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13 permits · verified 2026-10-20

What permits do you need to open a childcare centre in St Johns County?

In short

A childcare centre in St Johns County, FL has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 10 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. St. Johns County Growth Management, Planning and Zoning Division charges $28 per application: "Certificate for Home Office, Rural Industry or Business Office (includes Change of Use)" (FY 27 Schedule of Fees and Services, amended 09/15/2026) for the zoning approval of the business location (unincorporated st. johns). 8 of the 13 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-20 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a childcare centre in St Johns County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Annual Fire Inspection for Child Care Facilities (Unincorporated St. Johns)only if it applies to youSt. Johns County Fire Rescue, Fire PreventionPer the FY 27 Schedule of Fees and Services (amended 09/15/2026), "Fire Inspections (for facilities required to hold a license to operate)", by floor area: 0-5,000 sq ft $42.00; 5,001-12,000 $58.00; 12,001-25,000 $97.00; 25,001-50,000 $116.00; 50,001-75,000 $135.00; 75,001-100,000 $154.00; 100,001-250,000 $193.00; 250,001-500,000 $231.00; 500,001-750,000 $270.00; 750,001-1,000,000 $308.00; over 1,000,000 $385.00. After the second re-inspection, the original cost of the inspection is charged again.annual2026-10-20
Child Care Center Special Use Permit (Unincorporated St. Johns)only if it applies to youSt. Johns County Growth Management, Planning and Zoning DivisionSpecial Use Permit, Major Review: $760.00 plus the cost of advertising (FY 27 Schedule of Fees and Services, amended 09/15/2026; Development Review Manual Sec. 18.01).one-time for the site2026-10-20
Child Care Facility LicenseFlorida Department of Children and Families, Child Care Licensure$1 per child of licensed capacity, subject to a minimum of $25 and a maximum of $100 per facility — so 25 children or fewer costs $25, and 100 or more costs $100annual2026-09-03

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

Local permits that apply to every type of business in St Johns County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
County Local Business Tax ReceiptSt. Johns County Tax CollectorVaries — formula on the St Johns County pageannual; the fiscal year runs October 1 through September 30, and a receipt first taken out in the second half of the year pays one-half the annual rate (Ordinance 87-36, Section 2)2026-10-20
Zoning Approval of the Business Location (Unincorporated St. Johns)only if it applies to youSt. Johns County Growth Management, Planning and Zoning Division$28 per application: "Certificate for Home Office, Rural Industry or Business Office (includes Change of Use)" (FY 27 Schedule of Fees and Services, amended 09/15/2026)one-time, for each new business location or change of use in unincorporated St. Johns County, before the county business tax receipt is issued2026-10-20
Commercial Building Permits (Unincorporated St. Johns)only if it applies to youSt. Johns County Building DepartmentVaries — formula on the St Johns County pageper project2026-10-20
Sign Permit (Unincorporated St. Johns)only if it applies to youSt. Johns County Growth Management, Planning and Zoning DivisionVaries — formula on the St Johns County pageone-time per sign; a new permit is needed for structural alteration or for work on more than one-sixth of a sign structure in a year2026-10-20

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

FL registrations that apply to every type of business

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youFlorida Department of State, Division of Corporations$125 one-time filingno expiry, but an annual report is due every year by 1 May2026-09-03
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youFlorida Department of State, Division of Corporations$70 one-time filingno expiry, but an annual report is due every year by 1 May2026-09-03
Annual Report (LLC)only if it applies to youFlorida Department of State, Division of CorporationsVaries — formula on the FL pageannual, due by 1 May2026-09-03
Annual Report (Corporation)only if it applies to youFlorida Department of State, Division of CorporationsVaries — formula on the FL pageannual, due by 1 May2026-09-03
Business Tax Application (Sales and Use Tax)only if it applies to youFlorida Department of RevenueNo fee — no fee to registerno fixed expiry2026-09-03
Local Business Tax ReceiptFlorida Department of State, Division of CorporationsNo feeannual — every receipt expires on 30 September2026-09-03

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

How much does it actually cost to permit a childcare centre in St Johns County?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 13 records listed for a childcare centre in St Johns County, FL, 3 apply to every business of this type and 10 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

8 of the 13 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 1 has no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Annual Fire Inspection for Child Care Facilities (Unincorporated St. Johns): Per the FY 27 Schedule of Fees and Services (amended 09/15/2026), "Fire Inspections (for facilities required to hold a license to operate)", by floor area: 0-5,000 sq ft $42.00; 5,001-12,000 $58.00; 12,001-25,000 $97.00; 25,001-50,000 $116.00; 50,001-75,000 $135.00; 75,001-100,000 $154.00; 100,001-250,000 $193.00; 250,001-500,000 $231.00; 500,001-750,000 $270.00; 750,001-1,000,000 $308.00; over 1,000,000 $385.00. After the second re-inspection, the original cost of the inspection is charged again.

Child Care Center Special Use Permit (Unincorporated St. Johns): Special Use Permit, Major Review: $760.00 plus the cost of advertising (FY 27 Schedule of Fees and Services, amended 09/15/2026; Development Review Manual Sec. 18.01).

Child Care Facility License: $1 per child of licensed capacity, subject to a minimum of $25 and a maximum of $100 per facility — so 25 children or fewer costs $25, and 100 or more costs $100

The other 5 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the St Johns County permits page and the FL state page.

Which offices issue these permits in St Johns County?

Permits for a childcare centre in St Johns County, FL come from 7 separate offices: St. Johns County Tax Collector, St. Johns County Growth Management, Planning and Zoning Division, St. Johns County Building Department, St. Johns County Fire Rescue, Fire Prevention, Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, Florida Department of Revenue, Florida Department of Children and Families, Child Care Licensure. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a childcare centre need in St Johns County that other businesses do not?

3 of the 3 permits particular to a childcare centre here apply to no other business type we cover in St Johns County: Annual Fire Inspection for Child Care Facilities (Unincorporated St. Johns), Child Care Center Special Use Permit (Unincorporated St. Johns) and Child Care Facility License.

Annual Fire Inspection for Child Care Facilities (Unincorporated St. Johns)

St. Johns County Fire Rescue's Fire Prevention Business page states: "Certain occupancy types, such as day care centers and public schools, are required by Florida Statutes to have an annual fire inspection." Its Fire Prevention page lists fire safety inspections of licensed facilities such as day cares among its duties. A child care center in unincorporated St. Johns County therefore has an annual fire inspection, billed under the FY 27 schedule's line for fire inspections of facilities required to hold a license to operate, at a rate set by floor area from $42.00 for up to 5,000 square feet. The Business page says that inspection checklists are available to help owners prepare, that an owner may request an inspection, and that deficiencies lead to a notice of violation with a reasonable time to correct them before enforcement. The state child care license itself is issued by the Department of Children and Families and is not repeated here. Fire Prevention: 3657 Gaines Road, St. Augustine, (904) 209-1740, FirePrevention@sjcfl.us.

Child Care Center Special Use Permit (Unincorporated St. Johns)

Land Development Code Sec. 2.03.04 provides that child care centers (other than family day care homes as defined by the Code and Florida Statutes), kindergartens and adult day care centers may be permitted as a Special Use within the districts set by Section 2.03.01, subject to conditions including a minimum lot area of 6,000 square feet and design in compliance with s. 402.305, F.S. The Code's use table marks child care as a Special Use in some zoning districts and as allowed in others, so this permit applies where the district lists child care as a Special Use. Development Review Manual Sec. 18.01 lists the uses that take Minor Review, and child care is not among them, so the application is a Major Review at $760.00 plus the cost of advertising under the FY 27 Schedule of Fees and Services (amended 09/15/2026), whose Major Review line includes the GIS and fire review fees. The state child care license from the Department of Children and Families is separate. Planning and Zoning Division: 4040 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, (904) 209-0675, plandept@sjcfl.us.

Child Care Facility License

Cheap by national standards — capped at $100 however large the centre — but read the jurisdiction question before relying on it. Florida lets a county whose standards meet or exceed the state minimum license child care itself, and four have taken that up: Broward, Palm Beach, Pinellas and Sarasota. In those four the county licenses and sets its own fee, so the $25 to $100 band does not apply. The Department of Children and Families licenses in the other 63 counties. The designation has to be re-affirmed by a majority vote of the county commission every year, so the list can move. Related statutory fees: a registered family day care home is $25, a licensed one $50, and a large family child care home $60.

The other 4 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in St Johns County, FL; what each one involves is set out on the St Johns County permits page. The 6 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across FL and are covered on the FL state page.

How does a childcare centre compare with other businesses in St Johns County?

The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A childcare centre also needs Annual Fire Inspection for Child Care Facilities (Unincorporated St. Johns), Child Care Center Special Use Permit (Unincorporated St. Johns) and Child Care Facility License. A auto repair shop needs Fire Marshal Permits: Kitchen Hood, Fire Suppression and Annual Operational Permits (Unincorporated St. Johns), which a childcare centre does not.

Permits particular to each business type in St Johns County, FL, compared with a childcare centre
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a childcare centreOnly a childcare centre needsOnly it needs
Auto repair shops1031
Coffee shops4034
Contractors and trades3033
Fitness studios0030
Restaurants5035
Retail stores3033
Salons and barbers2032
Veterinary clinics1031

Sources

Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the St Johns County permits page and the FL state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. St. Johns County's Schedule of Fees and Services, Exhibit "A" (Amended 09/15/2026, FY 27 Current)St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  2. Fire Prevention BusinessSt. Johns County Fire Rescue · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  3. Fire PreventionSt. Johns County Fire Rescue · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  4. St. Johns County Land Development Code, Article II (Secs. 2.02.05, 2.03.02, 2.03.04)St. Johns County · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  5. Development Review Manual Section 18.0 — Special Uses (Sec. 18.01 Fee Schedule)St. Johns County Growth Management · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  6. Florida Statutes section 402.315 — child care licensing fee of $1 per child, minimum $25 and maximum $100 per facilityThe Florida Senate · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  7. Florida Statutes section 402.306 — counties may designate a local licensing agency, re-affirmed annually by the county commissionThe Florida Senate · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03

Related

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.