St. Johns County, FL Parking Rules: Loading Zones (2026)
Key Facts
- Under 8,000 sq ft
- 1 loading berth required
- 100,000+ sq ft
- 5 loading berths required
- Hotel/motel formula
- 1 berth per 100,000 sq ft, max 5
- Minimum space size
- 12 ft wide, 16 ft clearance
- Minimum length
- 30 ft local, 60 ft semitrailer
- Prohibited use
- No storage or parking substitution
- Enforcement
- County Administrator, LDC Sec. 10.05.01
Summary
St. Johns County requires every industrial, commercial or hotel/motel use in the unincorporated county to build on-site loading berths sized to its square footage, from one berth under 8,000 square feet up to five berths over 100,000. Loading space cannot double as parking or storage.
K. Off-Street Loading Space, Required 1. Every Use requiring the receipt or distribution, by Vehicles, of materials and merchandise shall have one or more loading berths or other space for standing, loading and unloading on the same or adjoining premises in accordance with the requirements of the table below ... Loading spaces ... shall not be used for the storage of Vehicles or materials, or to meet off-street parking requirements, or in conducting the Use. ... Off-Street Loading Requirements: ... Industrial and commercial Uses as follow, Minimum number of loading berths required: Under 8,000 square feet, 1 berth; 8,000 - 25,000 square feet, 2 berths; 25,000 - 50,000 square feet, 3 berths; 50,000 - 100,000 square feet, 4 berths; 100,000 - Over square feet, 5 berths. L. ... 5. ... Each required Off-Street Loading Space shall have a minimum width of twelve (12) feet and a minimum vertical clearance of sixteen (16) feet above finished grade of the space. The length shall be a minimum thirty (30) feet for local delivery and sixty (60) feet for semitrailers.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Under LDC Sec. K, any use in unincorporated St. Johns County that receives or distributes materials or merchandise by vehicle must provide loading berths on the same or an adjoining lot, sized by the table in the Code: 1 berth under 8,000 square feet of floor area, 2 berths from 8,000-25,000, 3 berths from 25,000-50,000, 4 berths from 50,000-100,000, and 5 berths above 100,000 square feet. Hotel and motel uses get their own line: one loading berth per 100,000 square feet of floor area, capped at five berths regardless of size.
If a proposed use is not listed in the table, the County Administrator sets the number of required spaces using accepted traffic-engineering practice (Sec. 3). 2). Loading spaces themselves are tightly restricted in use: Sec. 1 bars using them to store vehicles or materials, or to satisfy the site's off-street parking requirement. Design standards sit in Sec. L: each space must let a WB-50 semi-trailer maneuver into and out of the space in one continuous backing movement entirely on-site, observe the same street and interior setbacks required for structures, and be surfaced in all-weather material kept safe and sanitary. 5). 4).
Violations & Fines
Growth Management's County Administrator enforces the Part 6.05.00 loading standards under the countywide enforcement chapter, LDC Sec. 10.05.01. A violator first gets written notice under Chapter 162, F.S., describing the deficiency and the corrective action required. If it isn't fixed in the stated time, the county may prosecute the violation as a misdemeanor under Section 125.69, F.S., or pursue it through the Chapter 162 citation process established by County Ordinance 94-36. Each day the violation continues after notice is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many loading spaces does a commercial building need in St. Johns County?
Can I park cars or store equipment in a required loading space?
What size must a loading berth be?
What happens if a business skips required loading spaces?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Johns County
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