St. Augustine, Florida Building Permit Guide

Inside St. Augustine city limits, building and trade permits come from the City’s Planning & Building Department at 75 King Street, and every application is filed online through the city’s Permit Portal. Many projects also need historic (HARB) or archaeology review first; archaeology review costs 1% to 1.5% of the construction cost, depending on the zone. A St. Augustine mailing address does not always mean the parcel is inside the city.

What requires a permit in St. Augustine?

The city states that most construction projects require a building permit, including renovations, additions, new construction, pools, fences, windows and doors, docks, driveways and patios, demolition, and accessory structures. Interior painting, minor repairs and interior decorating are listed as examples that normally do not require a building permit.

Beginning July 1, 2026, permits are not required for improvements costing less than $7,500 on single-family homes. Electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas and structural work, and work on property in a flood hazard area, still need permits. You must apply for the exemption with a land development application before starting work; starting without an approved exemption means the permit fees are doubled.

St. Augustine building department: who handles permitting

St. Augustine permit types

The city’s permit checklists cover these common permit types:

• Residential and commercial additions and renovations
• New single-family, multifamily and commercial construction
• Windows, doors, roofing and solar
• Pools, fences, sheds, garages and screen enclosures
• Docks, bulkheads, retaining walls and foundations
• Electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas and fire systems
• Demolition, relocation and storm-damage repairs

Contractor requirements: contractors send the department their state certified or registered licence, liability insurance of at least $300,000 and workers’ compensation or an exemption, with certificates made out to the City of St. Augustine Planning & Building Department, P.O. Box 210, St. Augustine, FL 32085, by email to buildingpermits@citystaug.com.

The city also publishes an Owner Builder Affidavit, Product Approval Sheet, Notice of Commencement, Sub-Contractor Sign Off Form and Revision Form.

Permit costs and local fees

Building permit fees are assessed on the permit record. Planning fees for building permits that used to be collected by Public Works and Utilities are now assessed by the Planning and Building Department. Pay only through the Permit Portal or by check to the Planning & Building Department; the city never asks for wire transfers.

Starting work without an approved $7,500 exemption doubles the permit fees. Historic review and civil site review have their own fees; civil plans are not routed for review until the civil review fee is paid through the Public Works Permits Technician.

Archaeology review fee: where a project needs archaeology review, the fee is 1.5% of the estimated construction cost in Zone I, 1.25% in Zone II and 1% in Zone III, with a $50 minimum and a $25,000 maximum. The review is not started until the fee is paid. For example, a $200,000 home addition in Zone I would pay a $3,000 archaeology review fee.

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and other trade permits

The LDA step does not apply to “over the counter” permits such as plumbing, electrical, mechanical and roofing. Each trade still needs its own permit. For larger building projects, the city’s checklists call for architectural, engineering, mechanical, electrical and plumbing plans together.

Alliance handles electrical permits for contractors here. More on this: who pulls the electrical permit.

Application documents and plan requirements

The city publishes permit-type checklists. New single-family homes require building plans, energy calculations, an ISR worksheet, Florida product approvals, a property survey, residential lot-grading information when the impervious-area trigger applies, truss engineering and proof of water/sewer availability or payment.

Commercial new construction requires coordinated architectural and engineering plans, product approvals, truss engineering, civil plans routed to Public Works and water/sewer documentation. Doors and windows require Florida product approvals. Roofing requires product-approval numbers. Pools require surveys and equipment or hydraulic information.

For residential additions and accessory structures, a residential lot grading plan is needed when lot coverage or impervious surface increases by 500 sq ft or more.

Electronic submission standards: files must be unlocked, flattened PDFs (no portfolios), scanned at no more than 300 dpi, correctly oriented and no larger than 250MB each. One digital signature on the first page is enough, but the design professional’s licence image must be on every plan sheet. Name each file with the project address first, for example “75 King St – Architectural Plans_DSS”, adding _DSS when the plans are digitally signed and sealed. The city says Google Chrome is required for uploads.

How to apply: 6-step local process

Inspections in St. Augustine

The city’s Building Department inspects all construction inside city limits. For inspections, email buildinginspection@citystaug.com. Work must pass inspections at different phases, and the Certificate of Occupancy is issued after the final inspection passes.

Do not cover work that needs a rough or intermediate inspection until it has passed.

If the direct contract is more than $5,000 (or $15,000 for HVAC), a recorded copy of the Notice of Commencement must be on file before the first inspection.

Local permitting details that matter

St. Augustine’s historic setting affects many projects. Buildings more than 50 years old may need Historic Architectural Review Board approval, and demolition or relocation of structures over 50 years old may need HARB approval. Removing large or protected trees may need Planning and Zoning Board approval, and the $7,500 exemption does not remove HARB, PZB or archaeology requirements.

Archaeology review: a project connected to a building or right-of-way permit needs review by the City Archaeology Program if it is in an Archaeology Zone and disturbs the ground more than 3 inches deep over 100 sq ft or more. New homes, additions, garages, in-ground pools, perimeter and flood walls, raising a structure, utility lines, grease traps and demolitions are typical examples. Bring the A14 Archaeological Review Application, plans or a lot survey and the fee to City Hall, 4th Floor, Lobby B. The city allows at least two to four weeks to investigate a single-family home site, so file early, ideally while plans are in review.

HARB: the Historic Architectural Review Board reviews applications for Certificates of Appropriateness and Certificates of Demolition or Relocation, meeting monthly at 1:00 p.m. in the Alcazar Room at City Hall with application deadlines about a month ahead.

Payment scams: the city never asks for wire transfers; fees are paid only through the Permit Portal or by check to the Planning & Building Department, and requests come only from @citystaug.com addresses.

Florida building code

The Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), has applied statewide since 31 December 2023; the Florida Building Commission has proposed the 9th Edition (2026) to take effect on 31 December 2026. Florida permit rules

St. Augustine permit search and official resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• Florida Building Code - 8th Edition (2023)
• Building Codes & Inspections
• Permit Portal
• 2025 LDA process update
• Planning & Building Department
• Building Permit Information
• St. Augustine documents required for building permits
• St. Augustine electronic submission standards
• St. Augustine contractor requirements
• St. Augustine archaeology review process
• St. Augustine Historic Architectural Review Board

Frequently asked questions

Who issues building permits in St. Augustine?

The City of St. Augustine Planning & Building Department, at 75 King Street, Lobby B, 4th Floor, issues building permits inside city limits. Call 904-825-1065.

How do I apply for a permit in St. Augustine?

Create an account in the city’s Permit Portal and submit the application and PDF documents online, following the electronic submission standards. All permit applications must be filed through the portal.

Do I need a permit for small jobs under $7,500?

From July 1, 2026, single-family improvements under $7,500 can be exempt, except electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas, structural and flood-zone work. You must apply for the exemption first; starting without approval doubles the permit fees.

Will my project need an archaeology review?

Yes if it is in an Archaeology Zone and digs more than 3 inches deep over 100 sq ft or more. The fee is 1% to 1.5% of the construction cost, with a $50 minimum.

When is a Notice of Commencement needed?

When the direct contract is over $5,000, or over $15,000 for HVAC. A recorded copy is needed before the first inspection.

How are inspections handled?

The city’s Building Department inspects all permitted construction. Inspection questions go to buildinginspection@citystaug.com.

Simplify St. Augustine permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Florida. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about St. Augustine permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.