Relocation Resources

Newcomer Facts and Information

Thousands of newcomers decide to make Northeast Florida their home each year. Jacksonville was ranked in the “Top 10 Best Cities for Relocating Families” in the July 2004 issue of Mobility magazine.

The tax collector’s office in each county can provide many services to help get your home established. See the County Contact Guide for the phone number for the tax collector. Services include:

• Applications for electric, water and sewer service.
  
• Payment of electric, water and sewer bills.
  
• Transfer of motor vehicle titles.
  
• Applications for boat and mobile home titles and validation stickers.
  
• Purchase of tags and revalidation stickers for motor vehicles.
  
• Purchase of handicapped parking permits.
  
• Purchase of hunting and fishing licenses.
  
• Purchase of pet licenses.
  
• Payment of real estate and personal property taxes.

Taxes
For complete information on local taxes, contact the Florida Department of Revenue, Taxpayer Assistance Section, Carlton Building, Tallahassee, FL 32339-0100, and request the tax guide.

• There is no personal state income tax in Florida.
  
• State corporate income tax is 5.5 percent on the Florida portion of adjusted federal income. A $5,000 exemption is allowed and a weighted formula is applied.
  
• Sales and use tax is seven percent in Baker, Clay, Duval and Nassau counties, but certain items are exempt. It is six percent in Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns counties.
  
• Tax on motor fuel and special fuels vary at time of purchase, depending on market value.
  
• The ad valorem millage rate countywide per thousand of appraised value for general services and schools in 2007 was:
  
  – Baker County: 17.8329 mils
  – Clay County: 16.9946 mils
  – Duval County: 18.1825 mils
  – Flagler County: 17.4063 mils
  – Nassau County: 19.4571 mils
  – Putnam County: 19.5174 mils
  – St. Johns County: 16.1370 mils
  
  A $25,000 homestead exemption is applicable if all requirements are met.
  
  
• There is a 10 percent utility tax on electricity, water, gas and local telephone service.

Voter Registration
To vote in any election, Florida voters must be registered by the 29th day before each election in their county of residence. Florida is a closed primary state, which means you can only vote for candidates of the party in which you are registered. If you do not wish to select a party, you can only vote on issues and non-partisan candidates. Visit the County Contact Guide for Supervisor of Elections office contact information in each county or visit election.dos.state.fl.us/regtovote/regform.shtml. Florida also has a motor-voter law, which means you may register to vote when you receive your driver’s license or identification card.

Driver’s License, Motor Vehicle and Boat Registration
Drivers are required to obtain a driver’s license within 30 days of becoming a resident of Florida, obtaining employment in Florida, or registering a child in a Florida public school system. New residents need only pass a visual exam if they have a valid license from another state. A new license costs $20 and is valid for six years. The renewal fee is $15 and the lost replacement fee is $10. Drivers must be at least 16 years old to qualify for a license, but a restricted learner’s permit can be obtained at the age of 15. See the County Contact Guide the driver’s license office in your county.

Florida requires that upon establishing residence, all vehicles must be insured. Minimum requirements are $10,000 for both liability and personal injury protection. For more information, call the Florida Department of Insurance at (800) 342-2762.

It is also mandatory that all motorists apply for a Florida title for their vehicles and display a Florida license plate within 30 days of establishing residence. When applying, you’ll need a driver’s license, title or proof of an out-of-state financing arrangement, existing vehicle registration, proof of personal injury protection insurance and property damage liability and the vehicle itself. Fees are based on vehicle weight.

Registration is required on all boats with motors, regardless of size. A valid out-of-state registration of pleasure craft is recognized for up to 90 days in Florida. After that period, Florida registration is required. Fees vary according to the length of the boat. Newcomers from out-of-state must provide the title and registration at a vehicle registration office.

Utilities
See the County Contact Guide for information regarding turning on utilities at your new residence within the county in which you are moving.

Transportation
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) serves the largest city in terms of landmass in the country. As an independent state agency, JTA has dual responsibilities, designing and constructing bridges and highways as well as providing varied mass transit services. Transportation includes express and regular bus service, a downtown Skyway monorail, the weekday trolley service and the Stadium Shuttle for various sporting events at ALLTEL Stadium. For more information regarding fares and routes, you can contact the JTA at (904)RIDE-JTA (743.3582) or visit them at www.RideJTA.net.

ChoiceRide is another transportation option created by JTA and WorkSource. It connects employers and employees to job access through customized transportation options. The goal of ChoiceRide is to promote transit alternatives to large workforce employers, using their employee bases to tweak or promote existing JTA services or develop new routes to best meet transportation needs. In return, the company purchases discounted transit passes and tickets to sell to its employees. To see how your company could benefit, call (904) 633-8535.

The JTA Connexion service provides daily door-to-door transportation for more than 2,000 disabled, elderly and transportation-disadvantaged residents in Duval County. For more information, call (904) 265-6999.

Forwarding Your Mail
Four to six weeks before relocating, ask your local U.S. Post Office for a change of address kit that contains forms for you to fill out for each person or company you wish to notify. If you cannot provide a new permanent address, instruct your postmaster to forward your mail to General Delivery, 1100 Kings Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32203.

Pets
To make certain your pets meet code enforcement specifications, you will need to research the particular county to which you are moving. Licenses are not required in Baker, Clay, Flagler and St. Johns Counties. Duval and Nassau require licenses for your pets and Putnam County differs depending on which municipality you live in. Most counties require regular rabies vaccinations and have some sort of lease or confinement law. To learn more about what each county requires, contact the following agencies:

• Baker County Animal Control - (904) 259-6786
  
• Clay County Animal Control - (904) 269-6342
  
• Duval County Animal Control - (904) 387-8924
  
• Flagler County Information - (386) 586-5111
  
• Nassau County Humane Society - (904) 225-0006
  
• Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. Div. Of Animal Services - (386) 329-0396
  
• St. Johns County Animal Control - (904) 823-4465