Building permits inside the City of St. Petersburg are issued by the Construction Services & Permitting Division of the Planning & Development Services Department — separate from Pinellas County, which handles unincorporated areas. St. Pete runs an electronic plan review process and is rolling out a new Tyler permitting system.
This City of St. Petersburg building permit guide covers what requires a permit, how fees work, the electronic submission process, multimodal impact fees, trade permits, and inspections — so your St. Pete project starts clean.
This guide covers work inside the City of St. Petersburg. Construction Services & Permitting handles only projects within city limits. Unincorporated Pinellas County and neighboring cities such as Clearwater, Largo, and Pinellas Park run their own building departments with separate portals and fees.
What requires a building permit in City of St. Petersburg?
Under the Florida Building Code (§105.1) and the St. Petersburg Code of Ordinances (Building Code), a permit is required before you construct, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of most structures and systems. Common triggers include:
Permit required
- New construction, additions, and tenant build-outs
- Structural / load-bearing alterations and demolition
- Roof replacements, window and door replacements, and exterior work
- Electrical service changes and most wiring alterations
- Mechanical / HVAC installations and changeouts
- Plumbing alterations, repipes, and water heaters
- Swimming pools, spas, docks, seawalls, and fences
- Solar PV systems and signs
Typically exempt
- Painting, flooring, cabinetry, and cosmetic work
- Like-for-like minor repairs not altering systems
- Certain low non-structural fences (confirm limits)
- Routine maintenance not extending or rerouting systems
Exemptions are narrow and scope-specific. When unsure, confirm with the building department before starting — see the penalty note below.
Get the permit issued before starting work. Beginning without one exposes the owner to after-the-fact fees and penalties. In flood zones, the FEMA 49% Rule (substantial improvement) can change what's required — confirm before you start.
Who handles permitting in City of St. Petersburg?
Permitting inside city limits is administered by the Construction Services & Permitting Division. As a low-lying coastal city, St. Petersburg routinely involves floodplain review, flood elevation certificates, and FEMA substantial-improvement (49%) analysis.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | Municipal Services Center, One 4th Street North, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 |
| Main phone | (727) 893-7231 |
| ePlan help desk | (727) 893-7230 |
| Online portal | Building & Permitting (electronic plan review); new Tyler system rolling out |
| Contractor licensing | Verified via the Pinellas County licensing board |
| Enforced code | Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023); St. Petersburg Building Code |
Submit electronic plan review through the city's Building & Permitting portal. Since November 2023, e-plan requests no longer need an email prescreen — you receive an application number immediately. The city is implementing a new Tyler permitting system, so confirm the current portal at submittal.
City of St. Petersburg building permit cost
City of St. Petersburg building fees are set by the City Code (Chapter 12) and based on the type and valuation of work, with separate fees for each trade. The city also collects multimodal impact fees (MIFs) under the Pinellas County Countywide MIF Ordinance to fund transportation improvements.
A plans examiner calculates the MIF after the application is submitted; MIFs are typically due before the Certificate of Occupancy for new construction (or before permit issuance for modifications). Confirm current amounts with Construction Services before budgeting.
| Fee component | How it works |
|---|---|
| Building / construction fee | Based on type and valuation of work (City Code Ch. 12); minimum fees apply |
| Trade permits (E / P / M) | Charged separately per trade unless rolled into a master permit |
| Multimodal impact fees (MIF) | Per Pinellas Countywide MIF Ordinance; due before CO (or permit for mods) |
| Plan review | Assessed at intake; floodplain review may apply |
| State surcharge | DBPR surcharge added per Florida statute |
| Work-without-permit | After-the-fact fees and penalties |
Want a precise number for a specific City of St. Petersburg project? Send us the scope and valuation and we'll return a fee estimate alongside a filing timeline.
City of St. Petersburg trade permits
Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work generally needs its own permit and licensed contractor, each filed against the master building permit.
Electrical permits
Required for service installations, panel upgrades, solar PV, and most wiring alterations. St. Petersburg enforces the electrical provisions of the Florida Building Code.
Plumbing permits
Required for new plumbing, repipes, water heater changeouts, fixtures, and gas piping. Fees follow the city schedule with a per-permit minimum.
Mechanical (HVAC) permits
Required for HVAC changeouts, ductwork, and refrigeration. Specialized systems are permitted and inspected separately.
Miscellaneous & specialty
Roof replacements, pools and spas, docks, seawalls, and fences are permitted separately. As a coastal city, St. Petersburg requires roofing and opening products to carry current Florida Product Approval rated for the local wind speed, and waterfront work has added requirements.
Verify your contractor's license. Confirm the contractor is licensed in Florida (the Florida DBPR at (850) 487-1395) and recognized by the Pinellas County licensing board before signing. The property owner is responsible for ensuring a permit is obtained.
How to get a building permit in City of St. Petersburg
Confirm scope & jurisdiction
Verify the work needs a permit and confirm the parcel is inside City of St. Petersburg limits — not unincorporated Pinellas, Clearwater, Largo, or another city. Check flood zone and the FEMA 49% Rule for renovations.
Prepare your documents
Assemble the application, valuation, signed and sealed plans, energy calcs, and a flood elevation certificate where required.
Submit for electronic plan review
Apply through the Building & Permitting portal; you'll receive an application number immediately. Confirm whether the new Tyler system is in use at submittal.
Plan review & corrections
Construction Services routes the application to applicable reviews, including floodplain. Upload revisions promptly if comments are returned.
Pay fees & pull the permit
Pay the calculated fees, including any multimodal impact fees due at this stage, then download the permit. Record and post a Notice of Commencement where required.
Schedule inspections through close-out
Request inspections through the portal. Pay any remaining impact fees and clear all required inspections to obtain your Certificate of Occupancy.
Inspections in City of St. Petersburg
Schedule inspections through the city's Building & Permitting portal. Typical checkpoints include foundation, rough-in MEP, framing, insulation, and final. Post the permit and Notice of Commencement on site with approved documents available.
Multimodal impact fees are typically required before the Certificate of Occupancy for new construction. A re-inspection fee applies to failed inspections and must be cleared before a final inspection or CO.
Official City of St. Petersburg permitting resources
- 🏛️ St. Petersburg Building & Permitting
- 💻 Building permits & e-plan review
- 💵 Permit & impact fees
- 📘 Florida Building Code (8th Ed.)
- ✅ Florida Product Approval search
- 🪪 DBPR license verification
Simplify City of St. Petersburg permitting with Alliance Permitting
St. Petersburg's electronic plan review, a portal migration to Tyler, multimodal impact fees, and coastal FEMA 49% analysis make clean submissions essential. Alliance Permitting is a permit expediter for the City of St. Petersburg — our permit expediting services pair AI-driven document review with experts who know the city's process, so your St. Pete submissions move faster.
Trusted by leading builders and brands — including Dream Finders Homes, Tesla, Verizon, Hyatt, and Sunnova.
Contractors and builders choose Alliance for City of St. Petersburg because we deliver:
- Local expertise — we know St. Pete Construction Services, e-plan review, MIFs, and FEMA 49% analysis.
- Complete oversight — track every permit and inspection across all your jobs in one place.
- Error-free submissions — AI pre-checks plus expert review catch issues before they become correction cycles.
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.
Ready to break ground in the City of St. Petersburg sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your City of St. Petersburg permits while you stay focused on building. Get a free, no-obligation quote today.
More Florida permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general informational purposes and reflects publicly available information believed accurate as of June 2026. Permit requirements, fees, and processes change; always confirm current details with the City of St. Petersburg Construction Services & Permitting Division before filing. This is not legal advice.