City Watch — Fernandina Beach
Pending STR legislation and regulatory rating tracking for Fernandina Beach.
City portrait · J. Hamilton Studio
- pre-2011 zoning exclusion: STRs (resort rentals) permitted only in R-3 High Density Residential; excluded from R-1/R-2 residential districts (Ord. 2000-28, eff. 2000-10-03)
- grandfathered legal non-conforming status only for R-1/R-2 uses existing before 2000-10-03 and continuously permitted (no >180-day lapse)
- Resort Rental Dwelling Permit (RRDP) required + advertised permit number mandatory
- annual life/safety inspection required
- 24/7 local contact person required
- state DBPR public lodging license + FL sales tax + Nassau County tourist development tax + city BTR (general/process)
Based on: Fernandina Beach Code of Ordinances § 26-101, Resort Rental Dwelling Permits (permit process adopted via Ord. 2011-23)
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 20, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Fernandina Beach · system last checked Sep 20, 2026
City Watch tracks changes from public sources (council agendas, state bills, local news) as coverage is activated for this market — not a complete legal compendium.
A city permit is not the whole picture — HOA, condominium, deed, or lease rules may be stricter.
City Watch provides good-faith summaries of publicly available information as of the review date shown. Rules, enforcement, and permit availability can change, and summaries may contain errors or omissions. Ratings describe the general regulatory environment; they do not establish whether a particular property or stay is permitted. This is general information, not legal advice. Before buying, listing, or hosting, verify applicable requirements with the responsible authorities and review any HOA, condominium, deed, or lease restrictions.