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13 permits · verified 2026-10-20

What permits do you need to open a retail store in St Johns County?

In short

A retail store in St Johns County, FL has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 11 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 retail store in St Johns County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Fire Marshal Permits: Kitchen Hood, Fire Suppression and Annual Operational Permits (Unincorporated St. Johns)only if it applies to youSt. Johns County Fire Rescue, Fire PreventionPer the Fire Department section of the FY 27 Schedule of Fees and Services (amended 09/15/2026): Permit Issuance Fee $26.00; Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Hoods $73.00; Fire Suppression System $75.00; annual permits for operations $60 a year per site for each listed activity, including flammable or combustible liquid storage, flammable finish application, and storage, handling or use of compressed gases; tents and membrane structures $60.00 per event. Starting work without a Fire Marshal permit costs double the normal application fee.per installation for hood and suppression permits; annual per site for operational permits; per event for tents2026-10-20
Alcoholic Beverage 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, "all Special Uses found in Section 2.03; includes GIS & Fire Fee"; Development Review Manual Sec. 18.01). Administrative transfer of an alcoholic beverage Special Use Permit to a new owner: $75.00 per hour, one-hour minimum.one-time for the location; a qualifying transfer to a new owner is approved administratively2026-10-20
Temporary Use Permit for Outdoor Sales and Markets (Unincorporated St. Johns)only if it applies to youSt. Johns County Growth Management, Planning and Zoning DivisionPer the FY 27 Schedule of Fees and Services (amended 09/15/2026): Temporary Use Permit, Administrative (Section 2.02.05, includes Fire Fee) $190.00; requiring a public hearing (exceeding the limits of 2.02.05) $330.00 plus the cost of advertising; starting without a permit, double the application fee.per event, within the time limits of Land Development Code Sec. 2.02.052026-10-20

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

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 retail store 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 retail store in St Johns County, FL, 2 apply to every business of this type and 11 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:

Fire Marshal Permits: Kitchen Hood, Fire Suppression and Annual Operational Permits (Unincorporated St. Johns): Per the Fire Department section of the FY 27 Schedule of Fees and Services (amended 09/15/2026): Permit Issuance Fee $26.00; Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Hoods $73.00; Fire Suppression System $75.00; annual permits for operations $60 a year per site for each listed activity, including flammable or combustible liquid storage, flammable finish application, and storage, handling or use of compressed gases; tents and membrane structures $60.00 per event. Starting work without a Fire Marshal permit costs double the normal application fee.

Alcoholic Beverage 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, "all Special Uses found in Section 2.03; includes GIS & Fire Fee"; Development Review Manual Sec. 18.01). Administrative transfer of an alcoholic beverage Special Use Permit to a new owner: $75.00 per hour, one-hour minimum.

Temporary Use Permit for Outdoor Sales and Markets (Unincorporated St. Johns): Per the FY 27 Schedule of Fees and Services (amended 09/15/2026): Temporary Use Permit, Administrative (Section 2.02.05, includes Fire Fee) $190.00; requiring a public hearing (exceeding the limits of 2.02.05) $330.00 plus the cost of advertising; starting without a permit, double the application fee.

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 retail store in St Johns County, FL come from 6 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. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a retail store need in St Johns County that other businesses do not?

Fire Marshal Permits: Kitchen Hood, Fire Suppression and Annual Operational Permits (Unincorporated St. Johns)

St. Johns County Fire Rescue's Fire Prevention section enforces the Florida Fire Prevention Code under Florida Statute 633 and Florida Administrative Code 69A, and its Permits & Forms page carries applications for commercial building plans, fire alarms, fire sprinklers, tents and other fire prevention permits. Ordinance 2016-29 provides for county enforcement of the Florida Fire Prevention Code through civil citations and establishes a Fire Code Board of Appeals. A restaurant or café installing a commercial kitchen exhaust hood or a fire suppression system needs a Fire Marshal permit: the FY 27 schedule sets the permit issuance fee at $26.00, a kitchen exhaust hood at $73.00 and a fire suppression system at $75.00. The schedule's "Permits for Operations" list sets an annual permit of $60 a year per site for each listed activity, so an auto repair shop that stores flammable or combustible liquids or applies flammable finishes, or any business that stores or uses compressed gases, holds the matching operational permit; a tent or membrane structure for a sale or event takes a $60.00 permit per event. This record covers unincorporated St. Johns County. Fire Prevention: 3657 Gaines Road, St. Augustine, (904) 209-1740, FirePrevention@sjcfl.us.

Shared with other businesses in St Johns County

  • Alcoholic Beverage Special Use Permit (Unincorporated St. Johns) — St. Johns County Growth Management, Planning and Zoning Division, Special Use Permit, Major Review: $760.00 plus the cost of advertising (FY 27 Schedule of Fees and Services, amended 09/15/2026, "all Special Uses found in Section 2.03; includes GIS & Fire Fee"; Development Review Manual Sec. 18.01). Administrative transfer of an alcoholic beverage Special Use Permit to a new owner: $75.00 per hour, one-hour minimum., one-time for the location; a qualifying transfer to a new owner is approved administratively. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
  • Temporary Use Permit for Outdoor Sales and Markets (Unincorporated St. Johns) — St. Johns County Growth Management, Planning and Zoning Division, Per the FY 27 Schedule of Fees and Services (amended 09/15/2026): Temporary Use Permit, Administrative (Section 2.02.05, includes Fire Fee) $190.00; requiring a public hearing (exceeding the limits of 2.02.05) $330.00 plus the cost of advertising; starting without a permit, double the application fee., per event, within the time limits of Land Development Code Sec. 2.02.05. Also required for restaurants; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.

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 retail store compare with other businesses in St Johns County?

The closest match is a restaurant, which shares 3 of these permits. A restaurant needs Food Service Employee Training and Manager Certification and Public Food Service Establishment License, which a retail store does not.

Permits particular to each business type in St Johns County, FL, compared with a retail store
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a retail storeOnly a retail store needsOnly it needs
Restaurants5302
Coffee shops4212
Auto repair shops1120
Childcare centres3033
Contractors and trades3033
Fitness studios0030
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 shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the restaurants page. 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 PreventionSt. Johns County Fire Rescue · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  3. Fire Prevention Permits & FormsSt. Johns County Fire Rescue · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20
  4. St. Johns County Ordinance 2016-29 (enforcement of the Florida Fire Prevention Code; civil infractions; Fire Code Board of Appeals)St. Johns County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-20

Related

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