St. Johns County — St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, Nocatee, and one of the fastest-growing homebuilding markets in America — issues building permits through the Building Department (Growth Management) at 4040 Lewis Speedway for unincorporated St. Johns County. Notably, a 30% reduction in general building permit fees, first adopted as pandemic relief, remains in effect until further notice.
Applies to unincorporated St. Johns County, including Ponte Vedra and Nocatee. The City of St. Augustine and City of St. Augustine Beach run their own building departments.
What requires a building permit in St. Johns County?
Under the Florida Building Code (§105.1), a permit is required for most improvements before any work begins — the county puts the burden on the property owner to determine whether a permit is required. New for 2026: Florida HB 803 (effective July 1, 2026) created additional building-permit exemptions for certain single-family residential work. Ask the permit counter whether your scope qualifies before assuming a permit is needed.
Permit required
- New homes, additions, and commercial construction
- Structural or load-bearing alterations and demolition
- Roof replacements and window / door replacements
- Electrical service changes and most wiring work
- Mechanical / HVAC installations and changeouts
- Plumbing alterations, repipes, and irrigation systems
- Pools, spas, and screen enclosures
- Exterior work in RARA communities (triggers HOA notice)
Usually exempt
- Painting, flooring, cabinets, and cosmetic finishes
- Like-for-like minor repairs that don't alter systems
- Routine maintenance that doesn't extend or reroute systems
- Certain minor single-family work newly exempted by HB 803 (verify)
Who handles permitting in St. Johns County?
All permitting is administered by the St. Johns County Building Department (Growth Management) through the County online permitting & clearance sheets (Online trade permits + status tools system).
- Address: 4040 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL 32084
- Phone: (904) 827-6800
- Email: bldcodes@sjcfl.us
St. Johns County permit types
A building permit is one record among many. the St. Johns County Building Department (Growth Management) issues work under separate record types, and filing under the wrong one is a rejection, not a correction — the application is closed and refiled, and the review clock restarts.
Residential permit types
| Permit type | What triggers it | Review path | Fee basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| New construction | New dwellings, additions, and accessory structures over the exempt threshold | Full plan review (structural, energy, zoning) | Valuation-based |
| Renovation / alteration | Structural or load-bearing changes, layout changes, substantial repair | Plan review scaled to scope | Valuation-based |
| Reroof | Roof covering replacement and most major roof repair | Product approval review; dry-in and nail-off inspections | Valuation or squares |
| Solar photovoltaic | Rooftop or ground-mount PV installation or replacement | Structural plus electrical review | Flat or system-size based |
| Solar thermal | Passive water heating or pool heating systems | Plumbing and structural review | Flat or per-permit minimum |
| Electrical | Service changes, panel upgrades, new circuits, most wiring alterations | Trade review; filed against the building permit | Per-permit minimum or per-device |
| Plumbing | New piping, repipes, water heaters, fixtures, gas piping | Trade review; filed against the building permit | Per-permit minimum or per-fixture |
| Mechanical / HVAC | Changeouts that are not like-for-like, ductwork, refrigeration | Trade review; filed against the building permit | Per-permit minimum or per-unit |
| Windows and doors | Replacement units and opening protection | Product approval review for wind-borne debris | Valuation or per-opening |
| Pool and spa | In-ground and above-ground pools, spas, barrier and enclosure work | Plan review plus barrier and electrical bonding | Valuation-based |
| Fence and accessory | Fences, sheds, decks, and carports over the exempt threshold | Zoning plus structural where applicable | Flat or valuation-based |
| Demolition | Full or partial demolition of a structure | Utility disconnect verification required | Flat |
Commercial permit types
| Permit type | What triggers it | Review path | Fee basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| New construction | Ground-up commercial, industrial, and multifamily | Full multi-discipline plan review | Valuation-based |
| Tenant improvement | Interior build-outs and suite fit-ups | Plan review across affected disciplines | Valuation-based |
| Renovation / alteration | Structural, envelope, or system changes to an existing building | Plan review scaled to scope | Valuation-based |
| Change of use | Converting a building from one occupancy classification to another | Zoning, life-safety, and accessibility review | Valuation or flat |
| Reroof | Commercial roof covering replacement | Product approval review plus fire review where applicable | Valuation or squares |
| Solar photovoltaic | Commercial rooftop, carport, and ground-mount PV | Structural, electrical, and often fire review | Valuation or system-size based |
| Electrical | Service, distribution, and branch circuit work | Trade review | Valuation or per-device |
| Plumbing | Supply, waste, vent, and gas systems | Trade review | Valuation or per-fixture |
| Mechanical / HVAC | Rooftop units, ductwork, exhaust, and refrigeration | Trade review | Valuation or per-unit |
| Fire protection | Sprinkler, standpipe, alarm, and suppression systems | Fire prevention plan review | Valuation or per-device |
| Sign | Wall, monument, and illuminated signage | Zoning plus electrical where illuminated | Flat or per-sign |
| Demolition | Full or partial commercial demolition | Utility disconnect and environmental clearance | Flat or valuation-based |
Residential
- Single-discipline review in most cases
- Master permit with trades filed against it
- Owner-builder route exists but carries statutory affidavits
- Product approval drives roofing and opening protection
Commercial — multi-discipline
- Concurrent review across building, fire, and zoning
- Signed and sealed plans across every affected discipline
- Accessibility and life-safety review attach to change of use
- Impact and concurrency fees can apply on top of permit fees
Solar permits in St. Johns County
Solar is permitted as its own record type in most Florida jurisdictions rather than rolled into a general building permit, and residential and commercial photovoltaic are usually separate records with different document sets. Solar thermal — passive water and pool heating — is a third, distinct record.
A photovoltaic submittal is reviewed on two tracks at once: structural (roof load path, attachment spacing, uplift) and electrical (conductor sizing, rapid shutdown, point of interconnection). A single-line diagram and a signed and sealed structural attachment detail are the two attachments most often missing on a first submittal.
Under Fla. Stat. §163.04, a homeowners' association cannot prohibit a solar collector on a dwelling — HOA architectural approval is not a prerequisite to permit issuance, though it may still be a contractual matter between owner and association.
Utility interconnection runs parallel to the building permit, not inside it. Permission to Operate is issued by the utility after the final electrical inspection clears.
Roofing permits in St. Johns County
A roof covering replacement requires a permit in every Florida jurisdiction. Repairs below the local threshold may not, but the threshold is scope-specific and confirming it with the building department before tear-off is cheaper than an after-the-fact permit.
Every roof product must carry a current Florida Product Approval or Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance rated for the wind speed at the project address. A product approval number that has lapsed or is rated below the site wind speed is the single most common reroof rejection.
Reroof inspections are sequenced: dry-in after the underlayment, nail-off on the sheathing fastening, and final. Covering the deck before the dry-in inspection means tearing it back open.
Hurricane mitigation retrofit requirements can attach when an existing roof is replaced, including secondary water barrier and roof-to-wall connection work. These add scope and documents, and they are triggered by the replacement itself.
Under Fla. Stat. §553.7922, jurisdictions run expedited procedures for permits that need no technical review — reroofs, roof repairs, and similar — during a declared state of emergency.
St. Johns County building permit cost
St. Johns County's headline fee fact: the Board of County Commissioners' 30% reduction in all general building permit fees remains in effect until further notice, and the county posts an online fee estimator:
How St. Johns County fees are structured
| Fee component | How it works |
|---|---|
| General building permit fees | 30% reduction in effect until further notice (per the county Building Department) |
| Reduced categories | Includes development review, fire safety inspections, demolition, pools, and electrical / gas / plumbing / mechanical / irrigation permits |
| Fee estimator | 'Estimate Costs' tool calculates permit and plan-review fees online |
| Impact fees | Assessed on qualifying new development |
| Unlicensed contracting | F.S. 455.228 violation — subject to a $5,000 fine |
St. Johns County trade permits
Electrical permits
Required for service installations, panel upgrades, solar PV, and most wiring alterations in St. Johns County, filed by a licensed electrical contractor against the master building permit in the county's online permitting.
Plumbing permits
Required for new plumbing, repipes, water heater changeouts, fixture relocations, and gas piping; fees follow the local schedule with per-permit minimums.
Mechanical (HVAC) permits
Required for HVAC installations and changeouts, ductwork, and refrigeration; specialized systems are permitted and inspected separately.
Miscellaneous & specialty
Roofs, pools and spas, screen enclosures, and demolition are permitted separately. Exterior components need current Florida Product Approval rated for the local wind speed.
How to get a building permit in St. Johns County
Confirm scope & jurisdiction
Verify the work needs a permit — the county holds the owner responsible for this call — and confirm the parcel is unincorporated St. Johns County rather than St. Augustine or St. Augustine Beach.
Prepare your documents
Assemble the application, plans, energy calcs, and product approvals; if the community is on the RARA list, line up HOA approval since the county auto-notifies them on exterior work.
Apply through the county's systems
File clearance sheet applications through the online portal; mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and irrigation contractors can permit fully online with a Private Account. Verify contractor registration with the county's license search first.
Plan review & corrections
The Building Department routes reviews and posts plan-review comments to the online status logs; respond promptly.
Pay fees & pull the permit
Pay the (currently 30%-reduced) fees, print the permit, and for projects exceeding $5,000 record the Notice of Commencement before the first Building Services inspection.
Inspections through close-out
Follow the county's Inspection Information procedures when scheduling to avoid service fees, keep work uncovered until approved, and pass the final for your CO or completion.
Inspections in St. Johns County
Schedule online through a Private Account or per the county's Inspection Information procedures; inspection history, holds, releases, and CO status are all visible in the public status tools. The permit holder is responsible for scheduling every required inspection before work is covered or concealed.
Official St. Johns County permitting resources
- St. Johns County Building Department
- Building permits overview
- Online permitting, status & fee estimator
- Applications & forms (incl. private provider notice)
- Florida Building Code (8th Edition)
- DBPR contractor license verification
Frequently asked questions
How much is a building permit in St. Johns County?
Whatever the schedule says, minus 30% — the county's across-the-board reduction in general building permit fees (adopted as COVID-era relief) remains in effect until further notice, covering building, trade, pool, demolition, and fire-safety categories. The county's online estimator gives exact figures.
What is RARA?
The Registered Architectural Review Association list — HOAs registered with St. Johns County receive automatic notice when a clearance sheet or building permit application for exterior construction is submitted in their community. It doesn't replace HOA approval; it just means they'll know.
Can homeowners pull their own permits in St. Johns County?
Yes, with limits. Florida's owner-builder exemption (F.S. 489.103(7)) lets you permit work on a home you own and occupy, but you must appear and sign the disclosure, supervise the work, and not offer the property for sale or lease within one year of completion.
Do I need a Notice of Commencement?
Yes — for permitted projects exceeding $5,000, a recorded Notice of Commencement is required before the first Building Services inspection.
How long is a St. Johns County permit valid?
Under the Florida Building Code, a permit generally expires if work does not start within 180 days of issuance (or stalls for 180 days); each passed inspection typically extends it. Extensions are requested through the department.
Do I need a permit to install solar panels in St. Johns County?
Yes. Photovoltaic installations in St. Johns County are permitted under a dedicated solar record type reviewed on both a structural and an electrical track. Solar thermal — passive water and pool heating — is a separate record. Under Fla. Stat. §163.04 a homeowners' association cannot prohibit a solar collector, so HOA approval is not a prerequisite to permit issuance. Utility interconnection and Permission to Operate run in parallel with the permit, not inside it.
Does a roof replacement require a permit in St. Johns County?
Yes. A roof covering replacement requires a permit in every Florida jurisdiction, including St. Johns County. Products must carry a current Florida Product Approval or Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance rated for the wind speed at the project address, and inspections are sequenced — dry-in, nail-off, then final. Some minor repairs fall below the permit threshold, but the threshold is scope-specific.
What is the difference between a residential and a commercial permit in St. Johns County?
Residential work is generally a single-discipline review filed as a master permit with trades filed against it. Commercial work in St. Johns County runs concurrent review across building, fire, and zoning, requires signed and sealed plans for every affected discipline, and can carry impact and concurrency fees on top of permit fees. Change of use adds accessibility and life-safety review.
Do trade permits need to be pulled separately in St. Johns County?
Yes in most cases. Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work is permitted separately by the licensed contractor for each trade and filed against the master building permit. Each trade permit carries its own fee and its own inspection sequence.
What happens if I file under the wrong permit type in St. Johns County?
The application is rejected rather than corrected. the St. Johns County Building Department (Growth Management) closes the record, the filing is resubmitted under the correct record type, and the review clock restarts from zero. Confirming the record type before filing is the cheapest step in the entire process.
Can I apply for all St. Johns permit types online?
Most record types are filed through county online permitting with clearance sheets, but availability varies by permit type and by applicant. Some records still require in-person submittal, and owner-builder filings are frequently restricted to counter submittal regardless of record type.
Simplify St. Johns County permitting with Alliance Permitting
A standing 30% fee reduction, HOA auto-notice, and owner-responsibility rules make St. Johns generous on cost and strict on process. Alliance Permitting is a permit expediter for St. Johns County — we prepare your package, coordinate RARA-community timing, and manage the county's review through issuance, so your St. Augustine-area project starts clean.
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Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company: we prepare your paperwork, file it correctly, and coordinate with the building department through issuance - including preparing private-provider documentation where that option is available. We are not a contractor and do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your team and the jurisdiction.