Amelia Island residents in unincorporated Nassau County will be able to submit building permit applications, pay fees and schedule inspections through a new online portal starting Monday, Oct. 12, replacing the county's email-based application process with a self-service system.

The new Accela Citizen Access platform will serve unincorporated areas of Nassau County, including portions of Amelia Island outside Fernandina Beach city limits.

Residents within Fernandina Beach will continue using the city's separate CityView permitting platform, which was scheduled to launch Aug. 31, according to a city announcement.

Nassau County Communications Manager Brandyi Phillips announced the new portal in an Oct. 6 statement published by The County Insider.

The platform will provide around-the-clock access to building, planning and development services, allowing residents, contractors and businesses to manage permit applications without visiting a county office for routine transactions.

Users will be able to apply for permits, submit payments securely, track application statuses in real time, schedule inspections and print approved documents.

County began digital transition in January

The new portal follows nearly a year of preparation.

A November 2025 notice from the Nassau County Building Department announced plans to introduce Accela Citizen Access in spring 2026.

That original target passed before the county announced the Oct. 12 launch.

As an interim step, the Building Department began accepting permit applications electronically by email on Jan. 5, 2026, ending paper submissions.

The new system expands that process by allowing applicants to manage multiple steps through a single online portal.

The county's earlier notice said the platform would accommodate building, planning, development services and stormwater permit applications. It also identified access to existing permit records, online fee payments and application tracking as planned features.

The transition is authorized under Florida Statute 553.79, which governs building permit applications and related procedures.

Owner-builders must still visit county office

One in-person requirement will remain.

Property owners applying for permits under Florida's Owner/Builder exemption must appear at the Nassau County Building Department to sign the required Owner/Builder Disclosure Statement, even if they submit their applications online.

The department is located at 96161 Nassau Place in Yulee.

Residents can contact the office at (904) 530-6250 or [email protected].

The department's regular office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What residents should know before Oct. 12

The county's Oct. 6 announcement confirmed the launch date but did not provide a direct web address for the new Accela portal.

Residents can check the Nassau County Building Department website or its announcements page for updated access instructions.

The county says the platform is intended to reduce wait times, streamline permitting and give residents and businesses more control over their applications.

For Amelia Island property owners outside Fernandina Beach city limits, the Oct. 12 launch will provide a centralized way to submit applications, monitor approvals and schedule inspections without relying on email exchanges for each step.