Administrative overview · FIPS 12109
St. Johns County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
Municipal Fallback
This profile identifies a handoff outside the county’s ordinary structural permitting lane.
Required jurisdiction check
Confirm the controlling local or state authority before filing.
The record is marked Municipal Fallback. That means the county profile should be treated as a routing brief: incorporated municipalities, a state building department, or a state fire marshal may control plan review, permits, and inspections. Contact the named agency below and verify the parcel’s jurisdiction before paying a fee or scheduling field work.
Responsible agency
St. Johns County Building Department
For a project in or near St. Johns County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
Building Permits (904) 827-6800; Contractor Licensing (904) 827-6820; inspections (904) 827-6842
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
4040 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Operating hours
Monday-Friday, 7:30 AM-4:30 PM
Review expectation
N/A; permits remain valid for six months from issuance or the last approved inspection, with possible 90-day extensions by written request.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for St. Johns County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
This record is marked Municipal Fallback. Confirm whether a city, state agency, or other local authority controls the parcel before filing.
How should I begin an application?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact Building Permits (904) 827-6800; Contractor Licensing (904) 827-6820; inspections (904) 827-6842.
How long might review take?
N/A; permits remain valid for six months from issuance or the last approved inspection, with possible 90-day extensions by written request.
How are inspections scheduled?
Schedule through a private account in the county's Building E-Services or by calling (904) 827-6842. Requests submitted before 7:00 AM are generally performed the same day. A Notice of Commencement must be filed and submitted before inspections for permitted projects exceeding $2,500.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Florida Building Code, 8th Edition (2023), with wind design using ASCE 7-22 for projects permitted after December 31, 2023, plus St. Johns County Land Development Code and applicable fire, floodplain, and trade requirements St. Johns County states that permits are required for most improvements before work begins and does not publish a broad cosmetic exemption list on the reviewed Building Department page. Confirm whether a specific repair is exempt before starting work.