Duval County, FL zoning, setbacks & lot buildability

County seat: Jacksonville

Duval County is consolidated with the City of Jacksonville, so nearly every parcel is reviewed by one planning department. Infill lots in Northside and Westside neighborhoods are the most common land-investing targets, and many were platted decades before the current ordinance.

Common Duval County residential zoning districts

DistrictTypical nameTypical minimum lot size
RLD-60Residential Low Density~6,000 sq ft (60 ft width)
RLD-100Residential Low Density~10,000 sq ft (100 ft width)
RR-AcreRural Residential~1 acre
AGRAgriculture~2.5–10 acres

Typical setbacks: 20–25 ft front, 5–7.5 ft side, 10–20 ft rear. LotAnalyst subtracts the applicable setback envelope from the parcel geometry to show the actual buildable footprint rather than the raw lot size.

Water, sewer & septic

JEA water and sewer covers most of the urban core; outlying Northside and Westside parcels frequently rely on well and septic approved through the Florida Department of Health in Duval County.

Topography & slope

Very low relief — most parcels fall under 3% grade. Grading cost is rarely the constraint; drainage and fill are.

Flood & drainage

Large portions of the St. Johns River corridor, Trout River, and coastal drainage basins sit in FEMA AE and VE zones. Base flood elevation and fill requirements drive buildability more than slope here.

What kills Duval County deals

  • Platted-but-substandard lots are common and may qualify as legal non-conforming rather than unbuildable.
  • Septic approval on small urban lots is often denied where sewer is available within a set distance.
  • Wetlands jurisdictional lines can consume most of a nominally buildable lot.

Statewide Florida rules that also apply

  • Onsite sewage treatment and disposal system (OSTDS) permits are issued through county health departments.
  • Most counties require connection to central sewer when a main is available within a defined distance.
  • FEMA base flood elevation and county freeboard requirements often add fill and elevated-foundation cost.
  • Wetlands are regulated by both the water management district and the Army Corps.

See the full Florida land feasibility guide

See what a finished report looks like

Every Duval County analysis returns the same structure: zoning and minimum-lot-size check, setback envelope, USGS 3DEP slope profile, septic/sewer feasibility, flood and buffer flags, and acquisition underwriting. Here is a full worked example.

View the sample reportSee pricing

Figures on this page are typical ranges compiled from published ordinances and public data for orientation only. Districts, overlays, and setbacks change — always verify the governing zoning district, minimum lot size, buffers, and septic requirements with the county planning office and health department before you buy or build. Read the full disclaimer.