Florida / St. Johns County

Pool Permit in St. Johns County, Florida

Permit required

Yes, a permit is required

Before installing an above-ground or in-ground residential swimming pool or spa in unincorporated St. Johns County

Confirmed on official page Verified Building Services Division, Growth Management Department

By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources

Quick answer

St. Johns County's own Building Permit Application states that a separate permit must be secured for pools, and the county's fee schedule carries a dedicated Swimming Pool Fees section with separate charges for in-ground and above-ground residential pools and spas. This applies to unincorporated St. Johns County; St. Augustine and St. Augustine Beach have their own building departments. The Land Development Code also requires a pool to be enclosed by a barrier at least 4 feet high with a self-latching gate unless the property meets the Florida Building Code's residential swimming pool barrier requirement.

Typical threshold: pool surface area per the LDC regulated-pool definition, which also uses a 2 foot depth test.

Who is pulling this permit?

Apply yourself

Apply on the St. Johns County permit portal

Hire it out

Before you sign, ask the contractor:

  • Who pulls the permit, you or me, and is the permit fee included in the bid?
  • Which inspections will this job need, and who meets the inspector on site?
  • Is your contractor license active in this locality, and under which business name?

When a permit is usually needed

Before installing an above-ground or in-ground residential swimming pool or spa in unincorporated St. Johns County

What your pool permit must meet in Florida

Florida residential pools are built under the Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023), which the Legislature requires to incorporate the safety-feature and barrier standards of the Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act (Florida Statutes Chapter 515).

  • State law requires the Florida Building Code to uniformly implement the pool-safety statutes by including standards for residential swimming pool barriers, pool covers, latching devices, and door and window exit alarms (F.S. 553.73).
  • A new residential pool must be built with at least one of five listed safety features, not necessarily a fence: a compliant barrier, an approved safety pool cover, exit alarms on doors and windows with access to the pool, self-closing self-latching doors, or a certified pool alarm (F.S. 515.27).
  • If a barrier is used, it must be at least 4 feet high on the outside and may not have gaps, openings, indentations, or structural components that could let a young child crawl under, squeeze through, or climb over it, placed far enough from the water's edge that a child who gets past it does not immediately fall in (F.S. 515.29).
  • Pool gates must open outward away from the pool, be self-closing, and have a self-latching device with its release mechanism on the pool side, positioned out of a young child's reach (F.S. 515.29).
  • Where a removable mesh safety barrier is used, it must comply with ASTM F2286 and may not be installed on top of an above-ground or on-ground pool (FBC-R, 8th Edition change).

Based on Florida Statutes Chapter 515 (Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act, ss. 515.27, 515.29) as implemented by the Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023), Chapter 45. Read the code. Local amendments can be stricter; confirm the current requirement with your office before you build.

What a pool permit costs in St. Johns County

Line item
pool permitBy formulaSwimming Pool Fees (F.S. 553-80): Permit Issuance $11.00; Residential pools/spas: in ground $175.00, above ground $26.00; Alteration or repair requiring inspection $26.00, per St. Johns County's Schedule of Fees and Services, Exhibit A (amended 07/21/2026).
Fee schedule in forceOfficial scheduleRead . Fees are the jurisdiction’s; we do not mark them up or estimate them.

How St. Johns County compares in Florida

JurisdictionPermit needed?Threshold
Alachua CountyPermit requiredNot specified
Brevard CountyIt dependsPermits are issued for in-ground pools and spas, and for above-ground pools with a depth of 24 inches or greater.
Broward CountyPermit requiredNot specified
Charlotte CountyPermit requiredThis residential pool/spa permit type includes spas, swim spas, and above-ground pools that are 24 inches or greater in depth.
Clay CountyPermit requiredNot specified
Collier CountyPermit requiredNot specified
St. Johns Countythis pagePermit requiredpool surface area per the LDC regulated-pool definition, which also uses a 2 foot depth test

Closest pool permit thresholds outside Florida

Jurisdictions we cover whose limit sits nearest St. Johns County's 150 sq ft.

  • Arlington County, Virginia, Under USBC 108.2 a swimming pool is exempt only when its surface area is not greater than 150 square feet and it is less than 24 inches deep; otherwise building and trade permits are required.
  • Chesterfield County, Virginia, pools, hot tubs, or spas (permanent or storable) greater than 150 sq ft surface area, 5,000 gallons capacity, and more than 24 inches deep require a building permit; smaller or shallower pools are exempt
  • Culpeper County, Virginia, over 150 sq ft surface area or 24 inches or more in depth
  • Fairfax County, Virginia, pool over 150 sq ft surface area, over 5000 gallons, or over 24 inches deep requires a building permit

How to apply in St. Johns County

A residential pool permit application covers both construction and safety: a scaled site plan, structural plans for the pool, a barrier plan showing how the pool will be enclosed, and an electrical plan covering bonding and the equipment disconnect.

What most pool permit applications include:

  • Pool and spa design and construction fall under the residential code chapter that folds in the swimming pool and spa code, and permit review checks plans against that chapter (IRC R326).
  • The site plan must show pool equipment such as pumps, filters, and heaters set back at least 36 inches from the outside of the required barrier (ISPSC 305.2.9).
  • For an in-ground pool, engineered structural plans covering the shell and reinforcing steel, with the responsible structural engineer's license information, are a standard part of the submittal (per official pool submittal checklists).
  • A barrier plan identifying the fence, pool structure, or dwelling wall that will enclose the pool must be submitted and must comply with the code's barrier chapter (ISPSC 305).
  • Electrical plans must show the pool's equipotential bonding design, since the shell, perimeter surfaces, and metal fittings within 5 feet of the water must all tie into a common bonding grid (NEC 680.26).
  • The electrical plan must also show a disconnecting means for the pool equipment that is readily accessible and within sight of the equipment (NEC 680.13).

General submittal guidance from 2021 IRC R326 (adopting the ISPSC), ISPSC 2021 Section 305, and NEC 2020 Article 680. Source. Building Services Division, Growth Management Department sets the exact checklist for St. Johns County.

Where to apply in St. Johns County:

Building Services Division, Growth Management Department

  • 4040 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL 32084
  • Phone: 904-827-6800
  • Email: bldcodes@sjcfl.us

Inspections and closing out your permit

Pool inspections track the concrete pour: the steel and bonding grid are checked before gunite or shotcrete goes in, bonding is checked again before decking is poured, and the permanent barrier and remaining electrical work are checked at final before the pool can be filled and used.

  1. Before gunite or shotcrete is sprayed, the inspector checks the rebar against the engineered plans and confirms the equipotential bonding wire is stubbed out and tied into the steel, since it will be buried in concrete afterward (NEC 680.26).
  2. A bonding inspection separately confirms coping, decking, ladders, handrail cups, and any other metal within 5 feet of the water are tied to the bonding grid, and it must pass before coping is installed (NEC 680.26).
  3. A temporary barrier at least 4 feet high must enclose the site from the moment excavation starts until the permanent barrier is finished, and inspectors check for it throughout construction (ISPSC 305.1.1).
  4. A pre-plaster inspection confirms the circulation equipment's electrical work is installed and all bonding is complete before the pool's interior finish goes on (NEC 680.26).
  5. At final inspection the permanent barrier is checked against the code's requirements and the equipment and cover-mechanism bonding must be complete before the pool can be filled and used (ISPSC 305, NEC 680.26).

Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the St. Johns County permit portal or by phone at 904-827-6800.

Inspection sequence from NEC 2020 Article 680.26 (equipotential bonding) and ISPSC 2021 Section 305 (barriers). Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a pool permit in St. Johns County?
St. Johns County's own Building Permit Application states that a separate permit must be secured for pools, and the county's fee schedule carries a dedicated Swimming Pool Fees section with separate charges for in-ground and above-ground residential pools and spas. This applies to unincorporated St. Johns County; St. Augustine and St. Augustine Beach have their own building departments. The Land Development Code also requires a pool to be enclosed by a barrier at least 4 feet high with a self-latching gate unless the property meets the Florida Building Code's residential swimming pool barrier requirement. Always confirm with the Building Services Division, Growth Management Department before starting.
How much does a pool permit cost in St. Johns County?
Swimming Pool Fees (F.S. 553-80): Permit Issuance $11.00; Residential pools/spas: in ground $175.00, above ground $26.00; Alteration or repair requiring inspection $26.00, per St. Johns County's Schedule of Fees and Services, Exhibit A (amended 07/21/2026). See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
Where do you apply for a pool permit in St. Johns County?
You can apply through the St. Johns County permit portal or contact the Building Services Division, Growth Management Department directly. The links are listed on this page.
Can a homeowner pull a pool permit themselves in St. Johns County?
Under Florida law (F.S. 489.103(7)(a)-(c)): Florida lets you pull your own permit as an owner-builder under section 489.103(7), Florida Statutes, which exempts property owners from the contractor licensing law when they act as their own contractor and provide direct, onsite supervision of all work not performed by licensed contractors. The exemption covers building or improving a one-family or two-family residence or a farm outbuilding for your own occupancy or use, and commercial buildings only up to a $75,000 cost, and the property may not be built or improved for sale or lease. If you sell or lease the property within 1 year after completing the work, the law presumes it was built for sale or lease, which violates the exemption. To qualify, you must personally appear and sign the building permit application and sign a state-prescribed disclosure statement acknowledging that you are the party legally and financially responsible for the construction, that you must provide direct, onsite supervision, and that unlicensed people you use must be your own employees, bringing federal tax withholding and workers' compensation obligations. You may not hire an unlicensed person to act as your contractor and may not delegate supervision to anyone who is not licensed for the work being done; if these requirements are violated, the local permitting agency shall withhold final approval, revoke the permit, or pursue unlicensed-activity remedies. A separate narrow branch of the exemption also lets an owner take over and complete a permit on a one-family or two-family residence when the original contractor substantially completed the project. Confirm how St. Johns County applies this before you apply.

From the Library

What else needs a permit in St. Johns County

Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.

ProjectPermit needed?ThresholdTypical fee
Deck PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedNo deck-specific fee line item is published.
Electrical PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedElectrical Permit Fees (F.S.
Fence PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedNo fence-specific fee line item is published.
HVAC PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedMechanical Permit Fees (F.S.
Patio PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedNo patio-specific fee line item is published.
Plumbing PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedPlumbing Permit Fees (F.S.
Roof Replacement PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedNo re-roof-specific fee line item is published.
Shed PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedNo shed or accessory-structure-specific fee line item is published.
Solar PermitPermit requiredNot specifiedSolar Permit Fees (F.S.

Pool Permit in other Florida localities

Everything above, sourced

sjcfl.us: building departmentread
sjcfl.us: Building Permit Applicationread

Code references

National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not St. Johns County documents; the office above sets the local rules.

Verified by a person against the sources above on , not confirmed with Building Services Division, Growth Management Department. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.

Last checked: Report an error on this page

Compare Pool Permit requirements across Florida localities

Look up an existing St. Johns County permit record

Permit required
Get quotes