Nassau County, Florida
Sell your land in Fernandina Beach for cash
Parcel Buyers buys vacant lots in Fernandina Beach for cash, including Amelia Island lots where a new house inside the city needs a city building permit and a floodplain review before work can start. You get a written, no-obligation cash offer within 24 hours, and closings run through an independent title company, typically in about 10 days, with no fees or commissions.
By Parcel Buyers · · Lot figures from the 2026 Florida property tax roll · How we made this page
Quick answers
- Who buys land for cash in Fernandina Beach?
- Parcel Buyers is a direct land buyer that makes written, no-obligation cash offers on vacant lots and acreage in Fernandina Beach, Nassau County, usually within 24 hours. Sales close through an independent title company, typically in about 10 days, with no fees or commissions to the seller.
- What did vacant lots in Fernandina Beach sell for in 2025?
- In 2025, vacant lots in Fernandina Beach sold for a median of $315,000 across 69 arm's-length sales; the middle half sold for $225,000 to $485,000.
- How many vacant lots are in Fernandina Beach?
- The 2026 Florida property tax roll lists 2,698 vacant residential lots in Fernandina Beach; 13% are patio-home lots, and the median lot is 0.32 acre.
- How is a cash offer for land in Fernandina Beach set?
- We start from recent sales of similar lots nearby, like the 2025 prices on this page, then adjust for water and sewer, road access, flood zone, lot size and any title issues, and for the time and cost of reselling. You get one written number, not a range.
- How do I know a land buyer in Fernandina Beach is legitimate?
- A real buyer closes through an independent, licensed title company and never asks you to pay anything up front. We never charge sellers a fee, deposit or closing-cost advance, and the title company pays you by check or wire at closing.
- Who is buying lots in Fernandina Beach?
- In 2025, companies bought 20% of the vacant lots that sold in Fernandina Beach, including 9% bought by homebuilders. Individuals bought the rest.
- Are vacant lot prices in Fernandina Beach going up or down?
- Vacant lot prices in Fernandina Beach went up 15.6%: the median moved from $272,500 across 94 recorded sales in 2024 to $315,000 across 69 recorded sales in 2025. These are recorded sales, not list prices. From January to June 2026, 34 vacant lots in Fernandina Beach sold at a recorded median of $335,000, 5.1% higher than the same months in 2025.
- Are vacant lots in Fernandina Beach in a FEMA high-risk flood zone?
- About 25.8% of vacant lots in Fernandina Beach have their center point in a FEMA high-risk flood zone (effective maps dated August 2, 2017 to November 2, 2018). This is map screening, not a determination; check FEMA's Map Service Center for your parcel.
- How many vacant lots in Fernandina Beach got a home on the tax roll in 2025?
- 304 vacant lots in Fernandina Beach changed from vacant-residential use to a home with new-construction evidence on the 2026 preliminary tax roll.
Local data
Fernandina Beach land at a glance
Tax-roll figures cover parcels whose property address city is Fernandina Beach in Nassau County. Local rules and services are sourced below.
| Vacant residential lots | 2,698 parcels classified vacant residential on the 2026 tax roll [1] |
|---|---|
| Most common lot size | Patio-home lot (5,000–7,000 sq ft): 13% of vacant lots; next, micro lot at 13%. Median lot: 0.32 acre (13,870 sq ft). [1] |
| Typical assessed value | $100,000 median just (market) value for a vacant lot; the middle half fall between $100 and $233,000 [1] |
| Recent lot sale prices | $315,000 median across 69 arm's-length sales of vacant lots in Fernandina Beach (Jan 2025–Dec 2025); the middle half sold for $225,000–$485,000 [1] |
| Who bought lots in 2025 | Companies made 20% of those purchases, including 9% by homebuilders; individuals made the rest [1] |
| Owners who live elsewhere | 16% of vacant lots have an owner mailing address outside Florida (most often GA, TX, CA) [1] |
| City government | Fernandina Beach was incorporated in 1951. This page is about parcels addressed to the city. Inside the city limits, five commissioners elected at large set policy, and the city building department permits work before it starts. [2],[3],[4] |
| Island bounds | The city covers 7,680.14 acres, just over 12 square miles, with nearly 10 miles of coastline. The Atlantic is east. The Amelia River and Intracoastal Waterway are west. Two bridges link the island to the mainland. [6],[2],[5] |
| Water and sewer territory | City water and sewer run from the bridge south to Canopy Drive. South of that, on the island, the city names NAU as the utility. West of the island, it names JEA. Hookup work waits until any required annexation. [7] |
| Sewer within 1,000 feet | Inside the city, new building must use public water. Infill must use city sewer when a sewer line is within 1,000 feet of the lot line. Beyond that, a private system may be allowed if the health department permits it. [8],[9] |
| Stormwater on developed lots | Developed property pays a stormwater fee based on roofs and pavement, not as a property tax. The rate is $14.36 per ERU a month. An ERU is one runoff billing unit. Repairs are estimated at $18 million. [10],[11] |
| Floodplain review | Nearly every city permit gets a floodplain review. Work at 30% or more of a building's value must meet flood rules. Homes cannot be floodproofed below the base flood elevation. Zone VE, a coastal high-hazard band, bars it too. [12] |
| Historic district certificate | Old Town and Downtown require a certificate of appropriateness, the city's exterior-design approval, for new construction, demolition, or exterior work. Staff review is $25. Filing after the work costs $100. [14],[2] |
| Height and beach setbacks | R-1 height is 35 feet, with a 25-foot front setback and side yards at 10% of lot width. Within 1,000 feet of the Coastal Construction Control Line, the state's beach line, height is also 35 feet. [15] |
| Fort Clinch State Park | Fort Clinch State Park is a 1,400-acre park at 2601 Atlantic Avenue in Fernandina Beach. Its acreage includes maritime hammocks and wildlife habitat. [20] |
| Lot sales, 2025 vs 2024 | 2025: 69 recorded sales, $315,000 median; 2024: 94 recorded sales, $272,500 median. Median +15.6%; count -26.6%. [1] |
| Vacant lots that got a home on the tax roll in 2025 | 304 recorded with new-construction evidence. [1] |
| Years of lot supply at the 2025 building pace | 8.9 years; simple ratio, not a forecast. [1] |
| Owner-type shares | Individuals 60.2%; companies 22.4%; trusts 5.9%; estates/heirs 0.1%; government/associations 11.4%. [1] |
| 2026 so far (Jan-Jun) | 34 recorded vacant-lot sales; median $335,000. [1] |
| FEMA high-risk flood-zone screen | About 25.8% of vacant lots in Fernandina Beach have their center point in a FEMA high-risk flood zone (effective maps dated August 2, 2017 to November 2, 2018). This is map screening, not a determination; check FEMA's Map Service Center for your parcel. |
| Springs BMAP small-lot screen | About 0% of located vacant lots in Fernandina Beach are 1 acre or less and have their center point in an adopted Florida springs BMAP. |
Pricing
What is a lot in Fernandina Beach worth?
In 2025, vacant lots in Fernandina Beach sold for a median of $315,000 across 69 arm's-length sales; the middle half sold for $225,000 to $485,000. [1]
These are open-market sale prices. A direct cash offer is usually lower, because a cash buyer closes in days and takes on the time and cost of reselling the lot.
See what similar lots sold for
What moves the price in Fernandina Beach
City pipes stop at Canopy Drive
Whether city water and sewer are in the street changes what a builder will pay. The city serves from the bridge south to Canopy Drive. Farther south on the island, it names NAU. West of the island, it names JEA. If annexation is required, hookup work waits. Inside the city, new building must use public water, and infill must use city sewer when a line is within 1,000 feet of the lot line. Past that, a private system may be allowed if it meets city, county, and state rules. Nassau County was not among the 16 counties that moved septic permits to the state environment department on January 2, 2025, so the county health department still issues them. A new house also faces the October 1, 2024 fee sheet: a school impact fee of $5,430.60 and a city impact fee of $3.95 per heated square foot. [7],[8],[9],[16]
Flood zone is a lot-by-lot fact
Flood zone changes the offer because it changes the house that can be built. The city says almost all permitted development needs a floodplain review. Not every lot is Zone VE. Zone VE is the coastal high-hazard band, where floodproofing is not allowed. In Zone AE, only a non-residential building may sit below the required flood elevation, and only if it is designed and certified as floodproof. Homes cannot use that option. If repairs or an addition reach 30% of the building's market value, the city calls the work a substantial improvement and the building must meet the flood rules, including elevation. The city uses the structure value on the county property appraiser's roll for that test, not the land value. The zone for one lot is on the FEMA map. Owners can search an address in the National Flood Hazard Layer. Two neighboring lots can sit in different zones. [12],[13]
Historic review and the 35-foot cap
Historic rules and height caps change how much house a lot can hold. Centre Street anchors an eight-block downtown historic district. The city's 2025 financial report places that district on the National Register of Historic Places, with over 400 historic homes, churches, and shops. In Old Town and Downtown, new construction, demolition, and exterior changes need a certificate of appropriateness. Staff review costs $25, and filing after the work costs $100. A new house goes to the Historic District Council, often for two meetings, and the application is due 45 days ahead. On the beach, R-1 height is 35 feet, the front setback is 25 feet, and each side yard is 10% of the lot width. The same 35-foot cap applies within 1,000 feet of the coastal construction line. Above 25 feet of height, each side yard grows by half a foot per extra foot. R-3 lots may reach 45 feet. [2],[14],[15]
2025 sales versus the tax value
Recent sales are a starting point, not a cash offer. In 2025, 69 vacant lots addressed Fernandina Beach sold one parcel at a time. The median price was $315,000, and the middle half sold for $225,000–$485,000. The median vacant lot is 0.32 acres, about 13,870 square feet. The largest size group is patio-home lots, at 13% of vacant residential lots. The median assessed value is $100,000, a tax figure, not a price a buyer paid. The transportation element says the roughly 12-square-mile city has very little vacant land and expects redevelopment to be the most likely source of future growth. The city's 2025 financial report calls the Port of Fernandina the deepest natural port on the southeastern U.S. coastline. [1],[6],[2]
Common situations
Selling land in Fernandina Beach in these situations
The lot has no water or sewer tap
Yes. You can sell a lot that has no water or sewer tap. Some island addresses are inside the city's pipe area, from the bridge to Canopy Drive, and some are not. South-island lots are pointed to NAU, and lots west of the island are pointed to JEA. Inside the city, a future house still has to meet the public-water rule and the 1,000-foot sewer rule. None of that blocks a sale of the land as it sits. We buy vacant lots with no water, sewer, or road work. The only contingency is our land inspection, and a failed inspection costs the seller nothing. [7],[8]
You inherited a downtown or beach lot
Yes. An heir can sell, including a lot in the downtown historic district or near the beach. Old Town and Downtown construction can require historic approval, and almost all city permits receive floodplain review. Those rules apply to future work, not to asking Parcel Buyers for an offer. You can sign electronically, close by mail through an independent title company, and receive payment by check or wire. [14],[12]
County taxes on the lot are behind
Yes. You can still sell if the county tax bill is behind. Nassau County treats the bill as late on April 1. The tax collector must advertise the parcel and, beginning on or before June 1, sell a tax certificate. That certificate is a first lien for the unpaid tax, and it lasts seven years. The holder may ask for a tax deed after two years have passed since the delinquency. Florida law lets that application be filed after two years from April 1 of the certificate year. If the debt is not paid, the lot can be auctioned. Liens or back taxes can be paid from the sale proceeds at closing, with the seller's consent. [17],[18],[19]
You live outside Florida and rarely visit
Yes. You can sell from outside Florida even if you rarely see the island. 84% of vacant-lot owners in this address group have a Florida mailing address, and 16% do not. Distance does not change the city rules on permits, flood review, or which utility serves the street. A mail closing still works. You can sign electronically and close by mail through an independent, licensed title company. We cover closing costs. [1]
Step by step
How do I sell my land in Fernandina Beach?
From your first message to money in hand, with nothing left out. Requesting an offer costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
See every detail of the process-
Tell us about your land
Fill out the short form (about 60 seconds) or email us. A land specialist reaches out to confirm the details, usually the same business day.
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Get your cash offer within 24 hours
We review the property and send a written, no-obligation cash offer within 24 hours. It is a real number, not a range. Take it or leave it, with no pressure either way.
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Sign electronically
If you accept, everyone signs the purchase agreement electronically. There is nothing to print or mail at this stage.
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We inspect, the title company verifies
Our team inspects the land and an independent title company runs a title search for liens or taxes owed. If the land does not pass inspection, you are never charged anything.
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Close and get paid
The title company prepares the closing documents for notarization and issues your funds by standard check, overnight check, or wire transfer. A typical sale closes in 10 days.
Questions
Selling land in Fernandina Beach: common questions
Can I sell my Fernandina Beach lot if water and sewer are not connected?
Yes. A missing tap does not block a sale of the vacant lot. City pipes run from the bridge south to Canopy Drive. South of that on the island, the city names NAU, and west of the island it names JEA. If annexation is required, the city will not schedule hookup work until annexation happens. We check utilities, access, and title on every parcel before offering.
Does an empty lot get a monthly stormwater bill?
Not under the rule the city publishes. The stormwater fee applies to developed property inside the city and uses roof and paved area to set the bill. As accessed October 2, 2026, the city's FAQ still labels $14.36 per ERU as current and $16.75 as proposed; it says the commission was scheduled to vote August 4 and that approved fees would take effect October 1. The city estimates about $18 million of drainage repairs. A bare lot with no roof or pavement is outside that developed-property charge.
Do I need historic approval just to sell a vacant lot?
No. Selling the lot does not require a certificate of appropriateness. That certificate is for exterior work, new construction, demolition, or moving a building in the Old Town or Downtown historic districts. A staff-level application is $25. Doing the work first and filing later costs $100 at the staff level. A new house is reviewed at a Historic District Council hearing. The buyer who plans to build handles that review.
How tall can a new house be on a lot near the beach?
In the R-1 district, 35 feet. The front setback is 25 feet, and each side yard is 10% of the lot width. The same 35-foot cap applies to residential lots within 1,000 feet of the Coastal Construction Control Line, the state's beach construction boundary. R-3 lots may reach 45 feet. Once a building is taller than 25 feet, each side yard grows by half a foot for every extra foot of height. The city's land code table, revised August 19, 2025, is the rule, and the zoning district is set lot by lot.
What happens if the property taxes on my lot go unpaid?
The bill becomes late on April 1, and the Nassau County Tax Collector sells a tax certificate beginning on or before June 1. The certificate is a first lien and stays valid for seven years. After two years from the delinquency, the holder can apply for a tax deed, and the lot can be sold at a public auction if the debt remains. State law starts that two-year clock at April 1 of the certificate year. Unpaid liens can be paid from sale proceeds at closing if you agree.
What does the city charge when someone builds a house on the lot?
The October 1, 2024 sheet does not charge $85 a square foot as the permit. That $85 figure is one way the city estimates construction value, using the higher of the builder's cost, covered square feet times $85, or the ICC table. The permit is then $7.50 per $1,000 of that value up to $5 million, with a $45 minimum. Zoning review is a flat $250. The city impact fee is $3.95 per heated square foot. The same sheet lists a school impact fee of $5,430.60 per new home and a single-family mobility fee of $3,989.51 dated May 1, 2022.
Owner resources
Guides for your situation
- Can You Sell Land With Back Taxes in Florida?
Yes. Florida land with back property taxes can often be sold if closing can redeem the tax lien before the tax-deed cutoff. With the seller's consent, the title company can use sale proceeds for the approved payoff. Move quickly: taxes generally become delinquent April 1,[1][2] and redemption ends once a tax-deed buyer makes full payment to the clerk.[4][7]
- How Cash Land Buyers Price Offers
A cash-land offer may start with verified sales of land with similar use, then adjust those sales for meaningful differences.[1] Buyers may also account for access, utilities, legal use, size, shape, flood and soil questions, title issues, demand, and costs and risk they will carry. No universal assessed-value percentage applies. Compare each written offer by expected net proceeds, contingencies, seller work, and timing—not one asking price or headline number.
- How to Sell Land During a Divorce
Florida land can be sold during a divorce when the people with authority to convey title sign and the sale follows every applicable agreement and court order. Divorce law may treat land as marital even when only one spouse appears on the deed.[1][2] If ownership, signing authority, or the division of proceeds is unsettled, have a Florida attorney and the closing title company resolve those issues before closing.
More places in Nassau County
Your written offer
Get your cash offer
Four short steps, about 60 seconds. We review your property and send a written, no-obligation cash offer within 24 hours. You can take it or leave it.
What happens after you send this
- A land specialist reaches out, usually the same business day, to confirm the details.
- You get a written cash offer within 24 hours: a real number, not a range.
- You decide. Requesting an offer costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
You will never be asked to pay us anything. No deposit, no processing fee, no closing-cost advance.
Nearby areas we buy
- Nassau County
8,214 vacant lots countywide
- Yulee
2,832 vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $142,500
- Jacksonville
19,698 vacant lots · 2025 median lot sale $85,000
How we made this page
Parcel Buyers is a land-buying company based in Florida. We buy vacant land directly from owners and publish these local pages so owners can see what land in their area is doing before they sell, to us or anyone else. We count the tax-roll figures ourselves from state data, take local rules and fees from the official sources listed below, and use AI tools to help research and draft the text. Every number links to its source, and we update the page when the data changes.
Method and sources
Tax-roll figures cover parcels whose property address city is Fernandina Beach. Source [1] is our own count of the Florida Department of Revenue's 2026 preliminary property tax roll: "vacant residential" means land-use code 000; lot sizes use the land square footage on the roll; values are the county property appraiser's just (market) value as of January 1, 2026; sale prices count only arm's-length sales of a single lot that was vacant when it sold and was still vacant on January 1, 2026 (bulk and multi-parcel deeds removed). Page updated October 2, 2026. The reviewed 2026 recorded-sale window runs from January through June 2026; unreviewed recent sales are excluded. Flood and springs-BMAP figures screen tax-roll parcel center points, not parcel boundaries. They are aggregate map screens, not flood-zone, insurance, buildability, elevation, septic, or permitting determinations.
- [1] Florida Department of Revenue (data); Parcel Buyers (analysis), Parcel Buyers analysis of the 2026 preliminary Name-Address-Legal (NAL) property tax roll (accessed 2026-10-03)
- [2] City of Fernandina Beach, 2025 Annual Financial Report, letter of transmittal (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [3] City of Fernandina Beach, City Commission (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [4] City of Fernandina Beach, Building permits (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [5] City of Fernandina Beach, Directions to the city (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [6] City of Fernandina Beach, Multi-modal transportation element, introduction (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [7] City of Fernandina Beach, Utilities frequently asked questions (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [8] City of Fernandina Beach, Land Development Code Chapter 7, water and sewer standards (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [9] Florida Department of Health in Nassau County, Onsite sewage disposal (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [10] City of Fernandina Beach, Stormwater utility (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [11] City of Fernandina Beach, Stormwater rate frequently asked questions (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [12] City of Fernandina Beach, Building in the floodplain (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [13] Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Flood Hazard Layer (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [14] City of Fernandina Beach, Historic district frequently asked questions (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [15] City of Fernandina Beach, Land Development Code Chapter 4, height and setback table (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [16] City of Fernandina Beach, Building permit fee schedule, revised October 1, 2024 (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [17] Nassau County Tax Collector, Property taxes (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [18] Nassau County Tax Collector, Delinquent real estate taxes and tax certificate sale (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [19] Florida Senate, Florida Statutes section 197.502, application for a tax deed (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [20] Florida State Parks, Fort Clinch State Park (accessed 2026-10-02)