Do I need a permit for window or exterior door replacement in St. Augustine?
It depends. Whether window or exterior door replacement needs a permit in St. Augustine comes down to the details of your project.
Replacing windows or exterior doors, including garage doors, generally requires a permit in Florida even when the new unit is the same size, because the opening must meet current wind-load requirements. Each product must carry a valid Florida Product Approval, or a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance in High-Velocity Hurricane Zones. A few jurisdictions allow narrow same-size, glass-only exceptions.
Florida and local notes for St. Augustine
Like-for-like replacement usually does not waive the permit in Florida. The product approval must match the wind-load rating for your specific address. St. Johns County's own permitting office is the St. Johns County Building Department, reachable on (904) 827-6800 at https://www.sjcfl.us/departments/building-department/. Its online permit portal is https://webapp.sjcfl.us/WATSWebX/Permit/SearchPermit.aspx. It issues permits for the unincorporated county. If your city does not run its own building department, and many smaller Florida municipalities do not, this is the office that will handle the job. Replacement units need Florida Product Approval documentation, and whichever office serves your address will want the approval numbers with the application. St. Augustine lists windows and doors among the work that usually requires a permit, and its Doors and Windows permit type requires Florida Product Approval numbers. St. Augustine does not require a building permit for improvements under $7,500 on a single-family home (effective July 1, 2026), but only after the city approves an exemption request filed through a land development application with the contract or cost documents. Electrical, plumbing, mechanical, gas, structural work, and property in a flood hazard area still need permits at any cost, and starting without an approved exemption doubles the permit fees. Windows are listed as a historic exterior feature. In a Historic Preservation district, replacing them with a different design or material requires a Certificate of Demolition (Partial) through the Permit Portal.
Documents you may need
- Permit applicationLikely required
- Florida Product Approval or Miami-Dade NOA for each unitLikely required
- Window and door layout or opening scheduleSometimes required
- Notice of commencement (for work over the statutory value)Sometimes required
- Doors and Windows permit application through the Permit PortalLikely required
- Florida Product Approval numbersLikely required
- Certificate of Appropriateness or Certificate of Demolition (Partial) in a Historic Preservation districtSometimes required
Possible inspections
- In-progress fastening and flashing inspection
- Final inspection
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a permit for window or exterior door replacement in St. Augustine?
- It depends. Whether window or exterior door replacement needs a permit in St. Augustine 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. Augustine?
- The local building department for St. Augustine 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.