Agency directory in Sarasota County
Find the Sarasota County and municipal offices mapped below, with official destinations and clear descriptions of their responsibilities. This is a curated guide; additional offices may be relevant to a particular project.
Municipalities
4 cities and towns plus unincorporated Sarasota County, each with its own rules for permits, zoning, and business licensing.
City of North Port
City
City-issued building permits and inspections. Planning and zoning determinations are a separate city function.
City of Sarasota
City
City building permits and inspections are handled by City Development Services.
City of Venice
City
Town of Longboat Key (Sarasota County portion)
Town
Unincorporated Sarasota County
County services
Sarasota County Departments
Sarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller
Official records and recorded-document resource. A clerk index search is not a title examination and may not include every municipal lien or permit condition.
Sarasota County Fire Department
Sarasota County Fire Department provides fire suppression, EMS and special operations in its service area and reviews site and development plans for new developments. It is not a countywide municipal fire review determination.
Sarasota County Land Development
County Land Development coordinates reviews and inspections for horizontal construction in new development, including County land-development and right-of-way paths. Municipal responsibility and roadway ownership must be confirmed separately.
Sarasota County Planning and Development Services
County point of entry for building permits, planning, zoning, land development, floodplain review, and related development processes in unincorporated Sarasota County. The County's official online permitting page links current permit application and record-search services.
Sarasota County Planning and Zoning
County planning and zoning sources provide parcel-specific land-use and development information. County zoning maps are expressly scoped to unincorporated territory; municipal zoning must be checked with the municipality.
Sarasota County Property Appraiser
Official property appraiser source for parcel identification, ownership and assessed-value records. Use the appraiser's property search for parcel-specific facts; a geocoder or address match is not a parcel determination.
Sarasota County Public Utilities
County water, wastewater and reclaimed-water services are not countywide. Confirm whether County Utilities serves the parcel; other public and private providers may serve the property.
Sarasota County Tax Collector
The Sarasota County Tax Collector states that the County Business Tax was repealed July 9, 2024. Local municipal business tax receipts may still apply within city or town limits; verify the local authority and current requirements. The County continues other tax services, including attorney tax.