The Northeast Florida relocation guide: moving to Jacksonville, step by step

Moving here for a new job means a hundred small decisions in a few short weeks. Where to live, whether to rent or buy, which office handles your driver license, what hurricane season actually asks of you. I moved to Jacksonville myself in 2020, and I spent more than 17 years in student housing operations, so I've watched a lot of people move into a new place. This guide is the version I'd hand a friend.

One note before we start. I'm a REALTOR®, not an attorney, tax advisor, lender or insurance agent. I'll explain how things work and link the official source for every rule, but confirm the details for your own situation with the licensed professional who handles that piece.

Who this guide is for

This page covers what everyone moving to Northeast Florida needs. If your move is tied to a specific kind of work, there's a chapter for you too:

• Medical residents, fellows, nurses and clinicians moving for Mayo Clinic, UF Health, Baptist Health, Ascension St. Vincent's, HCA Florida or another hospital here.
• Professional athletes and the people who move with them.
• Golf professionals coming to the Ponte Vedra area.
• UNF students and parents sorting out housing near campus.

Each chapter stands on its own, so read the one that fits and come back here for the basics.

The lay of the land: four counties, one big city

Most people say "Jacksonville" when they mean the whole region. In practice you'll be choosing a county, and the county sets your property appraiser, your tax rates and your school district. In Florida, each county is its own school district (Florida Statutes 1001.30).

Duval County and the consolidated city

In 1968, the governments of Duval County and the City of Jacksonville consolidated. Four communities, Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, Atlantic Beach and the City of Baldwin, kept their own governments (City of Jacksonville Beach). So if you live in San Marco, Riverside, Mandarin or Deerwood, your city government and your county government are the same one. If you live in Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach or Neptune Beach, you have a separate city government as well.

The Jacksonville page is the starting point for Duval, and it links out to neighborhoods like Avondale, Ortega, Southside, Bartram Park and the Northside.

St. Johns County

St. Johns has its own county government, its own property appraiser (St. Johns County Property Appraiser) and the St. Johns County School District. On this site that's Ponte Vedra Beach, Nocatee and its villages like Twenty Mile, Coastal Oaks and Greenleaf, plus St. Augustine and the wider St. Johns area, including SilverLeaf.

Clay County

Clay is a separate county too, served by Clay County District Schools. On this site, my Clay page is Orange Park. Baptist Medical Center Clay is on Baptist Clay Drive in Fleming Island (Baptist Health).

Nassau County

Nassau County sits in Northeast Florida along the Georgia border. It includes Amelia Island and historic Fernandina Beach on the coast, with the towns of Callahan and Hilliard to the west (Nassau County Economic Development Board). I don't have community pages for Nassau yet, but the tax and settling in steps below apply there the same way.

The river and the beaches

The St. Johns River shapes everything here. It runs about 310 miles and flows north, meeting the Atlantic at Mayport (St. Johns River Water Management District). A lot of daily life comes down to which side of the river you're on and which bridge you'll cross. East of the Intracoastal you reach Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach and Jacksonville Beach, and Ponte Vedra Beach sits just south in St. Johns County. Beaches Energy Services, the utility for much of that area, serves Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, Palm Valley and Neptune Beach (Beaches Energy Services).

What housing costs, and whether to rent first

I don't put prices in this guide on purpose, because they'd be stale in a month. My market report is updated with current listing data for Duval, St. Johns and Clay, including prices and days on market. For a single home, the monthly cost calculator adds property tax, insurance and HOA or CDD fees to the mortgage payment, and the closing cost calculator estimates cash to close.

Should you rent first? Sometimes, yes. I'd lean toward a lease if:

• You haven't driven the area at the hours you'll actually be on the road.
• Your job could move you between offices or campuses in the first year.
• You're not sure how long you'll stay.
• You'd be shopping for a house and starting a job in the same month.

Buying right away can make sense when you already know the area, your work location is settled and your numbers work. Talk to a licensed loan officer early, because your offer letter, start date and savings all affect timing. If you're starting from scratch, my home buying game plan walks through it, and buying a home in Florida covers the parts that are different here.

Renting? Check the flood zone of any address before you sign, and ask about renters insurance. Renters buy their own policy, often called an HO-4, because the landlord's insurance doesn't cover your belongings (Florida OIR).

Florida taxes for new residents

No state personal income tax

Florida doesn't impose a personal income tax, so there's no state personal income tax return to file (Florida Department of Revenue). Federal income tax still applies, of course. Ask your tax advisor how your move year is handled for the state you're leaving.

Property taxes and the homestead exemption

Property taxes still apply, so look at them closely. If you buy a home and make it your permanent residence, you may qualify for a homestead exemption. As of October 2026, the first $25,000 applies to all property taxes, and a second exemption, adjusted for inflation to $26,411 for 2026, applies to non school taxes on assessed value above $50,000. Together that's up to $51,411 (Florida Department of Revenue; Section 196.031, Florida Statutes).

Two dates control it:

• January 1. You need to hold title and make the home your permanent residence on January 1 (Section 196.031). Close in June, and the January 1 that counts is the next one.
• March 1. You file with the county property appraiser on or before March 1 (Section 196.011, Florida Statutes). Duval homeowners can file online with the Duval County Property Appraiser.

Save Our Homes, and why the seller's tax bill isn't yours

Once a home has homestead, its assessed value can't rise each year by more than 3 percent or the change in the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower (Section 193.155, Florida Statutes). That cap is called Save Our Homes. After a sale, though, the property is assessed at just value as of January 1 of the following year (Section 193.155).

In plain terms, a seller who has owned for years may be paying far less than you will. Don't budget from the seller's tax bill. Use the monthly cost calculator or ask your lender to estimate taxes at the price you'd pay.

Amendment 3 on the November 3, 2026 ballot

Florida voters will decide a proposed constitutional amendment on November 3, 2026. It needs at least 60 percent approval, and if it passes it takes effect January 1, 2027. It would raise the non school homestead exemption for qualifying owners. People who become Florida residents on or after January 1, 2027 would start with a smaller exemption, $50,000 adjusted for inflation beginning in 2028, and the larger amount would first apply beginning January 1 of their fifth year (Volusia County Property Appraiser). That's only a proposal until voters act. If your move date falls near the end of 2026, ask a tax advisor how it could apply to you.

Homeowners insurance, hurricanes and flood

Insurance can change your monthly payment as much as the price of the house, so get quotes early in any contract.

What a homeowners policy covers. A standard policy has parts for the dwelling, other structures like fences, personal property, loss of use, personal liability and medical payments to others, and mortgage lenders usually require it (Florida OIR). The Office of Insurance Regulation's CHOICES tool shows illustrative rates by company, though OIR says to get an actual quote from an agent or insurer.

The hurricane deductible. Florida policies carry a separate deductible for hurricane losses. Before issuing a policy, insurers generally have to offer hurricane deductible options of $500, 2 percent, 5 percent and 10 percent of the dwelling limit, with exceptions for some policy sizes (Section 627.701, Florida Statutes). On a home insured for a few hundred thousand dollars, a percentage deductible is real money, so ask what yours would be in dollars.

Flood is separate. Most homeowners insurance doesn't cover flood damage (FloodSmart). A new National Flood Insurance Program policy usually takes effect 30 days after purchase, with some exceptions, including when it's bought in connection with a mortgage (FloodSmart). If your homeowners policy will be with Citizens Property Insurance, state law makes flood coverage a condition of most personal residential policies, phased in by replacement cost and reaching all remaining policies on January 1, 2027. Condo unit owner policies and policies without wind coverage are exempt (Section 627.351, Florida Statutes). If the home is in a FEMA special flood hazard area, Citizens already requires flood coverage.

Check any address with my address check tool, which shows the FEMA flood zone and ground elevation, then pull the official map on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center. If you have questions about a policy or claim, the Department of Financial Services runs a free insurance consumer helpline at 1-877-693-5236 (Florida DFS). A licensed insurance agent should price the actual coverage.

Your getting settled checklist

Here's the order I'd tackle things in, with the deadline where the state sets one. FLHSMV says you may be considered a Florida resident once you start work here, enroll a student in a Florida public school, register to vote, file for homestead or live here more than six consecutive months (FLHSMV).

Driver license

You must get a Florida driver license within 30 days of establishing residency. You apply in person, take a vision test and may not need a written or road test. The initial Class E license fee is $48, and most tax collector offices add a $6.25 service fee (FLHSMV). In Duval, the Tax Collector handles licenses at its branch offices (Duval County Tax Collector).

Car insurance, title and registration

Before you register a vehicle with four or more wheels, you need Florida Personal Injury Protection and Property Damage Liability coverage, with at least $10,000 of each (FLHSMV). The policy has to come from an insurer licensed in Florida, and new residents are expected to title and register within 10 days of establishing residency (FLHSMV).

Bring proof of identity, proof of Florida insurance and your out of state title. The vehicle identification number also has to be physically inspected by a law enforcement officer, a licensed Florida dealer, a tax collector employee or another listed official (FLHSMV). If a lender holds your title, contact them first. A $225 initial registration fee applies to many vehicles getting their first Florida plate (Section 320.072, Florida Statutes).

Voter registration

You can register online at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov or at any tax collector office that issues driver licenses. The deadline to register for an election is 29 days before that election (Florida Division of Elections).

Utilities

Who supplies your power depends on the address, so ask before you move in. JEA is Jacksonville's municipal utility for electric, water and sewer service (JEA). Beaches Energy Services provides electric and natural gas service in Jacksonville Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, Palm Valley and Neptune Beach (Beaches Energy Services). Clay Electric Cooperative is a member owned electric cooperative with a district office in Orange Park (Clay Electric). Florida Public Utilities has a Fernandina service area, and the Florida Public Service Commission publishes a statewide map of electric service areas that it calls approximate (Florida PSC). The listing agent or landlord can usually tell you which providers serve a specific home.

School enrollment by address

School assignment follows the address, and each district runs its own tools:

• St. Johns County School District has an Attendance Zone Locator where you enter an address and see the zoned schools (SJCSD).
• Clay County District Schools bases assignments on home address and points parents to a "Find Your School Zone" tool under Register on its homepage (Clay County District Schools).
• Duval County Public Schools enrolls students in their neighborhood zoned school by default, and new students start with an online application (Duval County Public Schools). Ask the district to confirm the zoned school for the exact address.

Zones change, so check again before you close or sign a lease.

Hurricane season and your evacuation zone

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and the National Hurricane Center puts the statistical peak around September 10 (NOAA National Hurricane Center). Evacuation zones are separate from flood insurance zones. Florida's Know Your Zone map lets you look up whether an address is in a lettered evacuation zone, and zone A is typically the first to evacuate (Florida Division of Emergency Management). In Duval, JaxReady has a find your zone by address tool and sign ups for AlertJax notifications (JaxReady). Look up the zone for any home before you commit, and save your county emergency management page.

Getting around

Flying. The Jacksonville Aviation Authority owns and manages the airport system, which includes Jacksonville International Airport (JAX), Cecil Airport, Herlong Recreational Airport and JAXEX at Craig Airport. JAX handled more than 7.6 million passengers in 2024 (Jacksonville Aviation Authority). My Northside page covers the area around the airport.

Transit. The Jacksonville Transportation Authority runs fixed route buses (JTA), the free automated Skyway downtown (JTA), the St. Johns River Ferry between Mayport Village and Fort George Island (JTA) and ReadiRide, a shuttle you book by phone in 14 Jacksonville neighborhoods (JTA).

Driving. I-95 runs through the city, and I-295 forms a beltway around it. The Florida Department of Transportation runs express lanes on two stretches of I-295: about 4.5 miles on the West Beltway between the Buckman Bridge and I-95, and about 5 miles on the East Beltway between SR 9B and J. Turner Butler Boulevard. During weekday peak hours they cost 50 cents and require a SunPass or another compatible transponder, since toll by plate isn't available there and drivers without one are fined $25 plus the toll (FDOT). If you're bringing a car from another state, get the transponder sorted early.

I don't quote drive times, because they depend on the hour, the bridge and the day. Before you commit to a home, drive the route at the time you'll actually make it.

Where I come in

My part is the house: helping you pick an area, touring in person or by live video, writing the offer and getting you to closing. My relocation services page explains how that works when you're still in another state, and my community pages are a good place to start narrowing things down.