Good-toKnow Info

If you’re not only new to the First Coast but the state of Florida as well, check out this list of good-to-know information for car and homeowners.

Car Insurance

The mandatory minimum coverage for a registered motor vehicle is a $10,000 personal injury protection (PIP) policy and a $10,000 property damage liability (PDL) policy. The minimum coverage applies to all vehicles registered in the state of Florida, even if the vehicle is inoperable. Visit www.flhsmv.gov/insurance for any further info.

Driver’s License and Motor Vehicles

Within 10 days of becoming employed, placing a child in public school or establishing residency in Florida, vehicles registered out of state are required to be registered in Florida and have a Florida license plate, a registration certificate and a registration decal. You must apply for a Florida driver’s license within 30 days of establishing residency in Florida to avoid fines and penalties. Visit www.flhsmv.gov for more info.

Property Taxes and Homestead Exemption

On the First Coast, property taxes are due in March and are considered delinquent as of April 1. Discounts are given for property taxes paid in advance. The maximum discount offered is 4 percent and applies to taxes paid in November. Late taxes are subject to penalty. Legal Florida residents who own and reside on property are eligible for a homestead exemption up to $50,000. The first $25,000 applies to all property taxes, including school district taxes. The additional exemption up to $25,000 applies to the assessed value between $50,000 and $75,000 and only to non-school taxes. To be eligible, you must own and occupy your home as your permanent residence on January 1. The deadline to file is March 1. To apply for the exemption, go to your local Property Appraiser’s office. See our list of tax collector’s offices on this page.

Termite Protection

First Coast homeowners need to be aware of the potential damage caused by termites, which are common throughout the state of Florida. Since your homeowners insurance does not cover damage caused by termites, hiring a licensed pest control company to inspect and treat your home is recommended. To receive proper treatment, it’s important to properly identify the type of termite that could possibly be infesting your home.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) regulates and licenses Florida’s pest control industry. FDACS is authorized by law to conduct investigations to determine if any documented violations of the Florida Structural Pest Control Act (Chapter 482, Florida Statutes) or the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act have occurred. For more information, visit www. fdacs.gov/Consumer-Resources/Health-and-Safety/Protect-Your-Home-from-Pests.

First Coast Tax Collector’s Offices

Baker County

32 N. 5th St., Macclenny www.bakertaxcollector.com

Clay County

477 Houston St., Green Cove Springs www.claycountytax.com

Duval County

231 E. Forsyth St., Jacksonville https://taxcollector.coj.net

Nassau County 86130 License Rd., Fernandina Beach www.nassautaxes.com

St. Johns County 4030 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine www.sjctax.us

First Coast Libraries

Our area libraries are not only a great resource for books, but many offer programs, children’s activities, book festivals and a wide variety of enriching classes. Libraries are also a great place to volunteer!

Baker County

Emily Taber Public Library www.newriverlibrary.org/etpl

Clay County

Clay County Public Library www.claycountygov.com/community/ library

Duval County/City of Jacksonville Jacksonville Public Library www.jaxpubliclibrary.org

Nassau County

Nassau County Public Library www.nassaureads.com

St. Johns County St. Johns County Public Library System www.sjcpls.org

Volunteer Opportunities

The First Coast is also home to several chapters of prominent service clubs and organizations such as Kiwanis International, Lions Club International, Knights of Columbus, Rotary Club and the Junior League of Jacksonville. Hospitals and clinics such as UF Health, Mayo Clinic, Baptist Health, Nemours, and Wolfson also welcome volunteers. Below are some resources to help you find a volunteer opportunity near you. Also see our list of animal shelters on page 60.

AARP local.aarp.org/jacksonville-fl/ volunteering

American Red Cross North Florida Region www.redcross.org/local/florida/northflorida.html

Catholic Charities Jacksonville www.ccbjax.org

Nonprofit Center of Northeast Florida www.nonprofitctr.org

United Way of Northeast Florida www.unitedwaynefl.org

Volunteer Match www.volunteermatch.org

The First Coast by Numbers

Sources: www.census.gov/quickfacts https://datausa.io www.rockethomes.com/real-estate-trends

Looking for Your Spiritual Home?

To help you find a religious community in your new hometown, we’ve compiled the following list of main organizations for several different religions and denominations on the First Coast. Visit their website to find a place of worship that is the right fit for you.

11th Episcopal District of the AME Church www.ame11th.org

Bahá’í Community Center of Jacksonville www.bahaicommcenterjax.com

Buckman Bridge Unitarian Universalist Church www.bbuuc.org

Diocese of St. Augustine www.dosafl.com

Episcopal Diocese of Florida, The www.diocesefl.org

Florida Baptist Convention www.flbaptist.org

Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, The www.flumc.org

Florida Jacksonville Mission of the Mormon Church www.mymission.com/lds-missions/ florida-jacksonville-mission

Hindu Society of North East Florida www.hsnef.org

Islamic Center of Northeast Florida www.icnef.org

Jacksonville Quaker Worship Group www.jacksonvillefriends.org

Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida www.jewishjacksonville.org

Karma Thegsum Chöling Jacksonville www.ktcjax.org

Maitreya Kadampa Buddhist Center www.meditationinjacksonville.org

Presbytery of St. Augustine www.staugpres.org

Driving Stats

Amelia Island - 41-45

Arlington - 11-15

Atlantic Beach/Jacksonville Beach - 36-40

Baymeadows - 21-25

Callahan - 31-35

Fernandina Beach - 36-40

Fleming Island - 36-40 Green Cove Springs - 56-60

Intracoastal - 26-35

Julington Creek/Fruit Cove - 41-45

First Coast Area Codes

In addition to 904, the First Coast will soon have a new 324 area code. The new area code will serve the same areas as 904, including Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Fernandina Beach, Orange Park and more. Customers with 904 area codes will keep their current telephone numbers. However, new customers or those needing additional lines may be assigned the new 324 area code. To make local calls, callers will need to dial the area code first. According to the Florida Public Service Commission, no date has been set for when customers will be assigned the new area code.

With the population influx, the First Coast has some records for annual rent growth. According to the NAI Hallmark, a commercial real estate agency in Jacksonville, their Market Report for Q3 reported a rent growth of 3.8 percent, which has increased from last year when a 2.2 percent growth was recorded. Vacancy rates have dropped as well with a current rate of 9.2 percent, versus last year’s vacancy at 9.4 percent. With these numbers changing and adapting it is easy to see why so many apartments are popping up all over the First Coast.

In the last several years, there was concern that there would be challenges with construction supplies due to the pandemic, but that doesn’t seem to be slowing down any of the apartment construction. The demand for apartments continues to grow with the Jacksonville market-rate