Sign Contractor ($5,000) Bond - City of Jacksonville, FL in Florida

Brief Summary

In Jacksonville the $5,000 sign bond is tied to the sign permit, not to a general business license. It has to be on file with the Building Inspection Division before the city will issue the permit, so having it ready keeps a sign job from stalling at the counter. You pay a premium instead of tying up $5,000 in cash.

The City of Jacksonville requires an applicant for a sign permit to file a $5,000 bond with the Building Inspection Division before the permit is issued. The only exception is a property owner applying for a sign that is not illuminated and is no larger than 32 square feet or taller than eight feet above the ground. The bond must be on a form approved by the Office of General Counsel and issued by a surety licensed to do business in Florida.

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How to Apply for a Sign Contractor ($5,000) Bond:

• Confirm you are not exempt: only a property owner with a non-illuminated sign of 32 square feet or less and 8 feet or less in height skips the bond.
• Get the current bond form approved by the Office of General Counsel from the Building Inspection Division.
• Provide the legal business name and owner details for the bond application.
• Pay the premium and receive the executed $5,000 bond.
• File the bond with the Building Inspection Division before the sign permit is issued.
• Submit sign permit plans through JAXEPICS with written permission from the property owner.

Detailed Information About the Florida Sign Contractor ($5,000) Bond:

Who has to file the bond

Jacksonville requires a permit for freestanding or ground signs, building wall signs and other sign types. Plans are submitted through the city's JAXEPICS portal by a licensed contractor or by the property owner. Under the Building Inspection Division's sign rules, an applicant for a sign permit must file a $5,000 bond with the division before the permit is issued.

The one exemption

The bond is waived only when the applicant is the property owner and the sign is not illuminated, does not exceed 32 square feet in area, and stands no more than eight feet above the ground. Any illuminated sign, any larger sign, and any permit pulled by a sign contractor on someone else's behalf requires the bond. Contractors sometimes assume a small sign is exempt. It is not when the contractor is the applicant.

Form and surety

The bond must be in a form approved by the city's Office of General Counsel and issued by a surety company licensed to do business in Florida. Ask the Building Inspection Division for the current approved form before the bond is issued so the wording matches what the city will accept.

Other rules that apply

The city's sign laws page points to several parts of the Ordinance Code that govern sign work, including Chapter 320 (Building Code), Chapter 325 (Electrical Installations), Chapter 326 (Signs and Outdoor Display Structures) and Part 13 of the Chapter 656 Zoning Code. Holding the bond does not replace the contractor license, the permit itself, or written permission from the property owner.

What the premium is based on

The surety sets the premium from the applicant's credit and business history. Strong credit usually means a lower rate. You pay the premium once per bond term and the $5,000 stays in your business.

Eligibility and Requirements for a Florida Sign Contractor ($5,000) Bond:

• Bond amount of $5,000.
• City of Jacksonville Building Inspection Division as the filing office.
• Form approved by the City of Jacksonville Office of General Counsel.
• Surety company licensed to do business in Florida.
• Licensed and registered contractor status, or property owner status, to apply for a sign permit.

Florida Sign Contractor ($5,000) Bond FAQs:

Official and Additional Resources for the Florida Sign Contractor ($5,000) Bond: