Nassau Put Permits Online. Some Owner-Builders Still Have to Show Up in Yulee.
The county says its online permit portal is live. Its Building Department still tells some owner-builders to sign in person at the Yulee office.
Submitting paperwork online does not, by itself, remove the county’s stated in-person step for owner-builders applying under the contractor-license exemption. Check the instructions before planning a project around an entirely online process.
Nassau County announced October 12 that its new Accela permit portal is live. The county says users can create an account to apply for permits, pay fees, track applications, schedule inspections and print approved documents. Its Building Department page links to the portal.
For people handling a project themselves, “online” may still include a drive to Yulee. The county’s Building Department page, checked October 13, says owners applying under the owner-builder contractor-license exemption must personally appear and sign the building permit application at its office, 96161 Nassau Place. That instruction remains on the same page that promotes the new portal.
The distinction matters if you are arranging work around a job or a long drive: the announced portal does not, by itself, remove the county’s posted in-person requirement for affected owner-builders. The Building Department says it handles construction permits in unincorporated Nassau County. This article does not describe Fernandina Beach city permitting. County Building Department
The county has announced the portal’s launch. We have not independently completed an application or payment, or verified that every advertised feature works for every permit type. Before starting an owner-builder application, check the county’s instructions or call the Building Department at 904-530-6250 to confirm which steps require a visit.
What remains unanswered
- Does the in-person rule apply to every owner-builder permit type under the cited exemption?
- Can any part of the identity and signature step be completed remotely?
- How were applications already in progress handled during the transition?
Sources
- Nassau County, “New Online Permitting System is Live!”, October 12, 2026.
- Nassau County Building Department, owner-builder notice, service area, address and contact information; checked October 13, 2026.
Updated October 13 to reflect the county’s launch announcement and current owner-builder instructions. The earlier October 9 report described the portal as forthcoming. The county’s announcement is not independent verification of every portal feature. Send a correction through our corrections page.