Frequently Asked Questions

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Per Florida Building Code (102.2), a permit shall apply to the construction, erection, alteration, modification, repair, equipment, use and occupancy, location, maintenance, removal and demolition of every public and private building, structure or facility or floating residential structure, or any appurtenances connected or attached to such buildings, structures, or facilities. For slightly more specific project types, please review our When do I need a Building Permit? (PDF) document. If you are unsure whether you need a permit, you can contact us at 904-297-7050 or email the Building Division.

Note: Green Cove Springs does require fence permits.

• The Florida Building Code (101.3) states that the "code is to establish the minimum requirements to safeguard the public health, safety and general welfare through structural strength... and to provide safety to firefighters and emergency responders during emergency operations".
• If you do not obtain a building permit, building and/or Code Enforcement will issue a stop work order. An 'after the fact' permit will be charged double. If no action is taken, a Notice of Violation will be issued and could result in further fees.

• A permit can be pulled by a licensed contractor or a homeowner that resides at the property.
• A landlord/owner, who does not reside at the home, is not authorized to pull a permit. In order to receive an exemption to Chapter 489 of the Florida Statutes, which requires the use of a licensed contractor to do the work, the residence must be for the use and occupancy of the homeowner only. It may not be built for sale or lease.
• Any applicant that is within a Homeowner's Association (HOA) must obtain the HOA approval before applying for a permit.

Application requirements vary by permit, but in general you will need the Building Permit Application, Land Development Regulations (LDR) Compliance Application, and construction plans and/or product specifications for what you are doing. You may also need a survey of your property, Notice of Commencement, or the Owner/Builder Disclosure Statement. All of the necessary applications are on our Building Applications page.

When a permit is issued, it is considered in full force and effect until such time as the work covered thereby is complete. However, if work covered by such permit has not been completed within 180 calendar days (6 months) from the date of issuance of such permit, or has been commenced and then suspended or abandoned for a period of 180 calendar days from the date of the most recent inspection, such permit shall terminate/expire and become null and void. In order to prevent a permit from expiring, work should be completed in a timely manner and inspections scheduled as required.

You can search an address on the Clay County Property Appraiser's website. When the results come up, look at the tax jurisdiction. If it says "002," you are within the city limits and should pull a building permit with us. If it says "001," you are in Clay County's jurisdiction and should pull a permit with them.

Always select a licensed contractor. Ask for and check references. You can "Verify a License" by license holder name or by license number on the state website. This website will also give you the option of checking for state complaints.

To register as a contractor with the City of Green Cove Springs, please email the following items to the Building Division:

• Clear copy of your state license
• General Liability
• Workers' Compensation Insurance or Exemption
• Contact information for the contractor and/or the company

The General Liability and Workers Compensation Insurances should list the City of Green Cove Springs as a certificate holder with the following address:
City of Green Cove Springs
Building Division
321 Walnut Street
Green Cove Springs, FL 32043

There are a series of applications and requirements to complete when installing solar panels. We encourage customers to call our office at 904-297-7500, ext. 3315, so that we can help you understand the process as well as the range of credits you can expect from your investment.

Solar panels only generate energy when the sun is out, so backup generation is necessary for power at night and on cloudy days. To get power from the utility, and to allow for the sale of excess solar power generated by rooftop panels, customers must be connected to the electric grid.

All customers connected to the electric grid receive a bill from the utility. All customers will pay a monthly service charge (base rate) and energy charges. Depending on the net metering credit and amount of energy used from the electric grid, customers could owe a small amount on their monthly bill. These costs are necessary to ensure the electric grid is reliable and resilient for all customers.

Customers who install solar panels on their roofs can sell the excess solar energy not used at their home. Using advanced metering, the energy from the panels that is fed back into the city's electric grid can be measured. Customers then are paid a credit for the excess energy through what is commonly called net metering.

If Customer has executed a net metering interconnection agreement with GCS Electric after June 1, 2021 or does not otherwise qualify for the credit provided, the credit from BCS Electric shall be the "ARP $/kWh Renewable Generation Credit Rate," plus $0.02/kWh. The "ARP $/kWh Renewable Generation Credit Rate" is determined by FMPA and is equal to the quarterly average of the FMPA All Requirements Power Supply Project energy rate, updated each April 1, July 1, October 1, and January 1. 

Renewable Generation Credit Rate (PDF)

When the power goes out, most home solar installations are designed to shut down to stop them from feeding power back into the electric grid and possibly injuring lineworkers, who go out to restore power. Most solar panels and systems are designed to withstand high winds, heavy rain and hail and are secured to your roof to hold during hurricanes. In most instances where wind causes damage to solar panels, failures occur due to weaknesses in the racking system or in the roof that your panels are mounted to or from flying debris.

All Solar Customers are billed on the 15th of each month with a due date of the 30th of each month. Existing Green Cove Springs electric Customers will be moved to this billing cycle once the Solar meter has been installed by the Green Cove Springs Electric Department.

The City of Green Cove Springs is not responsible for any tax credit or bonus discussed between the customer and the Solar Company.  

The City does not promise same-day service; however, we will make every attempt to see that our customer's request to start, stop or transfer service is handled as efficiently as possible. Please note a few exceptions:

• If the location of your request service has been off for six months or longer a Safety Inspection must be ordered by the owner of the property and service will not be given until the property passes the safety inspection.
• If your home or business is a new service point, it may take longer.

Here are the only reasons, allowed by Florida law under F.S. 1119.071, we ask for your social security number:

• Customer identification and verification
• Data Collection
• Payroll and benefit processing
• Cross-referencing utility accounts
• Bad debt reporting

Here are the only reasons, allowed by Florida law under F.S. 1119.071, we ask for your social security number:

• Customer identification and verification
• Data Collection
• Payroll and benefit processing
• Cross-referencing utility accounts
• Bad debt reporting

Police reports can be obtained at the front desk Monday through Thursday, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, or by mail by sending a postage-paid self-addressed envelope and proper payment. A charge of $3 is assessed for accident and incident reports. Make checks payable to: City of Green Cove Springs.

Persons needing fingerprinting may contact the Clay County Sheriff's Office at 904-284-7575.

The Green Cove Springs Police Department does not solicit money for the department and our police officers will never make solicitations over the telephone. There are some law enforcement-related agencies such as the Fraternal Order of Police that solicit donations, but they are not police officers, nor does the money directly benefit local law enforcement in our community. However, some of the money does help support the sponsorship of legislation concerning law enforcement. If the organization is legitimate, they will give you this information and then you can decide whether you want to make a donation. It's also a good idea to ask for a financial statement or budget before making a decision about whether to donate to the organization.

A clearance letter is basically a background check. It is sometimes referred to as a letter of good conduct. It can be done at any Clay County Sheriff substation. The full name, date of birth, race, sex and social security number of the persons who needs the clearance must be provided. The charge is $5 (cash, money order or company check only). A letter will be provided stating either "no local record" or "record". If the subject has a local record, a printout of the arrest history will be attached.

The Clay County Sheriff's Office is responsible for keeping all warrants, regardless of which agency requested to warrant. To contact the Sheriff's Office, call 904-284-7575.

The Clay County Jail is run by the Clay County Sheriff's Office. After we arrest someone, they are held for a brief period of time and then transported to the Clay County Jail. Once they are booked into the jail, the Sheriff's Office is responsible for tracking information about the person. To find out if someone is in jail or what their bond is, call the jail at 904-284-7575.

The only reports available online are Traffic Crash Reports. There is a link on the sidebar to the Traffic Crash Report page under the Information section. All other types of reports are not available at the present time, but you can email a request to Ms. Scott and it will be waiting for pick up at the Police Department after 72 hours.

You may contact our Dispatch Center at 904-297-7300 or 904-529-2220. If the officer is working, you should receive a call from the officer shortly. If the officer is off-duty when you call, you may also find out when the officer returns to duty. The officer should contact you after returning to duty.

Officers can help, as we now carry special tools to gain entry into most locked vehicles.  Prior to attempting to open your vehicle, the registered owner will need to sign a liability waiver.  

Remove your vehicle from obstructing traffic if possible; this is required by law. Call 911 and give all of the information to the dispatcher. If there are witnesses to the traffic crash, try to get them to remain until police arrive.

If there is a traffic light out, call the Police Department at 904-297-7300 or 904-529-2220. The Police Department will contact Signal Maintenance to have the problem corrected immediately.

Window Tinting: the driver's side and passenger's side front windows must be at 28% visibility or higher. Rear windows must be 15% visibility or higher. (As defined in F.S.S. 316.2953 and 316.5954). Neon lighting is illegal as it obscures normal traffic view. (As defined in F.S.S. 316.241)

If you suspect abuse you can report it to the police or the abuse hotline at 1-800-96-ABUSE (22873). Find more information about the abuse hotline.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has this information available on their website. You can also see the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Sexual Offender site.

The front occupants of a motorized vehicle must wear their seatbelt (As defined in F.S.S. 316.614).  All children through the age of 5 must use a crash tested federally approved child restraint device. Children through the age of 3 must be in a separate carrier or vehicle manufactured integrated child seat (As defined in F.S.S. 316.613).

Receiving dispatchers are trained to try to get as much information as possible. They are trying to determine 1) the nature of the problem; 2) which agency(s) must respond; 3) if an ongoing threat or hazard remains; and 4) how serious a remaining threat or hazard may be. On emergency calls, the dispatcher has already sent the information to the responding officer while asking additional questions.

Yes, bicycles are defined as vehicles and must adhere to the same laws as other vehicles, including stopping at stop signs, signaling turns, and having lights on after dark. In addition, riders under the age of 16 are required to wear safety helmets.

Yes, as long as the violation occurred in Green Cove Springs, and as long as the officer was in fresh pursuit, the stop can occur anywhere.

RADAR and LIDAR detectors are legal for use in Florida, but RADAR jammers are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and are not legal anywhere in the U.S. In order for a detector to alert to the presence of a LIDAR beam, the beam must actually strike the detector. Since the beam is very narrow, it is very likely that an officer can "clock" your speed without any alert from your detector.

If you are cited, you have the option of pleading not guilty and requesting a trial. The officer will appear and present evidence on behalf of the State, including testimony about what he or she observed. 

Information concerning evictions can be obtained at the Clay County Clerk of Courts site.

The Police Department depends on citizens calling to report crimes or suspicious activity. The receiving dispatcher who takes your call will ask questions about the activity to determine its nature and ask for descriptions of the people involved. You will be asked for your name and address but you may refuse this information and we will still respond to the report.

The police tow only those vehicles that are abandoned on public property. Call a wrecker service in your area and the vehicle will be towed away at no cost to you. The wrecker service will notify the Police Department once they have the vehicle to determine ownership.

The Police Department dispatch center does not have the names of persons involved in accidents available until later when accident reports are turned in. If a person is injured in an accident and unable to call themselves, we will notify their family. The Florida Highway Patrol maintains a live internet feed of all accidents across the state. 

No, you may make a missing person report whenever you realize someone is missing.

The Police Department will respond 24 hours a day, seven days a week to any request for police assistance.

Police officers cannot provide rides.

The Police Department can only deliver emergency, life-or-death messages.

The Green Cove Springs Police Department cannot provide that information to the public.

You can check the status of your driver’s license on the Division of Motor Vehicles website. 

To apply for or renew a driver's license, visit the Clay County Tax Collector Office website or contact them at 904-269-6320 for more information.

The Driver's License Office is under the Clay County Tax Collector. For more information, visit the Clay County Tax Collector website or contact them at 904-269-6320. 

The office is in the Clay County Administration Building located at 477 Houston Street, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043. 

You can stop by the police station and request a "House Watch" form, and we will pass the information on to the officers that patrol your neighborhood. While we cannot "watch" your house, an officer will check it several times during the day and night.

Call the Clay County Tax Collector's office at 904-284-6320 or visit their website.

Contact the Clay County Clerk of Courts at 904-284-6317.

Contact Public Works during business hours at 904-297-7500, ext. 2213.

You must call for an appointment with the Evidence Custodian. That can be done through dispatch at 904-297-7300 or 904-529-2220.

Our Detectives work to prepare cases that will carry the required burden of proof for a conviction in a criminal case. This means that they will gather a great deal of evidence, which often must be analyzed in a laboratory. Unlike depictions in popular television shows and movies, lab analysis can take weeks or even months to complete. In addition, they often must locate and interview witnesses or suspects who have moved or changed employment. Our investigations are thorough, and a thorough investigation takes time.

We can provide you with any public records we may have in our custody, such as police reports or dispatch logs. We cannot, however, run criminal history or driver's license checks for any purpose other than an official police investigation. Doing so would violate a confidentiality agreement we have with the State of Florida, and it could result in termination of that agreement.

The Department of Homeland Security has advised that members of terrorist organizations may pose as police officers or other public safety professionals in order to more easily gain access to restricted areas. For this reason, we do not give out patches.

When your tag is stolen a police report is required. If you know where the tag was stolen the report should be filed with the agency in that jurisdiction. If you are uncertain where the tag was stolen, notify the agency having jurisdiction where the tag is registered. The law does not allow for a home-made paper tag to replace the lost or stolen tag in the interim of obtaining a replacement. A vehicle without a tag cannot be driven on public streets nor can a tag from another vehicle be used. Using the tag from another vehicle is a criminal violation. The vehicle should not be driven until the replacement tag is obtained and attached.

No, there are no points assessed on the Notice of Violation.

No, look for the website listed on the top right of the Notice of Violation (NOV). There you will also find the Notice of Violation Number and PIN Number . After you go to the website input the NOV Number and the PIN Number and then go to the bottom of the page. You will find a green Pay Now button. Select it and follow the instructions.

No, the Florida Statute (316.0083) that governs the cameras does not allow for an extension of time.

The current average time from the date of application to hiring takes approximately 2.5 to 3 months for both sworn law enforcement and civilian positions at the Police Department.  

The stormwater base fee, implemented in 2012, is to pay for stormwater department employees and day to day operations, which include street sweeping and cleaning/maintaining stormwater pipes and drains. The stormwater user fee is to fund capital improvement projects for the utility. These projects range from replacement of failing or failed stormwater pipes and drains to installing new stormwater pipe and drainage systems within city limits.  

In 2012 Stormwater was designated as a separate utility with dedicated funds—like City Water and Electric Utility—with the implementation of the base fee as a funding source for maintenance and operation of the already existing stormwater system. Prior to the implementation of the base fee, maintenance and repairs of the stormwater system were paid through Ad Valorem taxes. 

The stormwater user fee was implemented in 2020 as a dedicated funding source for stormwater capital improvement projects. 

The base fee has not increased from $3.50 since 2015, and cost of operations, employee salary, and fuel has gone up since. Now, the City needs to replace a stormwater utility Vac-Con truck bought in 2008. The increase in base fees will also help pay for annual payments for financing the purchase of a new truck. 

When the user fee was established in 2020 it was to finance $750,000 worth of capital improvements annually. For the fee to reach that amount every year, the user fee was recommended to be $250 per ESU (Equivalent Stormwater Unit) annually or $20.83 per month. However, the rate was adopted at $125 annually or $10.42 per month--half of what was needed to fund capital projects--because City Council at the time did not want to overburden residents with a high fee at the very start of implementation. Due to the current economic climate with inflation and supply chain issues, the cost of capital projects has almost doubled such that the annual need is now an average of $1.35 million per year for stormwater capital projects. To fully fund these projects, the fee per ESU would need to be approximately $500 annually or $41.67 per month. City Council voted to increase to $300 per ESU annually, or $25 per month, to balance giving stormwater capital improvement projects a boost in funding while not overburdening residents with an extremely high fee increase.  

At the current rate of $3.50 the base fee has struggled to pay for department employees and day to day operations since it was implemented in 2012. 

The User fee has only been collected in FY 2021 and FY 2022 – two years—and has primarily been reserved to fund the West Street project. However, we have used a portion of the user fees to complete emergency repairs on Olive Street, West Street, and Bonaventure Avenue as well as to design improvements on Julia Street. 

The base fee increase will continue to pay for employees, day to day operations, and a new stormwater utility Vac-Con truck. 

The user fee increase, in combination with addition sources of financing, will help the City complete more stormwater capital improvement projects faster. Below is the breakdown of the next ten years of stormwater capital improvement projects scheduled by priority. These projects are separated by City Budget Fiscal Year (October 1 – September 30). 

Fiscal Year 2024

West Street Drainage Project: Replacing stormwater pipes and sidewalk along West Street from Walnut Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Anticipated to be complete in FY 2024 with a total cost of $2.2 million, with $333, 000 funded by Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Small Cities Development Block Grant Program. 

Fiscal Year 2025

Julia Street Stormwater Project: Upgrading stormwater systems and replacing pipes along Julia Street from Sunset Avenue to the end of the street at Governors Creek. Anticipated to begin construction in FY 2025 with an estimated construction cost of $1 million. 

Park and Bayard Drainage Project: Replacing failing pipes and inlets along St. Johns Avenue and Bayard Street including installation of a new headwall at the end of the Bayard Street right-of-way at the St. Johns River. Anticipated to begin construction in FY 2025 with an estimated construction cost of $700,000. A $318,000 grant is included in that cost. 

Fiscal year 2026

Clay Street Storm Basin Project: Replacing stormwater pipes and repairing river bulkhead along Clay Street from Magnolia Avenue to the St. Johns River as well as connecting streets. Anticipated to begin construction in FY 2026 with cost of construction is $2 million. 

Fiscal Year 2027

Ferris Street Storm Basin Project: Replacing stormwater pipes along Ferris Street and connecting streets. Anticipated total of design and construction is $275,000. 

Roberts Street Project: Replacing stormwater pipe and drainage structures. Anticipated total cost of design and construction is $400,000. 

Cove Subdivision Pipe Lining Project: Lining stormwater pipes to extend the life of current pipe system. Anticipated design and construction cost total is $1.2 million. 

Fiscal Year 2028 & 2029

Highland and Oakridge Stormwater Project: Installing new stormwater piping and stormwater pond on Highland and Oakridge from Walnut Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Anticipated to be complete over the course of FY 2028 and FY 2029 with anticipated design and construction cost total at $3.5 million. 

Fiscal Year 2030

Esplanade Avenue Stormwater Project: Replacing stormwater pipe along Esplanade Avenue. Anticipated cost of design and construction total is $850,000

South Highland Avenue Project: Upgrading stormwater systems with anticipated total cost of design and construction at $800,000. 

Fiscal Year 2031

Walnut Street and Vermont Avenue Project: Installing new stormwater piping and pond at an anticipated total cost of design and construction at $1 million. 

Fiscal Year 2032

Vermont Avenue South Project: Upgrading stormwater systems with an anticipated total cost of design and construction at $1.1 million. 

Gum Street Headwall Improvements: Anticipated total cost of design and construction is $70,000

Fiscal Year 2033

Lewis Street Headwall Project: Constructing new headwall with anticipated total cost of design and construction at $300,000 

Elmore Street Headwall Project: Constructing new headwall with anticipated total cost of design and construction at $300,000

We evaluate the rates of all our utilities every year, and only recommend increases as needed to support the operation of that utility. We will also continue to pursue every grant that we can to help offset future increases.