What do these permits involve in Pasco County?

Question

Accepted Answer

Pasco County Business Tax Receipt

The Pasco County Tax Collector's page states that Business Tax Receipts (formerly occupational licenses) are required for most businesses operating in Pasco County, and that some businesses regulated by the state are exempt. A receipt is valid through September 30 and expires October 1; a new account opened before July 1 must be renewed for the next year, and fees are not pro-rated. The same page states that all cities in Pasco County require a city Business Tax Receipt for a business inside their boundaries, and that some cities require the county receipt first, so a business in Dade City, New Port Richey, Port Richey, San Antonio, St. Leo or Zephyrhills holds both. The application asks for a copy of any state, county or other regulatory license that applies, and the Tax Collector lists no-fee receipts for qualifying senior, disabled, veteran and widowed sole proprietors.

Commercial Plumbing, Electrical, Mechanical and Gas Permits

These are the separate trade permits Building Construction Services issues alongside a building permit in unincorporated Pasco County, as adopted in the fee resolution of July 14, 2026 (effective July 1, 2026). A restaurant or coffee-shop kitchen typically draws a mechanical permit with the $35.00 per-unit kitchen hood fee and, with gas cooking, a commercial gas permit at $25.00 plus the $45.00 base. The fire permit for the same hood and suppression system is a separate charge, recorded in the next record. The technology fee and the $5.00 Unlicensed Contractor Taskforce surcharge apply per permit.

Temporary Certificate of Occupancy and Duplicate Certificate of Occupancy

Section XIV of the Building Construction Services fee resolution of July 14, 2026 (effective July 1, 2026) prices a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy at $45.00 per request and a duplicate of a Certificate of Occupancy at $10.00, for buildings permitted by the county in unincorporated Pasco County. The certificate of occupancy itself follows the building permit and its inspections, recorded above.

Small Quantity Generator (Hazardous Waste) Assessment

The Tax Collector's Business Tax Receipt page states that the Board of County Commissioners of Pasco County, as authorized by Florida law, has imposed an additional fee of $20.00 on the Business Tax Receipt of small quantity generators and potential generators of hazardous waste, and that the fee is included in the amount shown on the receipt. The page says the assessment pays for a state-mandated program of workshops, inspections and other help with identifying, managing and disposing of hazardous waste. Questions go to the Pasco County Solid Waste Department, Small Quantity Generator Program, at (727) 847-8041, (813) 996-7341 ext. 8041 or (352) 521-4274 ext. 8041.

Commercial Building Permit (new construction, renovation or build-out)

These fees apply to work in unincorporated Pasco County, as adopted in the Building Construction Services fee resolution of July 14, 2026 (effective July 1, 2026). Inside the cities, the city's own department issues the permit: New Port Richey's Building Division handles permitting within its city limits, Port Richey's Development Services Department issues permits, Zephyrhills' Building Department issues residential and commercial permits, and Dade City's Building Department states that it issues permits for Dade City and, by local agreement, San Antonio and St. Leo. Starting work before a permit is issued doubles the permit fee for a first offense, per the resolution's after-the-fact provision. The trade, fire, pool and sign permit fees for the same project are recorded as separate requirements.

Fire Permit (plan review and inspections)

Section X of the Building Construction Services fee resolution of July 14, 2026 (effective July 1, 2026) states that the fire permit fee includes plan review and inspections, and that a fire permit is not required on one- or two-family dwellings. Pasco County Fire Rescue's Fire Inspections and Investigations page describes its plans review section as serving the unincorporated areas of Pasco County. A commercial kitchen hood draws both this $50.00 fire hood charge and the $35.00 mechanical kitchen hood charge; the resolution lists them as two separate items.

Sign Permit (Building Construction Services)

This is the Building Construction Services permit for a sign in unincorporated Pasco County, priced in the fee resolution of July 14, 2026 (effective July 1, 2026). The Planning and Development fee schedule separately lists a $120 Building Signs review per application, recorded as its own Planning record below; the two are separate fees from two agencies and are not a single combined sign fee. The Land Development Code's sign provisions state that they apply to signs in the unincorporated area of the county.

Written Zoning Verification

A Written Zoning Verification confirms a parcel's zoning from Pasco County Planning, Development and Economic Growth, and the Pasco County Fee Schedule adopted November 14, 2023 (Resolution 24-030) lists it at $50. The same schedule lists a separate $50 State Zoning Verification for assisted living facilities, community residential homes and daycares. The schedule is the one the Planning and Development Documents and Forms page links as current. It covers parcels under the county's Land Development Code, which governs unincorporated Pasco County.

Building Signs Review (Planning and Development)

The Signs section of the Pasco County Fee Schedule adopted November 14, 2023 (Resolution 24-030) lists 'Building Signs (per application)' at $120, and lists sign permits under a unified sign plan at $200. The Land Development Code's sign provisions state that they apply to signs in the unincorporated area of the county. This Planning fee is separate from the Building Construction Services sign permit fee recorded above; the two come from different agencies and are not one combined fee.

Septic (OSTDS) Construction Permit and Commercial Operating Permit

The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County's onsite sewage page states that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has implemented the septic statutes and rules since July 1, 2021, and that the county health department offices continue to do septic permitting and inspection. It cites Chapter 62-6, F.A.C., and states that operating permits are required for commercial septic systems; the office's forms list includes an Operating Permit and Business Survey Application. The fees are set statewide in Rule 62-6.030 as amended effective June 8, 2026, not by a county ordinance. The $150.00 annual operating permit is the line for a system serving industrial or manufacturing zoning or receiving commercial sewage waste. A business on a public sewer has no septic permit.

Permit	Issuing agency	Fee	Renews	Last checked
Pasco County Business Tax Receipt	Pasco County Tax Collector, Business Tax Receipts	The amount depends on the business classification. The Tax Collector's page states that 'Business Tax Receipt costs vary depending on type of business and other criteria'; the classification amounts are not published on that page, so contact the Pasco County Tax Collector for the amount for a given business. Fees are not pro-rated. A transfer is required on a sale, a new owner or a change of location; Fla. Stat. §205.033(2)-(3) limits a county transfer fee to up to 10 percent of the annual business tax, not less than $3 nor more than $25. A duplicate receipt for a lost receipt or a mailing-address change is issued at no fee.	annual; valid through September 30 and expires October 1; renewal notices are mailed at the end of June and renewals are issued from July 1	2026-10-06
Commercial Plumbing, Electrical, Mechanical and Gas Permitsonly if it applies to you	Pasco County Building Construction Services	Each trade permit has a $45.00 base fee. Plumbing (§VI): $0.05 per sq ft under roof for new construction, renovation or remodeling; commercial warehouse, industrial or manufacturing facility $0.05 per sq ft of conditioned plus restroom area; $10.00 per system component or feature. Electrical (§VII): $0.04 per sq ft under roof for new construction, renovation, remodeling or equipment alteration; $10.00 per system component or feature; low voltage $2.00 per termination point. Mechanical (§VIII): $0.04 per sq ft of conditioned or ventilated area; commercial system component or feature $35.00 each; kitchen hood(s) $35.00 per unit. LP or natural gas (§IX): commercial new construction, remodel or tank change $25.00 per permit; multiple system component or feature $10.00 each. Plans examination for electrical, plumbing, mechanical or gas work: $20.00 for the first $1,000 of valuation plus $1.00 per additional $1,000, per trade (§II.D).	per project; tied to the permit rather than renewed	2026-10-06
Temporary Certificate of Occupancy and Duplicate Certificate of Occupancyonly if it applies to you	Pasco County Building Construction Services	Temporary Certificate of Occupancy: $45.00 per request (§XIV.M). Duplicate of a Certificate of Occupancy: $10.00 (§XIV.J). Duplicate permit card: $5.00 (§XIV.K).	per request	2026-10-06
Small Quantity Generator (Hazardous Waste) Assessmentonly if it applies to you	Pasco County Tax Collector, Business Tax Receipts	$20 per year, included in the Business Tax Receipt amount of a small quantity generator or potential generator	annual, billed with the Business Tax Receipt	2026-10-06
Commercial Building Permit (new construction, renovation or build-out)	Pasco County Building Construction Services	Base fee $45.00 on every permit and on each trade or category within a permit (§I.A), plus: new commercial construction, all occupancy classes other than institutional, $1.07 per sq ft of building area (§V.B.16); renovation, remodeling or additions for occupancy classes other than business, mercantile or institutional, $1.07 per sq ft (§V.B.17); renovation, remodeling or additions to a previously occupied commercial structure for business or mercantile occupancies, $0.65 per sq ft (§V.B.18); institutional occupancy, new or renovated, $1.81 per sq ft (§V.B.19). Where building area and area under roof differ, the greater is used. Plans examination: minimum $45.00 (§II.B); where the permit fee is not per square foot, $45.00 for the first $1,000 of valuation plus $2.50 per additional $1,000 (§II.C). Site examination: $30.00 base; $90.00 for new construction, remodeling or additions (§III). Commercial revisions: based on the square footage of the change order, no less than $150.00 (§V.D). Technology fee $25.00 per permit (§XIV.R); Unlicensed Contractor Taskforce surcharge $5.00 on every permit (§XIV.I). Re-inspection: $45.00, $90.00, then $200.00 for the third and later; time extension $45.00.	per project; tied to the permit rather than renewed	2026-10-06
Fire Permit (plan review and inspections)only if it applies to you	Pasco County Building Construction Services	Base fee $45.00 (§X.A), plus: commercial new construction, revision, addition or renovation $0.05 per sq ft under roof (§X.B.2); gas tanks (all types) $50.00 per unit (§X.B.3); fire suppression system $50.00 per unit (§X.B.4); hood $50.00 per system (§X.B.5); multiple system component or feature $50.00 each (§X.B.6); tents over 200 sq ft $100.00 for the first tent and $10.00 for each additional tent (§X.B.1).	per project; tied to the permit rather than renewed	2026-10-06
Sign Permit (Building Construction Services)only if it applies to you	Pasco County Building Construction Services	$45.00 base fee (§I.A) plus $30.00 per unit for a wall sign (§V.B.14) or a billboard, pylon or pole sign (§V.B.13); plans examination for signs $25.00 (§II.F); plus the $25.00 technology fee (§XIV.R) and the $5.00 Unlicensed Contractor Taskforce surcharge (§XIV.I).	per sign; issued per installation rather than renewed	2026-10-06
Written Zoning Verificationonly if it applies to you	Pasco County Planning, Development and Economic Growth	$50 per verification	one-time, per verification request	2026-10-06
Building Signs Review (Planning and Development)only if it applies to you	Pasco County Planning, Development and Economic Growth	$120 per application	per application; not renewed	2026-10-06
Septic (OSTDS) Construction Permit and Commercial Operating Permitonly if it applies to you	Florida Department of Health in Pasco County, Environmental Public Health	Under Rule 62-6.030(1), F.A.C.: application and plan review for a new system construction permit $100.00; site evaluation $115.00; site re-evaluation $50.00; permit or permit application amendment for a new system, modification or repair $55.00; research/training surcharge on new and repair permits $5.00; initial system inspection $75.00; reinspection $50.00; application and approval for an existing system without inspection $35.00; existing system and system repair evaluation $50.00; annual operating permit for industrial/manufacturing zoning or commercial sewage waste $150.00; amendment to an operating permit $50.00; variance for a multi-family or commercial building $300.00 per building site.	construction permit per project; operating permit for commercial sewage waste is annual	2026-10-06

Business licenses and permits in Pasco County, Florida

What are you opening in Pasco County?

Permits that apply to every type of business in Pasco County