Do I need a permit for shed or accessory structure in St. Petersburg?
It depends. Whether shed or accessory structure needs a permit in St. Petersburg comes down to the details of your project.
Florida has no statewide small-shed exemption. The widely repeated rule that a shed under 120 square feet needs no permit comes from the model International Codes, and Florida did not adopt it: section 105.2 of the Florida Building Code, Building exempts only specified gas, mechanical and plumbing work, with no category exempting detached accessory structures. Where a size threshold exists it is a local ordinance, and it genuinely differs, so ask your building department for the line that applies at your address. Any shed with electricity, plumbing or a permanent foundation needs a permit regardless of size, and zoning setbacks, flood zone rules and wind anchoring apply even when no building permit is required.
Florida and local notes for St. Petersburg
Pinellas County's own permitting office is the Building and Development Review Services Department, reachable on (727) 464-3888 at https://pinellas.gov/applying-for-a-building-permit/. Its online permit portal is https://aca-prod.accela.com/pinellas/default.aspx. It issues permits for the unincorporated county. If your city does not run its own building department, this is the office that will handle the job. Contractor licensing here is countywide, which is unusual. The Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board, established in 1973, regulates construction and home improvement contractors practicing in Pinellas County including all local municipalities, so whoever you hire needs to be licensed through it no matter which city you are in. Reach it on (727) 582-3100 or pcclb@pinellas.gov, 440 Court St, 1st Floor, Clearwater. St. Petersburg follows the Florida Building Code exemption for a small one-story detached tool or storage shed serving a single-family home, but a larger shed needs a building permit; confirm the current size limit on the city's List of Exempted Permits before you rely on it. Even an exempt shed must still meet St. Petersburg zoning setbacks and lot-coverage limits, and it must be anchored for wind loads in this wind-borne debris region. In the Special Flood Hazard Area an accessory structure has additional floodplain requirements, and running electric or plumbing to any shed requires its own permit regardless of the shed size.
Documents you may need
- Permit applicationLikely required
- Site plan showing setbacksLikely required
- Structure dimensions or manufacturer drawingsSometimes required
- Anchoring or tie-down detailsSometimes required
- Permit or zoning applicationLikely required
- Site plan showing setbacks and distance to lot linesLikely required
- Anchoring or tie-down details for wind loadSometimes required
- Contractor license number issued or recognised by the countyLikely required
- Building permit application through the City of St. Petersburg ePlan Review portal for a shed above the exempt sizeSometimes required
- Site plan showing the structure location, setbacks, and lot coverageLikely required
- Foundation, anchoring, and wind-load details for larger accessory structures (wind-borne debris region)Sometimes required
- Separate electrical or plumbing permit if power or water is run to the shedSometimes required
Possible inspections
- Foundation or slab inspection
- Framing and anchoring inspection
- Final inspection
- Setback / foundation or anchoring inspection (when a permit is required)
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a permit for shed or accessory structure in St. Petersburg?
- It depends. Whether shed or accessory structure needs a permit in St. Petersburg comes down to the details of your project. The documents and inspections sections on this page list what the building department typically asks for.
- Who issues the permit in St. Petersburg?
- The local building department for St. Petersburg handles permitting. This page lists its contact details and online portal. Your mailing city is not always the permitting authority, so confirm the jurisdiction before you apply.
- How do I find out the exact requirements for my project?
- Run the free PermitRoadmap check for your specific project and answers. It returns the likely permits, documents, inspections, and next steps, each linked to its official source.
PermitRoadmap is an independent informational service and is not affiliated with any city, county, state agency, or permitting authority. Results are informational and do not replace confirming requirements with the local permitting authority.