9 published records
Business licenses and permits in Hernando County, Florida
Hernando County, Florida, seat Brooksville, lies on the Gulf coast north of Tampa; it is unrelated to the city of Hernando, Mississippi. The Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research's April 1, 2025 population estimates list the City of Brooksville as the county's only incorporated municipality and note that "The City of Weeki Wachee was disincorporated on June 9, 2020"; Spring Hill, the county's largest community, is unincorporated. The Hernando County Tax Collector's Business Tax Receipts page states that "The Hernando County Board of County Commissioners repealed the Occupational (Business Tax Receipt) Ordinance". County permitting runs through the Building Division, which sets building, fire plan review, occupancy and contractor competency fees under Resolution No. 2026-037 (Exhibit A effective March 3, 2026), and the Planning & Zoning Division, whose fee schedule took effect February 24, 2026. The Tax Collector's business tax letter lists "Hernando County Building, Zoning & Contractor Licensing (352) 754-4050" and, separately, "City of Brooksville Zoning - (352) 540-3810". The City of Brooksville is its own jurisdiction, and its zoning, permitting and other requirements stack on the county layer and are not described here. State licenses (DBPR food service, alcohol, contractor, cosmetology and barber; DCF child care; the veterinary board) are issued by state agencies. The population figure of 218,150 is the U.S. Census Bureau's Vintage 2024 estimate.
What are you opening in Hernando County?
- RestaurantsFull-service restaurants carry the densest permit load of any small business: food, fire, occupancy, waste, and usually alcohol.See the full permit list
- Coffee shopsCafés are permitted as food service establishments even where no cooking happens, and the plan review step catches most operators by surprise.See the full permit list
- Retail storesRetail is the lightest common permit load, but the sales tax permit and the certificate of occupancy are non-negotiable in every jurisdiction.See the full permit list
- Salons and barbersPersonal care is licensed at state board level as well as locally, so the shop license and the practitioner licenses are separate obligations.See the full permit list
- Food trucksMobile food is the one category with no certificate of occupancy — but it gains a commissary agreement, and the unit itself is inspected rather than the premises.See the full permit list
- Fitness studiosPrepaid memberships trigger state registration and often a surety bond, which catches operators who budgeted only for the fit-out.See the full permit list
- Childcare centresThe heaviest permit load of any small business: state agency licensing, per-person background checks, and a stricter fire standard than ordinary commercial use.See the full permit list
- Contractors and tradesLicensed at state board level rather than locally, and the only common category with no premises permits at all — the bond is usually the long pole.See the full permit list
- Auto repair shopsOrdinary commercial permitting plus an environmental layer: waste oil, solvents and stormwater are each registered separately.See the full permit list
- Veterinary clinicsA state facility permit, controlled substances registration at both state and federal level, and a medical waste manifest — none of which a general business license covers.See the full permit list
Permits that apply to every type of business in Hernando County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Business Tax Receipt (Tax Collector's Statement on the Repealed Ordinance)only if it applies to you | Hernando County Tax Collector | No fee | not applicable; the Tax Collector's page describes the county ordinance as repealed | 2026-10-27 |
| Occupancy Permit and Certificate of Occupancy for a Business Locationonly if it applies to you | Hernando County Building Division | Per the Building Division fee schedule adopted by Resolution No. 2026-037 (Exhibit A, effective March 3, 2026): Occupancy Permit (Replaces Business Use Permit) $180.00; plus the Technology Fee of $93.00 and the Unlicensed Contractor Surcharge of $15.00, each listed as "Applied to all building permits". The schedule states that all permits are also subject to DPR and Radon surcharges, for which it lists no amount, and that its fees "represent Building Division Fees Only - May be subject to Other Agencies fees such as Zoning." | one-time, for each new business location or expansion of an existing business | 2026-10-27 |
| Commercial Building, Remodel and Fire Plan Review Permitsonly if it applies to you | Hernando County Building Division | Per the Building Division fee schedule adopted by Resolution No. 2026-037 (Exhibit A, effective March 3, 2026). Administrative review (application) fee, payable at application, credited toward the total permit cost and non-refundable: New Commercial Construction $600.00; Commercial Additions $400.00; Commercial Remodel/Alterations $100.00. New commercial construction, per sq ft: Building $0.22; Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical $0.09 each ($180 minimum each); Plan Review $0.07 ($110 minimum). Remodel and repairs, including build-out, per sq ft: Building $0.25; Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical $0.09 each ($180 minimum each); Plan Review $0.07 ($90 minimum). Fire plan review: $0.09 per sq ft for new commercial construction, commercial additions and commercial remodels. Each permit also carries the Technology Fee of $93.00 and the Unlicensed Contractor Surcharge of $15.00. | per permit | 2026-10-27 |
| Commercial Zoning Review (Planning & Zoning)only if it applies to you | Hernando County Planning & Zoning Division | Per the Hernando County Planning & Zoning Division Fee Schedule (Exhibit A, effective February 24, 2026), as adopted: "Zoning Review Fee(Remodels /Business Use/Fire)" $750; "Zoning Review - New Construction" $600; "Signs (Commercial Zoning Review)" $200. Add-ons: "Technology Fee (Residential & Commercial Zoning Specific, Subdivision--Class D)" $93; "Unlicensed Contractor (Commercial & Residential Zoning)" $15. | per review | 2026-10-27 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
What do these permits involve in Hernando County?
County Business Tax Receipt (Tax Collector's Statement on the Repealed Ordinance)
The Hernando County Tax Collector's Business Tax Receipts page, which describes the receipt as formerly known as Occupational License, states: "The Hernando County Board of County Commissioners repealed the Occupational (Business Tax Receipt) Ordinance". The Tax Collector's page publishes no fee for a county business tax receipt. The same page tells business owners: "You must register your business with the Property Appraiser for Tangible Personal Property taxes and apply for any exemptions allowable." The Tax Collector's business tax letter directs owners to "Hernando County Building, Zoning & Contractor Licensing (352) 754-4050" for county building, zoning and contractor matters, and lists "City of Brooksville Zoning - (352) 540-3810" separately for a location inside the city. State licenses that apply to a given trade are issued by state agencies. Tax Collector: 20 N. Main St., Rm 112, Brooksville (352-754-4180).
Occupancy Permit and Certificate of Occupancy for a Business Location
The Building Division's Occupancy Permit instructions state that "An Occupancy Permit is required when a business moves into a new or existing location or for the expansion of an existing business", and that the occupancy permit is separate from any remodel permit and from any construction permit for the building. Per the instructions, the applicant submits the application with a site plan showing parking, an address verification receipt from the county Addressing Department, a floor plan and copies of other agency approvals where required (for example the Department of Agriculture or the Division of Hotels and Restaurants); zoning compliance is verified, a building inspector and a fire protection plans examiner inspect the site, and a Certificate of Occupancy is issued once all requirements are met. The county's Development Services FAQ states that the Occupancy Permit includes reviews by Commercial Plans Examination, Commercial Zoning/Planning and the Fire Marshal's Office. The fee components above are as published in the Building Division fee schedule adopted by Resolution No. 2026-037, whose Exhibit A took effect March 3, 2026; the schedule states that other surcharges and other agencies' fees such as Zoning may apply. Building Division: 789 Providence Blvd., Brooksville (352-754-4050).
Commercial Building, Remodel and Fire Plan Review Permits
Building out, remodeling or constructing a commercial space for a restaurant, shop, salon, gym, clinic, child care center or repair garage in the county's permitting area requires Building Division permits and fire plan review. The figures above are as published in the Building Division fee schedule adopted by Resolution No. 2026-037, which the county's Building Fees page links as "Building Fee Resolution No. 2026 037 And Schedule"; its Exhibit A took effect March 3, 2026. The resolution consolidates the earlier fee schedules of Resolution Nos. 2022-115 and 2024-207, and cites Fla. Stat. 553.80(7)(a), Fla. Stat. 125.56 and County Code Sec. 8-36 as authority. The schedule prices trade and plan review permits per square foot, with the minimums shown, and states that all permits are also subject to DPR and Radon surcharges, which it lists with no amount. The administrative review fee is collected when the application is filed and counts toward the total permit cost. Zoning review by Planning & Zoning is a separate charge, recorded separately. Building Division: 789 Providence Blvd., Brooksville (352-754-4050).
Commercial Zoning Review (Planning & Zoning)
The fees above are as published in the "Hernando County Planning & Zoning Division Fee Schedule", which Section 2 of the Board of County Commissioners' resolution approves and adopts and which Section 6 makes effective February 24, 2026 for services performed on or after that date; the resolution states that Resolution No. 2016-40 has no further force or effect from that date. The Exhibit A column is headed "Proposed Fee", and these are the adopted amounts. The schedule lists the commercial zoning review fees under the heading "Commercial Zoning Review" with the exact labels quoted above; it does not tie the $750 review to any particular building permit, so the fee that applies to a given project depends on the review Planning & Zoning performs. The county's Applications & Fees page links the schedule as the adopted planning fee schedule. The Tax Collector's business tax letter lists City of Brooksville Zoning as a separate contact for locations inside the city.
Sources
Every figure in the table above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.
- Business Tax ReceiptsHernando County Tax Collector · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Business Tax/Occupational License Letter (updated 11-2024)Hernando County Tax Collector · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Building Fee Resolution No. 2026-037 and Schedule (Exhibit A effective March 3, 2026)Hernando County Board of County Commissioners · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Occupancy Permit Instructions/Guidelines and ApplicationHernando County Building Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Development Services FAQHernando County Development Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Building FeesHernando County Building Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Hernando County Planning & Zoning Division Fee Schedule (Exhibit A effective February 24, 2026)Hernando County Board of County Commissioners · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Applications & FeesHernando County Planning & Zoning · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
Who issues business permits in Hernando County?
Permitting in Hernando County is split across 6 agencies we hold records for, with tax registration handled at state level. No single office issues everything, which is why an opening usually means filing in several places rather than one.
Hernando County issuing agencies
- Hernando County Building DivisionBuilding, trade and fire plan review permits, occupancy permits and certificates of occupancy, with fees set by Resolution No. 2026-037 under Fla. Stat. 553.80(7)(a) and 125.56 and County Code Sec. 8-363 permits
- Hernando County Planning & Zoning DivisionCommercial zoning review, county zoning approval for alcoholic beverage licenses, conditional uses, special exceptions and variances, with fees set by the Planning & Zoning Division Fee Schedule effective February 24, 20262 permits
- Florida Department of Health in Hernando CountyState agency field office: annual operating permits for public pools and bathing places under Fla. Stat. Ch. 514 and Ch. 64E-9, F.A.C.1 permit
- Hernando County Building Division, Contractor LicensingCounty contractor Certificates of Competency, with fees set in Section 6 of the Building Division fee schedule adopted by Resolution No. 2026-0371 permit
- Hernando County Code ComplianceTemporary sign permits for parcels zoned recreational, commercial or industrial, per the Planning & Zoning Applications & Fees page1 permit
- Hernando County Tax CollectorLocal tax collection; its Business Tax Receipts page states that the Board of County Commissioners repealed the Occupational (Business Tax Receipt) Ordinance1 permit
Other Florida jurisdictions we cover
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.