Beach Use Permits – Special Events

couple on beachSpecial Events on St. Johns County Beaches

St. Johns County Beaches are 41.1 miles of coquina and white soft sandy beaches that are a great place to hold your special event.They make an ideal setting for many occasions and we welcome weddings, parties, sporting events, surf camps / lessons / contests, photography, beach clean ups, and other organized events.

In effort to keep our beaches well maintained, clean and safe, St. Johns County requires that all special events on our beaches have a Special Event Permit. The permit fees go directly back into preserving our beaches and keeping the public protected. For more information, visit the FAQs page, or call us at (904) 209-0752.

Be sure to familiarize yourself with our beaches and available amenities as well as the tides so you can be sure your event will be as perfect as possible. Click for more Beach and Pavilion information.

Getting Your Permit

4 Steps to Your Special Event Permit
1. Plan Go to Tides page to plan the time of day for your special event.
2: Complete

Weddings: Please visit our Online Reservation System to check availability, submit an application, and make a payment.
Beach Clean Ups: Please visit our Online Reservation System to check availability, submit and submit an application. A fee is not associated with this permit.

For all other types of events, please complete the appropriate application below and send to provided address for approval.

  • Minor Impact (under 200 participants)
  • Major Impact (over 200 participants)
  • Surf Camp

    If lessons / camps are held over multiple weeks, list all confirmed dates on one application. Each week will be issued a separate permit with a separate / additional permit fee. Fees are based on the total number of participants for each week. Please include the total amount of fees for each week listed on the application.
3: Fees
  • Weddings – $100.00 plus $6.00 tax
  • Photography – $50.00 plus $3.00 tax
  • Media Filming
    • Minor Impact – $250.00 plus $15.00 tax
    • Major Impact – $350.00 plus $21.00 tax
  • Sporting Events
    • Minor Impact – $200.00 plus $12.00 tax
    • Major Impact – $300.00 plus $18.00 tax
  • Other Events
    • Minor Impact – $50.00 plus $3.00 tax
    • Major Impact – $100.00 plus $6.00 tax
Application fees payable by cash or check to: St. Johns County
4: Receive Permit Please allow two weeks for processing from receipt of completed permit package. Incomplete applications may delay approval.


Helpful Information

  • FAQs
  • Familiarize yourself with Beach Rules and Regulations.
  • Balloon Release – St. Johns County Ordinance 2022-6  prohibits the release of helium, foil, mylar, biodegradable or photodegradable balloons and sky lanterns into the atmosphere. Their release are very impactful on the environment because the balloons inevitably deflate or the sky lanterns land creating litter and possibly causing animals to ingest or become entrapped.
  • Explore our Beach Access website to decide on the best beach for your event.
  • We allow beach driving on 16.3 miles of our 41.1 miles of coastline. Beach driving hours during sea turtle season May 1 – October 31 are from 8:00 am to 7:30 pm. There is a minimal fee to access beaches. Vehicles remaining on the beach after hours are subject to fines.
  • Events involving over 200 people require special approval from St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners, please plan accordingly as this may take up to 3 months for approval.
  • Depending on the nature of your organized activity your event may require special approval from County Commission and State agencies.
  • You must contact Anastasia State Park, City of St. Augustine Beach, Fort Matanzas National Monument, and Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTM Research Reserve) to hold special event on their property.

Need More Information?

Danielle Fountain
901 Pope Rd
St. Augustine, FL 32082
(904) 209-0752
dfountain@sjcfl.us