St. Johns County Permits for Outdoor Living Projects

What needs a permit in St. Johns County, how the process works, and how we handle it for you.

Most backyard structures in St. Johns County need a building permit, and getting it right from the start keeps your project on track. This guide covers which projects usually need a permit, how the process works in St. Johns County, and where to look up permits. AY Luxury Designs handles the permits for every project we build.

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What Usually Needs a Permit

Roofed structures: gazebos, A-frames, pavilions, covered patio and lanai extensions. These are permanent structures and almost always need a building permit.
Pergolas: attached pergolas usually need a permit, and many freestanding pergolas do too, depending on size and design.
Screen enclosures and screen rooms: new enclosures generally require a permit.
Outdoor fireplaces and kitchens: the structure, plus the electrical, gas and plumbing work, are typically permitted.
Electrical: new outdoor circuits, lighting, fans, heaters and hot tub hookups are permitted electrical work.

Every permitted structure gets its necessary engineered documents. Requirements depend on your exact project and property, so we confirm what yours needs before we design.

The Florida Building Code has its own section for screen enclosures, and it requires their structural members to be designed for wind from two directions.

How Permitting Works in St. Johns County

Confirm the jurisdiction. Unincorporated St. Johns County (including Ponte Vedra Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns, Fruit Cove and World Golf Village) is permitted by the County. The City of St. Augustine and St. Augustine Beach issue their own permits.
Clearance sheet. In most cases, the County issues a clearance sheet before it accepts the building permit application.
HOA notice. The County keeps a list of registered homeowners associations that are notified about permits in their communities. HOA approval is still a separate step your association handles.
Apply and plan review. The permit application and plans are reviewed under the Florida Building Code.
Notice of Commencement. For most permitted projects, a recorded Notice of Commencement is required before the first inspection.
Inspections. Scheduled as the work progresses, through final.

Official sources: St. Johns County building permits and permit status.

The Florida Building Code uses the national ASCE 7 wind standard, so design wind speeds vary by location, and areas designated wind-borne debris regions carry added requirements. Permitted structures are designed to Florida Building Code wind requirements.

Good to Know in St. Johns County

Your HOA hears about it automatically. The County keeps a list of registered architectural review associations and notifies them when a clearance sheet or permit application for exterior work is filed.
Two cities permit separately. The City of St. Augustine and the City of St. Augustine Beach run their own permitting. Ponte Vedra Beach, Nocatee, St. Johns and World Golf Village are County.
Oceanfront lots. Construction seaward of Florida's Coastal Construction Control Line can need a state permit from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection on top of the county permit.

How We Handle It

We prepare the drawings and the necessary engineered documents, file the permit, respond to plan review comments and schedule the inspections. HOA approval and the permit are separate steps, and we handle both. We don't publish timelines because review times vary; we can start most projects within two to four weeks.

Why AY Luxury Designs

You design it with the founder. Amany Youssef designs every project with you in person and stays involved through the final walkthrough.
We manage every step, from design to final inspection. We handle the AutoCAD design, the HOA paperwork, the engineering, the permits and the build. We handle electrical work with our licensed electrical partner, and gas and plumbing with our licensed trade partners.
Built for Florida. Every permitted structure gets its necessary engineered documents.
A Nextdoor Neighborhood Favorite.

Our Design-Build Process

Design session with Amany. Your project starts at our Jacksonville design studio, where you sit down with founder Amany Youssef and watch your project take shape live on screen in AutoCAD.
Free AutoCAD design and a custom quote. You get to-scale 3D renderings and a fully itemized custom quote within 24 hours of your consultation, so you know exactly what you're getting.
In-home design visit. Amany comes to your home for an in-person walkthrough, so we look at the project together where you're most comfortable, finalize the details and choose your colors and finishes.
Engineering, HOA and permits handled. We get the necessary engineered documents for every permitted structure, prepare your HOA/ARB package and pull the St. Johns County or city permits.
Build. We can start most projects within two to four weeks. Our crews follow a build process we've refined over many projects, and you get daily updates.
The AY Advantage. You hold back the final 5% for seven days after completion, so we can take care of any touch-ups before you sign off.

Financing is available through Synchrony Bank, including 18 months of no-interest financing, and we have other financing options as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit for a pergola in St. Johns County? Most attached or roofed structures need a building permit in St. Johns County, and many freestanding ones do too, depending on size and design. We pull the permits for you, and every permitted structure gets its necessary engineered documents.

Do I need a permit for a screen enclosure in St. Johns County? New screen enclosures and screen rooms generally require a permit. We handle the permit and inspections as part of the project.

How do I look up permits on my property in St. Johns County? St. Johns County has an online permit search (https://www.sjcfl.us/permit-status/). We handle the filing and tracking for our projects and keep you updated, so you don't have to.

Does HOA approval replace the building permit? No. Your association's approval and the building permit are separate. Most communities want HOA approval first, and the permit office reviews the plans for code.

Who pulls the permit, me or the contractor? We do. We pull permits under our licenses and schedule the inspections as part of every permitted project.

Do I need a permit for a fire pit? Gas fire pits and built-in fire features usually involve permitted gas and sometimes electrical work. Wood-burning fire pits have local burn rules. We confirm what your project needs.

Is Nocatee permitted by St. Johns County? Mostly. Most of Nocatee is in St. Johns County, but a few neighborhoods, such as Brookwood, are on the Duval County side and are permitted by the City of Jacksonville.