Off-grid site report
Duval County, FL
30.3104, -81.6339 · 46 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Duval County, FL, not legal advice and not a guarantee. Rules change, and the deciding facts on any specific parcel (setbacks, perc results, overlay districts, deed restrictions, road frontage) live at the county or town office, not in any database. Before you buy land or build, confirm the current rules directly with the local zoning and health offices - the sources on this page tell you exactly who to call.
The local rulesDuval County, FL
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
RestrictedJacksonville's Chapter 656 zoning code (administered by the Planning Department) has no rural free-use exemption; rural land is typically low-density residential-estate zoning requiring large lots. The four beach cities and Baldwin have their own separate zoning. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
RestrictedCity ordinance bars using an RV for living/sleeping/housekeeping outside an approved park; temporary RV use for special events is capped and needs Planning and Health Department approval. Permanent tiny/site-built homes must meet the Florida Building Code. source
Building permits & codes
Generally allowedJacksonville's Building Inspection Division issues permits under the Florida Building Code as part of the consolidated government; a specific permit-process page wasn't independently verified in this research, so confirm directly with the department. source
Septic & composting toilets
Generally allowedThe Florida Department of Health in Duval County still handles septic permitting and inspection; Duval has not yet transitioned to DEP under the state's phased rollout. Composting toilets as a standalone system are not confirmed locally, ask DOH-Duval. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo Duval County or Jacksonville-specific greywater ordinance was found; this likely falls back to general state rules, but that isn't confirmed locally, so ask the Health Department or EQD.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo Duval County or City of Jacksonville ordinance addressing residential rainwater cisterns was found in this research; status is not confirmed either way.
Private wells & water rights
Generally allowedWells are permitted, but Duval has an enhanced regime: the city's Environmental Quality Division requires its own permit under city ordinance, and SJRWMD treats Duval as a delineated area with added construction requirements and district permitting for public-supply wells. source
Living disconnected from utilities
Generally allowedJEA has stated it has no countywide plan to force well/septic properties to connect to city utilities, and roughly 55,000 septic systems already exist in the county, so disconnected living is common as long as well and septic permits are in place. source
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 5.4 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 4.1 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,470 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 49 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 0 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 1,097 (mild)
- Frost-free season
- Feb 5 to Dec 21
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Specialty Hospital Jacksonville - 2.9 mi
- Fire station
JFRD Station 39 - 1.4 mi
- Hardware store
Lowe's - 5.3 mi
- Grocery
Bosnian Kwik Mart - 1.6 mi
From OpenStreetMap. Road miles will be longer, often much longer in hill country.
Plan this spot
These open with this location's real numbers already filled in (ZIP 32207).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Duval County, FL?The rules above are the jurisdiction. The land check runs the parcel itself: flood zone, soils and septic suitability, wetlands, slope, access, climate, and these verdicts, from a parcel number or coordinates.
Check a parcel →Share or save this report:New report
Sources: US Census Bureau geocoder; NLR PVWatts v8 (solar); NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 climate normals (nearest station) or Open-Meteo (ZIP-centroid) for weather; Open-Elevation; OpenStreetMap contributors. Public data retrieved Aug 21, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.
New here, or not sure where this fits? Start here walks through the whole thing in order.