St. Marks, FL Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

City of St. Marks. The city requires site plan approval before applicants submit permits to Wakulla County. The city has adopted the Wakulla County Building Code.

Department

City of St. Marks Building and Zoning

Address

32 Shell Island Rd, St. Marks, FL 32355

Phone

(850) 320-5220

Email

kgatewood@cityofstmarks.com

Website

https://www.cityofstmarks.com/departments/permits.php

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Prepare a completed city site plan application package with the property owner's original signature.
2. Include required materials: digital copy of site plan, completed application, deed and legal description, stormwater certification, transportation concurrency review application, two physical copies of site plan, and fees.
3. For simple projects (AC changeout, fill dirt, fences, reroofs), a Local Planning Board meeting is not required unless the City Manager or City Attorney determines otherwise.
4. For projects requiring a Local Planning Board meeting, submit the package at least 10 days before the meeting date.
5. After receiving the city approval letter, submit the building permit to Wakulla County for final permit issuance and county inspection processing.

Typical processing time: Site plan packages not requiring a Local Planning Board meeting typically take 2-4 business days if no additional administrative work is needed. Projects requiring a Local Planning Board meeting must be submitted at least 10 days before the meeting.

Source: City of St. Marks Building and Zoning

General Requirements

Property owners must obtain city site plan approval for improvements before submitting to the county for permit issuance.

Required Documents

• Completed application
• Property owner's original signature
• Digital copy of site plan
• Two physical copies of site plan
• Deed and legal description
• Stormwater certification
• Transportation concurrency review application
• Additional items may be required: wetland delineations, traffic studies, or drainage reports depending on project type and location

Permit validity

Not clearly identified from reviewed city pages.

Building code

Wakulla County Building Code

Owner-builder

Not identified from St. Marks public pages. County owner-builder rules apply once permit moves to Wakulla County.

Contractor requirements

Not clearly published by the city. County contractor registration requirements apply for the county-issued permit.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

Not clearly confirmed. The city references Resolution 2025-05 Building Permit Fees, but public link currently resolves to site plan application PDF.

Plan check fee

Not clearly confirmed.

Permit fee formula

Not clearly confirmed from public materials reviewed.

Payment note

City fees apply to the city site plan approval layer. County permit fees still apply once the permit moves to Wakulla County.

Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• AC changeout
• Fill dirt
• Fences
• Reroofs

Important: The city states that simple projects may not require a Local Planning Board meeting, but this does not mean they are exempt from city review or county permitting. Applicants must still obtain the required city approval letter and county permit determination.

Inspections

How to Schedule

Inspection hours

Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Typical inspection sequence: The city performs front-end site plan and zoning/flood review. Permit then proceeds to Wakulla County for permit issuance and county inspections.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Wakulla County Building Code
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Building and Zoning Page
• City Code of Ordinances
• FEMA Flood Map Portal
• Wakulla County Building Department
• License lookup guide: Florida Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: Florida Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
• Florida hub: Florida Contractor License & Permit Hub

Other cities in Wakulla County