A clear path through Pinellas County, its municipalities, and applicable Florida and federal agencies.
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Pinellas County does not require a County occupational license or business tax receipt. A business inside a municipality may still need that city's receipt, and state licensing requirements are separate. Identify the business address first, then check the city's requirements rather than applying for a County receipt that is not required.
Official guidance: Pinellas County business tax guidance
Pinellas County Building and Development Review Services handles unincorporated County properties and designated partner municipalities. Other cities have their own building departments. Check the County's service-area guidance for the exact property before choosing a permit portal; a mailing address alone does not establish the responsible office.
Official guidance: County building service area and contacts
A 2009 county ordinance requires home and business owners with alarm systems to register them (free) with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office SHARP program. It covers unincorporated Pinellas plus the 13 cities that contract with PCSO for law enforcement. False alarm fines escalate, and unregistered alarms are fined from the first false alarm.
All businesses within Clearwater city limits must obtain a Business Tax Receipt before opening or practicing a profession. The program is administered by the Code Compliance Division under Chapter 29 of the city Code of Ordinances. The tax year runs October 1 to September 30 and renews annually regardless of when the BTR was obtained.
All businesses, professionals, independent contractors, and individuals accepting compensation located within St. Petersburg city limits must obtain a city Business Tax Receipt (BTR) before operating. Receipts expire September 30 each year.
Unlike most Florida counties, Pinellas County does NOT require a county-level local business tax receipt. The Board of County Commissioners repealed the county occupational license requirement by resolution on July 25, 1995 (Ordinance No. 95-53). Businesses in unincorporated Pinellas need no county business license; businesses inside a municipality may still need a CITY business tax receipt.
The City of Dunedin requires a Business Tax Receipt (BTR) for the privilege of engaging in or managing any business, profession, or occupation within the city limits. A separate BTR is required for each place and type of business. Annual business taxes vary from $50.00 to $200.00 per classification based on square footage, and applications are filed online through the same Tyler EP&L Citizen Self Service Portal used for permits.
A business license or tax receipt is required for operating a business in Gulfport. The Community Development Department handles the program; applications are made in person at the department office, which triggers zoning-compliance and fire-safety review. Receipts are valid October 1 through September 30 of the following year.
The City of Oldsmar requires a Business Tax Receipt for anyone who sells any goods or services, or solicits business or offers goods or services for sale or hire, in the city. The Planning and Redevelopment Department administers the program. Applications are submitted through the city's online form, and renewals can be paid online through CitizenLink.
The City of Pinellas Park requires a local Business Tax Receipt (BTR) for any person doing business in the city, including one-person companies and home-based businesses. A separate receipt is required for each location and each business category. BTRs are issued by the Building Development Division and applications are filed online through the city's Civic Access (EnerGov) portal or the Tyler Portico BTR portal.
Any person engaging in or managing any business, occupation, or profession in the City of Safety Harbor, or conducting business using a Safety Harbor PO box, is required to have an approved business license (Local Business Tax Receipt) before beginning work. The program is handled through Community Development / the Building Division, with payment available online through BSA Online.
The City of Seminole requires a Local Business Tax Receipt under City Ordinance Chapter 42, Article IV: unless exempted by state law, it is unlawful to conduct any business directly or indirectly without first obtaining or registering a current Local Business Tax Receipt. The Business Tax Receipt Official in the Building Division administers the program, and applications are filed online through Citizenserve.
The City of Tarpon Springs requires a local business tax receipt: no person shall engage in or manage any business, occupation, or profession in the city unless that person first procures one. The Building Development Department administers the program. New applications must be submitted in person at City Hall; renewals can be paid online through Click2Gov.
Florida Statute 559.955 (2021) preempts local governments from licensing or regulating home-based businesses differently from other businesses. A qualifying home business may operate in any residential zone, but it is still subject to local business taxes under Chapter 205, so a city BTR is still required inside municipalities like St. Petersburg and Clearwater.
The core sequence for launching a business in Pinellas County: register your entity with the Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz), get a free federal EIN from the IRS, register for state taxes if applicable, and check with your municipality to determine whether a city business tax receipt is required if you are located inside one of the 24 municipalities. Pinellas County itself does not require a county business tax receipt (repealed in 1995).
BDRS issues commercial building permits covering work on non-residential buildings and multi-family structures in unincorporated Pinellas County: new buildings and additions, interior build-outs and remodels, change of use/occupancy, fire protection systems, signs, and MEP/gas systems. Applications are submitted entirely online through the Pinellas County Access Portal (Accela) with digital plan sets; commercial reviews generally take around 21 days. Some projects need a pre-application meeting or development review before the building permit application.
Building permit for commercial, multifamily and condominium property inside the City of St. Petersburg, issued by the city's Construction Services and Permitting Division through the Click2Gov portal and ePlan review. City Code Sec. 12-6 prices these under 'all other uses', which is a different and higher rate than the single-family/duplex rate, and requires the Commercial Plan Review Checklist rather than the residential one.
Before a contractor can apply for any permit in the City of Seminole, the city requires the contractor to apply for a contractor's license (contractor registration) through the Citizenserve portal. Permit applications open up only once the contractor registration has been processed.
Demolishing a structure in unincorporated Pinellas County requires a demolition permit from BDRS - Demolition is one of the record categories in the Pinellas County Access Portal (Accela) - because the county requires a permit for any demolition work in excess of $500 or requiring an inspection. Separately and in addition, ALL demolitions require an asbestos survey by a state-licensed asbestos consultant and a NESHAP demolition notification to the Pinellas County Air Quality Division at least 10 working days (two calendar weeks) before work begins, even if no asbestos is found. The building permit does NOT satisfy the Air Quality notification requirement.
In unincorporated Pinellas County, the county's Building FAQs state a building permit is not required for a fence, but you must still comply with zoning regulations in the Land Development Code (Article X, Division 4, Secs. 138-3700 to 138-3706), and the county's Permitting Guide lists fencing among work that may need a Development Review zoning clearance. The Access Portal also has residential record types for Fence, Masonry Fence/Wall, Retaining Wall and Seawall. Height limits are 6 feet in side/rear setbacks and 3 to 4 feet in front setbacks (up to 5 feet total with semi-opaque decorative toppers), with an absolute prohibition on fences within 15 feet of intersecting right-of-way lines at corners.
Replacing or repairing a roof in unincorporated Pinellas County requires a building permit from Building & Development Review Services (BDRS), applied for online through the Pinellas County Access Portal (Accela). Permits are required for work in excess of $500 or work that requires an inspection. Every re-roof gets a mandatory in-progress inspection, and hurricane-mitigation work (roof deck nailing, secondary water barrier) that gets covered up must be documented with a Re-Roofing Mitigation Affidavit under the Hurricane Mitigation Manual (FS 553.844). BDRS serves unincorporated areas plus Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Indian Rocks Beach, Kenneth City, Oldsmar and Safety Harbor; other cities issue their own permits.
The City of Clearwater requires a building permit to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building, and for electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing work regulated by the Florida Building Code. Applications are submitted through the city's Accela-based online permitting system (ePermit), plans are reviewed by staff, fees are paid before issuance, and the project is closed out through inspections and, where applicable, a Certificate of Occupancy or Completion.
The City of Dunedin Community Development Department runs its own permitting program. The city uses a full-service online permitting system, Enterprise Permitting and Licensing (EP&L) by Tyler Technologies; permits are submitted, reviewed, and approved online through the Dunedin Citizen Self Service (CSS) Portal. Codes in force are the Florida Building Code 8th Edition (2023) and Florida Fire Prevention Code 8th Edition (2023). Note that the city's website is now at dunedin.gov (dunedingov.com redirects there).
The City of Gulfport Community Development Department issues building permits in-house from the Public Services Building at 5330 23rd Street South. Contractors apply, check permit status, and schedule inspections online through the BS&A Online permitting portal (registration plus an activation PIN from the city is required); owner-builders must submit the initial permit application in person, then can use the portal for fee payments and inspection scheduling. Permit fees follow Resolution No. 2024-45, effective October 1, 2024.
The City of Largo Building Division issues residential building permits to ensure work meets the Florida Building Code. Applications, plans, inspections, and licensing all run through the Largo Civic Access Portal (LCAP), the city's all-in-one online system that replaced TRAKiT/eTRAKiT. Plans must be submitted electronically with digital signatures and seals; after review and fee payment the permit is issued and inspections are scheduled through LCAP.
All Florida Building Code permits for the City of Oldsmar are issued by Pinellas County Building and Development Review Services (BDRS) under an interlocal agreement effective September 1, 2021, through the Pinellas County Access Portal (Accela). The city retains its own preliminary approvals, including zoning and land use, Land Development Code, flood reviews, public works and fire approvals, and architectural review where applicable, which must be completed before proceeding to Pinellas County for the building permit.
The City of Pinellas Park runs its own building department. The Building Development Division of the Community Development Department performs permit plan reviews and inspections for construction inside city limits. Applications are submitted online through the city's Tyler Portico Plans, Permits and BTR Application Portal or in person at the permit counter at 6051 78th Avenue N; permit records, inspections, and contractor logins run through the Tyler EnerGov Civic Access portal. Note that the city website moved from pinellas-park.com to pinellaspark.gov.
Effective May 1, 2021, City of Safety Harbor building permit and inspection activities are subject to an interlocal agreement with Pinellas County: the county provides Building Official services and conducts all inspections and reviews required by the Florida Building Code, with those permits issued through the Pinellas County Access Portal (Accela). The city still reviews for the Land Development Code, City Code, and Fire Code, and still takes in certain city-only permits itself (driveways, sheds of 100 square feet or less, non-masonry fences and walls, irrigation, pavers, parking lots, tree removal) through BSA Online, while new construction, additions, and commercial projects are submitted in person at City Hall.
The City of Seminole Building Division (Community Development) issues building permits for property inside Seminole city limits. Applications, contractor registration, and permit tracking run through the city's Citizenserve online portal. Contractors must register their license with the city through the portal before applying for a permit.
The City of St. Petersburg's Construction Services & Permitting Division issues permits for residential repairs, improvements, and new construction. Applications and electronic plan review (ePlan) are handled through the city's online Click2Gov Building Permit portal, with in-person service at the Municipal Services Center. Plans are reviewed by city staff, the permit is issued after fees are paid, and work is verified through inspections ending in a Certificate of Occupancy or Completion.
The City of Tarpon Springs Building Development Department issues building, floodplain, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, roof, fence, driveway, and garage door permits. Electronic submission through the city's GoPost portal (eplansoft review) is required for electronic plan review; email submissions ended December 31, 2023. Fees follow the valuation-based schedule in the Building Development Guide to Permitting 2026.
Pinellas County Building & Development Review Services (BDRS) issues building permits for one- and two-family homes and related structures in unincorporated Pinellas County (BDRS also serves Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Indian Rocks Beach, Kenneth City, Oldsmar, and Safety Harbor). The county requires a permit for any new building, addition, remodeling, demolition, or other work in excess of $500 or that requires an inspection. Applications, plan uploads, fee payment, and inspection scheduling are all handled online through the Pinellas County Access Portal (Accela); simple like-for-like projects may qualify for an Express Permit instead.
Solar photovoltaic systems on homes in unincorporated Pinellas County are permitted through BDRS as a Residential permit - 'Solar' is one of the 17 major residential record categories in the Pinellas County Access Portal (Accela). Applications, plan uploads, fee payment, and inspection scheduling are all online through the portal. Solar is not on the county's Express Permit eligible-work list, so it follows the standard residential permit review path.
New residential pools, spas, and hot tubs in unincorporated Pinellas County require a building permit ('Pools & Spas - Above Ground / Inground' record types) applied for through the Pinellas County Access Portal (Accela). Every application must include a Residential Swimming Pool/Spa/Hot Tub Safety Act acknowledgement selecting one of four drowning-prevention measures (barrier per FS 515.29, ASTM F1346-91 safety cover, 85 dB exit alarms, or self-closing/self-latching doors at 54 inches), plus a no-objection letter from the electric company. BDRS serves unincorporated areas and six partner communities; other cities issue their own pool permits.
Cosmetologists and barbers are licensed statewide by DBPR. Cosmetology requires 1,200 hours of training (FS 477.019); full barbers need a minimum of 900 hours and restricted barbers 600 hours. Salons and barbershops need separate location licenses.
Food trucks (Mobile Food Dispensing Vehicles, MFDV) are licensed by DBPR statewide. Since 2020, Florida law (FS 509.102) preempts local governments from requiring separate food truck licenses, permits, or fees, and from banning food trucks jurisdiction-wide. Trucks that are not self-sufficient must use a licensed commissary.
Restaurants and most food service businesses in Pinellas County are licensed by the Florida DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants, not the county. New builds and remodels require a DBPR plan review (free) before licensing, plus local building permits for the build-out and a city business tax receipt where applicable. Retail food businesses (grocery, markets, bakeries without on-premises service) are permitted by FDACS instead.
Real estate sales associates are licensed by DBPR under the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC). The path: 63-hour pre-license course, application with fingerprints, and the state exam through Pearson VUE. New licensees must work under a licensed broker.
Alcohol sales require a license from the DBPR Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT). Fees depend on license type and county population; Pinellas is in the top population bracket. Beer/wine licenses are available to any qualified applicant; full liquor (4COP) quota licenses are capped at one per 7,500 county residents and are usually bought on the resale market or won in the annual quota drawing. Local zoning approval is part of the state application.
Operating a vacation rental in Pinellas County involves up to four layers: a state DBPR vacation rental license, state and county tax registrations (6% sales tax + 1% surtax to DOR, 6% Tourist Development Tax to the Pinellas Tax Collector), and city- or county-level rules that vary sharply by location. State law (FS 509.032(7)(b)) bars local governments from prohibiting vacation rentals or regulating duration/frequency, except ordinances adopted on or before June 1, 2011.
Docks, seawalls, riprap, tie poles, boat lifts, marinas, and all dredging or filling in Pinellas County waters require a Water and Navigation permit from Pinellas County. The county's Water and Navigation section reviews projects for environmental impacts, navigational impacts, and construction requirements, and it permits projects in both unincorporated areas and within municipal limits. Most projects also need a state authorization from FDEP (an Environmental Resource Permit, general permit, or exemption, plus state-owned submerged lands authorization) and a federal Army Corps authorization, which for minor work in Pinellas County waters is often covered by a general permit such as PGP SAJ-96.
Florida transferred the septic (onsite sewage treatment and disposal system) program from the Department of Health to DEP under the 2020 Clean Waterways Act, but in Pinellas County the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County (DOH-Pinellas) still handles septic permitting and inspections under DEP rules. DEP has directly taken over permitting only in 16 Panhandle counties and Marion County; Pinellas is not among them.
Tree removal permitting in Pinellas County depends on where the property sits. Unincorporated Pinellas County requires a Tree Removal/Habitat Permit under Chapter 58 of the county code, with new simplified regulations effective Jan. 23, 2026. The City of St. Petersburg and the City of Clearwater each run their own tree removal permits. Statewide, Florida Statute 163.045 lets owners of single-family detached residential property remove a dangerous tree without a local permit when a certified arborist or Florida licensed landscape architect documents the risk.
A well construction permit from the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) is required before installing a water well anywhere in Pinellas County. Unlike Manatee, Sarasota, and Marion counties, Pinellas has no delegated local well-permitting agency; SWFWMD issues permits directly, typically obtained by your licensed water well contractor.
Property owners in Tarpon Springs' designated historic areas need design review before exterior work. The Heritage Preservation Board (five members plus one alternate) makes final decisions on Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) applications and Economic Hardship Exemption applications. The program is administered by the Planning and Zoning Department under the Historic District Design Review Guidelines Manual and Land Development Code Article VII, Heritage Preservation. Applications are submitted online through a dedicated design-review instance of the city's eplansoft portal.
Dunedin's Outdoor Hospitality Permit is a zoning permit for outdoor dining or drinking areas located wholly on private property and associated with a business that provides food or drink service. It is permissible for any restaurant, bar, cafe, or related business. Businesses already operating unapproved outdoor dining areas must obtain the permit by September 1, 2027, under a three-year grace period granted by the City Commission.
Changing what a property can be used for in unincorporated Pinellas County can require a Zoning Change (rezoning), a Future Land Use Map change, or both - often filed together. Applications go through the Pinellas County Access Portal; the Local Planning Agency reviews comprehensive plan amendments and the Board of County Commissioners has final authority on zoning changes. Because Pinellas has a unique countywide planning system, major future land use changes also require an amendment to the Countywide Plan Map administered by Forward Pinellas.
New commercial projects, subdivisions, and larger developments in unincorporated Pinellas County go through Development Review Services (DRS) within Building and Development Review Services. DRS reviews site plans, subdivision plats, and related submittals for the unincorporated county and six partner communities. The process starts with an optional-but-recommended pre-application meeting and runs through the Pinellas County Access Portal.
When a project in unincorporated Pinellas County cannot meet a zoning code standard (setbacks, height, etc.) or proposes a use allowed only as a special exception, the owner applies for a Variance (Land Development Code Sec. 138-230) or a Type 2 Use (Sec. 138-240). The Board of Adjustment and Appeals (BOAA) reviews the application and staff report, holds a public hearing, and takes final action.
The Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court issues marriage licenses and accepts U.S. passport applications. Both parties must appear together for a marriage license; Florida residents face a 3-day waiting period unless they complete a registered premarital course, which also reduces the license fee by $32.50. Passport applications (Form DS-11) are accepted at the Clerk's Clearwater and St. Petersburg offices for a $35 acceptance fee plus State Department fees.
The Pinellas County Tax Collector is the FLHSMV agent for titles, registrations, and driver licenses. New Florida residents must register vehicles within 10 days of establishing residency (employment, school enrollment, or residency), paying a $225 initial registration fee when there is no Florida plate to transfer. Motorized vessels must be registered within 30 days of purchase.
Events on Pinellas County park property (generally 100+ people or beyond normal park use) need a county special event permit with a 90-business-day lead time. In St. Petersburg, city-parkland events benefiting a nonprofit go through the Parks & Recreation co-sponsored events process, and street closures (block parties) go through the Police Special Events Unit.
Organizations hosting festivals, runs and walks, parades, and citywide holiday celebrations on public property in Gulfport need a special event application. Applications must be made by or on behalf of the president or CEO of a city-based nonprofit organization (recognized by the IRS or the Florida Department of State) sponsoring the event, and must be received by August 15 of the preceding fiscal year in which the event will occur.