Building permits, zoning and land rules in Nassau County, Florida

Yes. Unincorporated Nassau County requires a building permit before repairs or new construction¹⁰. Like the counties around it in Florida, Nassau County requires a county building permit⁵. Exempt work is narrow: minor cosmetic repairs such as painting, flooring and drywall patching, replacing broken glass in an existing frame without changing its size or type, and temporary protective measures such as tarps or boarded windows; window and exterior-door replacements still need a permit¹. The Building Department enforces the Florida Building Code, adopted statewide in its 8th Edition (2023)^5,11. Fees depend on project value and capacity and are published in the county fee schedule, and a county tree fee applies to all new construction and is collected when the building permit is issued^1,12. Applications may be submitted electronically, by mail or in person¹³. An owner-builder may use Florida's contractor-license exemption but must personally appear and sign the application at the county office⁵. If the work does not match a listed exception, ask the Building Department before starting⁵.

The Nassau County Building Department, at 96161 Nassau Pl. in Yulee, handles building permits, plan review and inspections; call (904) 530-6250 or email permitting@nassaucountyfl.com⁵. Inspections must be scheduled online or by phone before 4 PM on the day before you want them, and any re-inspection fees must be paid first⁵. The Nassau County Planning Department works from the same address and interprets the Land Development Code and comprehensive plan; call (904) 530-6320 or email planning@nassaucountyfl.com¹⁴. For written verification of a parcel's zoning, Development Services accepts zoning-certification requests for a $42 fee per parcel and asks applicants to allow up to 14 days; call (904) 530-6249 or email zoningreview@nassaucountyfl.com¹⁵. Flood-zone questions go to Floodplain Management at 904-530-6410 or floodplaininfo@nassaucountyfl.com¹⁶. These contacts cover unincorporated land; incorporated municipalities may administer separate rules².

Yes. Nassau County's Land Development Code and zoning atlas apply to unincorporated land². The county publishes its zoning districts through the code and the GIS zoning atlas, but allowed uses and dimensional standards depend on the parcel's district². Setbacks, density and height are set by zoning designation⁷. Minimum lot and yard requirements are district-specific, and a proposed lot split must also meet density and frontage rules⁶. Inside Fernandina Beach, the city administers its own Land Development Code and zoning districts rather than the county's⁴. Septic stays with the health department even there: the city defers to State Department of Health septic approval¹⁷. For a parcel-specific answer, ask Planning to identify the district, or request a zoning certification letter^14,15. A large or rural-looking tract is not unrestricted: its district controls what can be built and where.

Septic permits and inspections in Nassau County go through the Florida Department of Health in Nassau County's Environmental Health section³. Nassau County is not among the 16 counties whose septic permitting moved to the state Department of Environmental Protection in January 2025³. Florida requires a permit for a new system and for covered replacement, repair, modification or abandonment work¹⁸. A drainfield that needs repair or replacement requires a septic repair permit first³. Before adding a room to a home, the existing system must be inspected to confirm it is large enough; garages, carports, exterior sheds and open or screened patios are excluded³. Owners may hire a private provider for inspections³. USDA survey data rates 0% of Nassau County soils as free of severe limitations for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system before fixing a house location or price¹⁹. If public sewer later becomes available, Florida generally requires a working septic system to connect within 365 days of written notice²⁰.

Nassau County prohibits using an RV or camper for living, sleeping or housekeeping on a residentially zoned lot or another location not approved for that use⁹. Designated RV campsites are the only locations the county identifies for an RV or camper stay⁹. Storage is different: recreational equipment may be parked in a required rear or side yard, and elsewhere on residential premises for up to 24 hours while loading or unloading⁹. We could not confirm a distinct county rule for tiny homes. A small dwelling still needs an allowed use, district setbacks and building permits^2,7,10. The accessory dwelling rule is the clearest path to a second small home: one accessory dwelling is allowed per single-family parcel in residential districts, up to 50% of the main home's square footage (garage excluded) and 800 square feet of footprint⁸. A detached unit needs a 6-foot setback, cannot sit in a required front yard and is limited to 25 feet in height⁸. An RV, mobile home, manufactured home or shed cannot serve as the unit, and renting it requires the main home to be the owner's homestead⁸. Association rules still apply⁸.

1. Ask Planning to confirm the zoning district, allowed use, lot size, setbacks and height^2,6,7.
2. If you plan to divide a tract, get Development Services approval first; a parent tract may be divided once, and further division is a subdivision⁶.
3. Check the flood zone; development in a FEMA special flood-hazard area needs a floodplain permit from the Building Department before construction¹.
4. Get a septic site evaluation and permit from the Florida Department of Health in Nassau County unless public sewer serves the lot^3,18.
5. Apply to the Building Department for the building permit, paying project-based fees; owner-builders appear in person and sign^1,5.
6. Get a driveway or drainage connection permit if the driveway crosses a public right-of-way²¹.
7. Complete the inspections, including the final inspection required on every permit²².
8. Obtain a certificate of occupancy before anyone uses or occupies the building²³.

Confirm the zoning district and its permitted uses, minimum lot size, frontage, setbacks and height before treating a parcel as buildable^2,6,7. Verify that the parcel's history supports any promised split: further division of a parent tract is a regulated subdivision, and approval is required before a building permit⁶. Check septic feasibility before choosing a house site, because 0% of Nassau County soils are rated free of severe limitations for a conventional drain field¹⁹. Ask Floodplain Management whether the site is in a special flood-hazard area; buildings there must set the lowest floor and service equipment at least 1 foot above base flood elevation^1,16. Any driveway or drainage connection across a public right-of-way requires a permit; the County Engineer sets pipe size and depth, driveways need at least 6 inches of reinforced concrete at 3,000 psi, and a permit is generally valid up to 12 months, extendable to 18²¹. Ask the Road Department which office issues it²⁴. Budget recurring costs: the effective property-tax rate is about 0.7%, the median annual property-tax bill is about $2,558, and the typical annual homeowner-insurance premium is about $2,306¹⁹.