What do these permits involve in St. Lucie County?

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St. Lucie County Local Business Tax Receipt

County Code s. 42-103 requires a business tax receipt, issued by the St. Lucie County Tax Collector, to engage in business in the county, and s. 42-108(a) provides for business tax revenues collected by the county from businesses whose places of business are located within a municipality; F.S. 205.033(4) apportions county business tax revenue between the unincorporated area and the municipalities. The Tax Collector's Local Business Tax page states that Ordinance Number 07-016 "requires that all businesses or professions located in St. Lucie County obtain a County Business Tax Receipt", and that a business located in a municipality must obtain its receipt from that municipality in addition to St. Lucie County. Its FAQ states that one receipt is needed for each location and for each category of business conducted, and the page states that a business regulated by a state agency must obtain its state license before applying. The rates in this record are the code's own section rates for general business (s. 42-120), restaurants and take-out (s. 42-116, seats counted using the DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants classifications) and contracting (s. 42-117). Under s. 42-104(b) a late renewal adds 10 percent for October and 5 percent for each later month up to 25 percent, plus a collection cost fee of $1.00 to $5.00; s. 42-104(c) adds a 25 percent penalty for operating without a receipt and $250.00 after 150 days. For a location in unincorporated St. Lucie County, the Tax Collector's page lists the county zoning process and a St. Lucie County Fire District inspection as steps before the receipt.

Business Zoning Compliance (Unincorporated St. Lucie County)

The county's Starting a Business page states that if a business is within the unincorporated county, Zoning Compliance with Planning & Development Services is required, and lists Business Zoning Compliance for commercial locations, Zoning Compliance Change of Name, and Zoning Compliance Home Occupation for home-based businesses; applications are made online through the county's permitting portal. The St. Lucie County Tax Collector's Local Business Tax page likewise states that "All business types must complete St. Lucie County's Zoning process" before the county business tax receipt for an unincorporated location. The Home Occupation / Home-based Business fee of $50.00 is as published in the Zoning Fees table of the Building Permit Fees Schedule of Fees (Exhibit A), the schedule the county's Permitting page links as its current adopted fee schedule. The commercial zoning compliance fee is not published in that schedule. A location inside Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce or St. Lucie Village follows that municipality's zoning. Planning & Development Services: 2300 Virginia Ave, Fort Pierce (772-462-2822).

Building Permits, Including Commercial Build-Out and Trade Permits (Unincorporated St. Lucie County)

Construction, alteration and tenant build-out work on a business premises needs a building permit before it starts. The county's Permitting page states that the Building & Code Regulation Division has building permitting jurisdiction over unincorporated St. Lucie County under the Florida Building Code 8th Edition (2023), and that the City of Ft Pierce, the City of Port St. Lucie and the Town of St. Lucie Village have their own permitting requirements and issue their own permits. The Permitting page links the Building Permit Fees Schedule of Fees (Exhibit A) as the department's adopted fee schedule. Laws of Florida Ch. 2026-63 (HB 803), effective July 1, 2026, amended F.S. 553.79 so that inspection fees may not be based on the total cost of a project, so this record prints no value-based permit or plan-review amount; contact the Division for the fee on a specific project. As published on that schedule, one inspection trip is included with a commercial permit, each additional inspection or trip costs $75.00, re-inspections cost $75.00, $100.00 and then $150.00, a $5.00 automated building permit fee applies to every permit and certificate, and fees are doubled when work starts before the permit is issued. Building & Code Regulation Division: 2300 Virginia Ave, Fort Pierce (772-462-1553), Monday to Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Sign Permit (Unincorporated St. Lucie County)

A business installing a canopy sign or a wall sign in unincorporated St. Lucie County needs a sign permit from the Building & Code Regulation Division. The sign fees in this record are as published on the Building Permit Fees Schedule of Fees (Exhibit A), the schedule the county's Permitting page links as the department's adopted fee schedule: a canopy sign is $125.00 and each additional canopy sign under the same permit $75.00; a nonelectric wall sign is $100.00 and a wall sign with electric $150.00, with the electrical permit charged separately; additional signs under the same permit are $75.00. The schedule lists a plastic face change with no increase in size, nonelectric and needing no engineering, as "No Permit Required". The $5.00 automated building permit fee on the same schedule applies to every permit the Division issues. A sign inside Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce or St. Lucie Village is permitted by that municipality. Building & Code Regulation Division: 2300 Virginia Ave, Fort Pierce (772-462-1553).

Fire Inspection for a Business Tax Receipt (St. Lucie County Fire District)

The St. Lucie County Fire District is an independent special district governed by its own Board of Commissioners, separate from the Board of County Commissioners. Its Resolution No. 740-23, the St. Lucie County Fire District Fire Prevention Code and Fee Schedule, adopted January 18, 2023 and effective immediately, states that it is controlling throughout St. Lucie County, Florida. Section 24.E.5.a provides: "A fee of $145 will be charged for annual inspections required to obtain Business Tax Receipt by local jurisdictions." Section 24.E.4 sets re-inspection fees of $145.00 for the first and $217.50 for each subsequent re-inspection, and s. 24.E.6 sets $362.50 per hour for after-hours inspections at the Fire Marshal's discretion. Resolution 740-23 is the fire prevention fee resolution posted on the District's Fee Schedule and Fire Codes page. The St. Lucie County Tax Collector's Local Business Tax page states that "Commercial locations must have a Fire Inspection with St. Lucie County Fire District" and gives 772-621-3377 to set up the inspection.

Permit	Issuing agency	Fee	Renews	Last checked
St. Lucie County Local Business Tax Receipt	St. Lucie County Tax Collector	Annual county business tax set by County Code Ch. 42, Art. III, by section: s. 42-120 (general business) $27.55, or $15.10 for a business employing five or fewer employees; s. 42-116 (restaurants, cafes, snack bars and take-out) $20.60 for zero to 30 seats and $27.55 for over 31 seats; s. 42-117 (contracting) $12.35 for one to ten persons, $24.75 for 11 to 20 and $27.55 for over 21, counting all principals. Transfer (s. 42-107): 10 percent of the annual tax, not less than $3.00 nor more than $25.00. For a retail store, contact the Tax Collector at 772-462-1650 for the applicable classification and rate.	annual; due September 30 of each year and expiring September 30 of the succeeding year (County Code s. 42-104(a))	2026-10-20
Business Zoning Compliance (Unincorporated St. Lucie County)only if it applies to you	St. Lucie County Planning & Development Services	Zoning Compliance Home Occupation: "Home Occupation/ Home-based Business $50.00", as published in the Zoning Fees table of the county's current Building Permit Fees Schedule of Fees (Exhibit A), linked from the Permitting page. The fee for a commercial Business Zoning Compliance is not published in that schedule; contact Planning & Development Services at 772-462-2822 for the current amount.	one-time, for each new business location, change of location or change of name in the unincorporated area	2026-10-20
Building Permits, Including Commercial Build-Out and Trade Permits (Unincorporated St. Lucie County)only if it applies to you	St. Lucie County Planning & Development Services, Building & Code Regulation Division	Laws of Florida Ch. 2026-63 amended F.S. 553.79(1)(f), effective July 1, 2026: "Inspection fees may not be based on the total cost of a project and may not exceed the actual inspection costs incurred by the local enforcement agency." No value-based permit or plan-review figure is printed in this record. Flat items, as published on the county's current Building Permit Fees Schedule of Fees (Exhibit A): each additional inspection or trip beyond the one included $75.00; re-inspection $75.00 for the first, $100.00 for the second and $150.00 for the third and each later one; automated building permit fee $5.00 on every permit or certificate.	per permit	2026-10-20
Sign Permit (Unincorporated St. Lucie County)only if it applies to you	St. Lucie County Planning & Development Services, Building & Code Regulation Division	As published on the county's current Building Permit Fees Schedule of Fees (Exhibit A): canopy sign $125.00, each additional canopy sign under the same permit $75.00; wall sign, nonelectric $100.00, with electric $150.00 (the electric permit is separate); additional signs under the same permit $75.00. A plastic face change with no size increase (nonelectric, no engineering) is listed as "No Permit Required".	per permit	2026-10-20
Fire Inspection for a Business Tax Receipt (St. Lucie County Fire District)only if it applies to you	St. Lucie County Fire District	$145 per annual inspection required for a business tax receipt (Res. 740-23, s. 24.E.5.a); re-inspection $145.00 for the first and $217.50 for each later one (s. 24.E.4); after-hours inspections at the Fire Marshal's discretion $362.50 per hour (s. 24.E.6)	annual	2026-10-20

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