Building a house in Nassau County.
Start with your parcel, the right permitting office and plans coordinated for the actual site.
County building services generally start with unincorporated-area routing. A city mailing address does not establish whether your parcel is inside municipal limits.
Ask about plans for your lot →Find the right office in Nassau County
Office routing verified
County building-permit resource. Confirm whether the parcel is unincorporated or served under a municipal agreement before applying.
Building / permitting service ↗
Routing reviewed 2026-11-03. Confirm the parcel and current application requirements with the office.
Sources for this routing
- Source 1 ↗ — Official building/permitting service information
A locally reviewed residential checklist is still pending. The steps below explain planning questions; they do not assert this county requires every document.
Incorporated cities, towns and villages
From land to a coordinated permit package
This is a planning sequence, not a parcel-specific list of mandatory reports. Your permitting office and responsible design professionals confirm what applies.
Confirm the parcel and the permitting office
Use the parcel ID and municipal boundary map to establish whether your property is within a city or in an unincorporated area. A mailing address or ZIP code alone is not the jurisdiction. Ask who handles building, zoning, floodplain and environmental review; these may be different offices.
Check whether your intended home can fit
Ask zoning about permitted use, setbacks, access, easements, lot coverage and any overlay restrictions. Check utility availability and whether septic or a well needs separate approval. Do this before committing to a plan or land-clearing scope.
Get the survey information the site needs
Confirm the required boundary survey, topographic or spot-elevation information and tree inventory. These answer different questions: property limits, ground levels and trees cannot be substituted for one another. Ask which documents need a surveyor’s certification.
Review flood risk, wetlands and drainage
Start with FEMA mapping and the local floodplain office. Ask about flood zone, base flood elevation where established, required finished-floor elevation and drainage. Wetland map screening is a starting point; a site-specific determination may still be needed. Bringing in fill is not automatically an acceptable solution.
Review trees, soils and protected habitat
Ask the relevant offices and design professionals whether an arbor permit, tree survey, geotechnical investigation, wetland assessment or protected-species survey applies to your project. The answer depends on the site and proposed disturbance; not every report is required for every lot.
Coordinate the blueprints with the actual site
Have the responsible Florida design professionals confirm the applicable code edition, wind design criteria, structural system and foundation. Ask the permitting office which sheets must be signed and sealed and by whom. A concept or a plan stamped for another site is not automatically a permit-ready set for your address.
Prepare the site plan and supporting package
Coordinate the proposed building footprint, setbacks, driveway, utilities, septic or well if applicable, elevations, drainage and protected areas. Confirm which energy, mechanical, truss, product-approval and other discipline documents belong in your submission.
Submit, respond and keep approved records
Use the correct department’s current application and submission portal. Track review comments and revised documents. Building, clearing, demolition and environmental approvals may follow separate paths. Do not treat a submitted application or a design rendering as permission to begin work.
Start with primary sources
FEMA Flood Map Service Center ↗
ASCE site hazard lookup guidance ↗
Florida DEP wetland evaluation and delineation ↗
Your next step
Have a lot or a house idea?
Tell PlanSet what you want to build and where. We can help scope house plans, site coordination and the supporting services your project may need. You approve the scope and price before paid work begins.
Helpful details: city or county, whether you already own the lot, your survey status and a plan or inspiration link. It’s okay if you don’t know yet.