beaches in Bradenton, 3 bed 2 bath, sleeps 8, rates on request, books direct with TrustFirst Management
- Hot Tub - Mins to Anna Maria - Heated Pool -Arcade for Family in Bradenton, 4 bed 2 bath, sleeps 12, rates on request, books direct with TrustFirst Management
- Large Heated Pool Family - 3500 sqft - Sleeps 17 in Bradenton, 4 bed 3.5 bath, sleeps 16, rates on request, books direct with TrustFirst Management
Homes marked "books direct with" a manager are listed with permission from local managers and book on the manager's own website; the link takes you there.
Longboat Key at a glance
| Minimum stay, residential zoning | 30 consecutive days or one full calendar month (Town of Longboat Key) |
|---|---|
| Shorter stays | Only in tourism-zoned districts or properties grandfathered as a tourism use |
| Land use | Residential uses are nearly half of the town's land and tourism about 5.9% (town data, 2024) |
| Town rental certificate | Required for residential rentals under six months; the certificate number must appear in every ad |
| Tax on stays of six months or less | About 13%: 6% state sales tax, 1% county surtax, 6% tourist development tax |
| County line | From about the 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive north is Manatee County; lower numbers are Sarasota County |
| Public beach accesses | 12, listed by the town; most have parking for roughly 15 to 40 cars |
| Sea turtle nesting season | May 1 to October 31 |
| Peak season | December to March (Visit Sarasota County) |
Longboat Key seasonal rental restrictions, for guests
On residentially zoned property, each rental has to run at least 30 consecutive days or one entire calendar month. The exceptions are properties in tourism-zoned districts and properties grandfathered as a tourism use. If a listing offers a week in a private home or a residential condo, ask the owner which of those it is.
The town can cite owners, rental agents and tenants for stays under 30 days: $100 for a first offense, $250 for a second and $500 for each one after that, and every day counts as a separate offense. Rentals under six months also need a town Residential Rental Certificate, and its number has to appear in the listing, so a missing number is worth asking about.
Longboat Key rental rules, with the official sources ยท Longboat Key short-term rental rules for owners
Getting to Longboat Key
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) is the closest commercial airport. Gulf of Mexico Drive (State Road 789) runs the length of the island, and two drawbridges connect it to the rest of the coast. To reach the south end, drive west from downtown Sarasota over the John Ringling Causeway to St. Armands Circle, then north through Lido Key and across the New Pass Bridge. The north end connects to Anna Maria Island: the Longboat Pass Bridge crosses from Bradenton Beach.
Gulf of Mexico Drive is the only road that runs the length of the island, and the town's own planning documents note heavy seasonal traffic on it. In winter, allow extra time to reach St. Armands or the airport.
Beaches, the Gulf side and the bay side
Longboat Key is a barrier island with the Gulf of Mexico on the west and Sarasota Bay on the east. The town lists 12 public beach accesses on Gulf of Mexico Drive, Gulfside Road, Broadway Street, Seabreeze Avenue and North Shore Road. Most have parking for roughly 15 to 40 cars, and two have no spaces of their own, so a home on the bay side should come with a short answer to "which access is closest".
Sea turtles nest on the beach from May 1 to October 31. The town's turtle ordinance covers light that can be seen from the beach, inside and out, so close the Gulf-facing blinds after dark in those months.
When to book
Choose the month first. With a 30-day minimum on residential property, you are booking a month or a season, not a weekend. Visit Sarasota County puts high season at December to March, and county-wide lodging occupancy reached 81.9% in February and 83.9% in March 2024. The island is built around that season: the town's data put its 2020 population at about 10,535 seasonal residents and about 7,519 full-time residents.
Visit Sarasota County calls June to October the wet season, and hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. A stay longer than six months under a written lease is not subject to the 13% transient rental tax.
More about Longboat Key
What to know about Longboat Key
- Miles of uncrowded beach
- Calm, quiet island pace
- Resort dining & golf
Longboat Key vacation rental FAQ
Can you rent a vacation home on Longboat Key for a week?
Only at a property in a tourism-zoned district, or one grandfathered as a tourism use. On residentially zoned property, the Town of Longboat Key requires each rental to last at least 30 consecutive days or one calendar month.
What are the seasonal rental restrictions on Longboat Key?
Residentially zoned homes and condos must be rented for at least 30 consecutive days or one calendar month at a time, and any residential rental under six months needs a town Residential Rental Certificate whose number appears in its ads. The town can fine owners, agents and tenants $100, $250 and then $500 per offense for shorter stays, with each day counted separately.
Is Longboat Key in Sarasota County or Manatee County?
Both. The town says addresses from about the 4000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive northward are in Manatee County and lower numbers are in Sarasota County. The tourist tax goes to the county the home is in; the total is about 13% on either side.
How much tax is added to a Longboat Key rental?
About 13% on stays of six months or less: 6% Florida sales tax, a 1% county surtax and a 6% county tourist development tax. Sarasota and Manatee counties both charge 6% tourist tax. A stay longer than six months under a written lease is exempt from these transient rental taxes.
How do you get to Longboat Key?
Fly into Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ). Reach the south end from downtown Sarasota over the John Ringling Causeway, St. Armands Circle, Lido Key and the New Pass Bridge, or the north end through Anna Maria Island and over the Longboat Pass Bridge. Gulf of Mexico Drive (State Road 789) runs the length of the island.
Where are the public beaches on Longboat Key?
The town lists 12 public beach accesses along Gulf of Mexico Drive, Gulfside Road, Broadway Street, Seabreeze Avenue and North Shore Road. Parking at each is limited, roughly 15 to 40 spaces, and two have no spaces of their own.
When is the best time to book a Longboat Key rental?
Pick your month early if you want winter. Visit Sarasota County puts high season at December to March, and county lodging occupancy topped 80% in February and March 2024. Most homes on the island can only be rented by the month, so plan around whole months.
Last reviewed . General guidance, not legal advice: confirm rules with the town before you book or list.