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13 permits · verified 2026-10-20

What permits do you need to open a contractor or trade in St Johns County?

In short

A contractor or trade 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 contractor or trade in St Johns County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
St. Johns County Contractor License (Class I, Class II and Journeyman)only if it applies to youSt. Johns County Building Department, Contractor LicensingPer the FY 27 Schedule of Fees and Services (amended 09/15/2026), "Contractor Certification Fees": Application/Test Fee $55.00; Class I biennial $106.00; Class II biennial $106.00; Journeymen biennial $50.00; Retention of Certificate when on Inactive Status $35.00.biennial2026-10-20
Registration of State-Certified Contractorsonly if it applies to youSt. Johns County Building Department, Contractor LicensingThe county's State Certified Contractors page lists the documents to file and states no registration fee, and the FY 27 Schedule of Fees and Services (amended 09/15/2026) has no line for it; contact Contractor Licensing at (904) 827-6820 for any charge.ongoing while the state license and insurance remain current; updated copies are filed at each renewal2026-10-20
Contractor LicenseFlorida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Construction Industry Licensing BoardCertified: $335 non-refundable application and examination fee. Registered: $100 application fee. Both then pay $200 for the initial license, halved to $100 in the second year of a biennium, and $200 to renew every two years2 years2026-09-03

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 contractor or trade 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 contractor or trade 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:

St. Johns County Contractor License (Class I, Class II and Journeyman): Per the FY 27 Schedule of Fees and Services (amended 09/15/2026), "Contractor Certification Fees": Application/Test Fee $55.00; Class I biennial $106.00; Class II biennial $106.00; Journeymen biennial $50.00; Retention of Certificate when on Inactive Status $35.00.

Registration of State-Certified Contractors: The county's State Certified Contractors page lists the documents to file and states no registration fee, and the FY 27 Schedule of Fees and Services (amended 09/15/2026) has no line for it; contact Contractor Licensing at (904) 827-6820 for any charge.

Contractor License: Certified: $335 non-refundable application and examination fee. Registered: $100 application fee. Both then pay $200 for the initial license, halved to $100 in the second year of a biennium, and $200 to renew every two years

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 contractor or trade 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 Building Department, Contractor Licensing, Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, Florida Department of Revenue, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Construction Industry Licensing Board. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a contractor or trade need in St Johns County that other businesses do not?

3 of the 3 permits particular to a contractor or trade here apply to no other business type we cover in St Johns County: St. Johns County Contractor License (Class I, Class II and Journeyman), Registration of State-Certified Contractors and Contractor License.

St. Johns County Contractor License (Class I, Class II and Journeyman)

The county's Contractor Licensing page states that "Florida Statute 489 and St. Johns County Ordinance 2002-48 require contractors to be licensed; before advertising, bidding or performing any work", and that licensees must display their license number in advertising, signage, proposals and contracts. For a Class I license, the county's page lists a $55.00 application fee with five years of documented experience (except for master electricians, plumbers and HVAC), technical and business-and-law examinations through ProV testing, a $35.00 inactive fee after passing, an appearance before the Contractor Review Board, and state registration with DBPR before the license is activated with proof of liability and workers' compensation insurance. For a Class II license in the trade categories the county's Class II page lists, the page lists the $55.00 application fee, experience letters and three notarized references, a trade examination, a $106.00 license fee and a Contractor Review Board date; without the business-and-law examination the Class II license limits the holder to work as a sub-contractor. The biennial renewal is $106.00 for Class I and Class II, and the journeyman fee is $50.00, per the FY 27 schedule. Under s. 489.117(4)(a), F.S. (HB 735 of 2021, ch. 2021-214), a local government may not require a license for a job scope that does not substantially correspond to a state contractor category; the statute names painting, flooring, cabinetry, interior remodeling, handyman services, tile, plastering, pressure washing, stuccoing, caulking, and canvas awning and ornamental iron installation. Contractor Licensing: 4040 Lewis Speedway, (904) 827-6820, conlicen@sjcfl.us.

Registration of State-Certified Contractors

The county's Contractor Licensing page gives notice that "All State Certified Contractors must register to operate in St. Johns County." Its State Certified Contractors page lists what to file: the state license; a Florida Division of Corporations (sunbiz.org) document showing an active corporation and the company name; a liability insurance certificate naming St. Johns County as certificate holder; workers' compensation coverage or an exemption for the license holder; and a completed and signed State License Contact information form. The page states that the business name, license, corporation and insurance information must match, that a sole proprietor cannot hold a workers' compensation exemption, and that when the state license, workers' compensation or liability insurance is renewed, copies must be provided to the county to avoid interruption in permitting or inspections. Contractor Licensing: 4040 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, (904) 827-6820, conlicen@sjcfl.us.

Contractor License

The two routes cost the same to keep and differ sharply at entry: certification is $335 for application and examination, registration is $100. What you get differs too — a certified license works anywhere in Florida, while a registered one is valid only where you hold local competency approval, so the cheaper route can cost more in practice if you work across county lines. Qualifying a business organisation is a separate license again at $50, with its own $50 biennial renewal, and it is the piece most often missed. An inactive license renews at $50. Letting a license go null and void costs $100 to reinstate, and a delinquency fee is $25.

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 contractor or trade compare with other businesses in St Johns County?

The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A contractor or trade also needs St. Johns County Contractor License (Class I, Class II and Journeyman), Registration of State-Certified Contractors and Contractor License. A auto repair shop needs Fire Marshal Permits: Kitchen Hood, Fire Suppression and Annual Operational Permits (Unincorporated St. Johns), which a contractor or trade does not.

Permits particular to each business type in St Johns County, FL, compared with a contractor or trade
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a contractor or tradeOnly a contractor or trade needsOnly it needs
Auto repair shops1031
Childcare centres3033
Coffee shops4034
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. Contractor LicensingSt. Johns County Building Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  3. Class I Licensed Contractor ApplicationSt. Johns County Building Department, Contractor Licensing · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  4. Class II Licensed Contractor ApplicationSt. Johns County Building Department, Contractor Licensing · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  5. Reciprocity InformationSt. Johns County Building Department, Contractor Licensing · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  6. Florida Statutes §489.117 (2026) — Registration; specialty contractorsFlorida Legislature (Online Sunshine) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  7. CS/CS/HB 735 (2021) — Preemption of Local Occupational Licensing (ch. 2021-214, Laws of Florida)The Florida Senate · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  8. State Certified ContractorsSt. Johns County Building Department, Contractor Licensing · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  9. Florida Administrative Code rule 61G4-12.009 — construction industry licensing fees (effective 30 October 2017)Florida Department of State, Administrative Code · 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.