Orange County, FL vs St. Johns County, FL: Development Impact Fees Compared (2026)
A single-family home pays about $32,751 in Orange County vs $34,085 in St. Johns County — St. Johns County is $1,334 (4%) higher. Every figure below is normalized per dwelling unit by category, with links to each jurisdiction’s official sources.
County
Orange County, FL
$32,751
Total per single-family home
impact + connection fees
$24,691
Impact / development fees
roads, parks, schools…
$8,060
Water & sewer connection
tap / capacity / SDC
$15,687
Per multifamily unit
total fees / unit
Impact / development fees
| Fee (local term) | Basis | Amount | Source · effective |
|---|---|---|---|
Transportation / roads Transportation Impact Fee - Single Family Detached (2,001-3,500 sf, Urban) — Effective 1/1/2026. Transportation fees are tiered by square footage AND benefit zone (Urban/Suburban/Rural). This is the representative ~2,000-2,500 sf Urban-zone tier used as primary. Suburban=$14,298.98, Rural=$16,339.40 for same size tier. Fees calculated on gross floor area. VERIFIED against brochure PDF and Impact Fees At A Glance page. | per dwelling unit | $11,617 | Orange County, FL - Development Services / Impact Fee Administration Jan 1, 2026High |
Transportation / roads Transportation Impact Fee - Single Family Detached (1,201-2,000 sf, Urban) — Alternative smaller-home tier (Urban zone). Excluded from total to avoid double-counting with the primary 2,001-3,500 sf row. VERIFIED. alternative · not added to total | per dwelling unit | $9,394 | Orange County, FL - Development Services / Impact Fee Administration Jan 1, 2026High |
Transportation / roads Transportation Impact Fee - Single Family Detached (1,200 sf or less, Urban) — Smallest single-family tier (Urban zone). Excluded to avoid double-counting. VERIFIED. alternative · not added to total | per dwelling unit | $7,344 | Orange County, FL - Development Services / Impact Fee Administration Jan 1, 2026High |
Transportation / roads Transportation Impact Fee - Single Family Detached (greater than 3,500 sf, Urban) — Largest single-family tier (Urban zone). Excluded to avoid double-counting. VERIFIED. alternative · not added to total | per dwelling unit | $12,163 | Orange County, FL - Development Services / Impact Fee Administration Jan 1, 2026High |
Fire / EMS Fire/Rescue Services Impact Fee - Single Family Detached/Duplex/Mobile Home — Current rate effective 5/1/2026 ($462). Prior rate effective 5/1/2025 was $446. VERIFIED. | per dwelling unit | $462 | Orange County, FL - Development Services / Impact Fee Administration May 1, 2026High |
Police Law Enforcement Impact Fee - Single Family Detached — Current rate effective 5/1/2026. Prior 5/1/2025 rate was $644. VERIFIED. | per dwelling unit | $665 | Orange County, FL - Development Services / Impact Fee Administration May 1, 2026High |
Parks & recreation Parks and Recreation Impact Fee - Single Family Detached — Current rate effective 5/1/2026. Prior 5/1/2025 rate was $2,338. VERIFIED. | per dwelling unit | $2,434 | Orange County, FL - Development Services / Impact Fee Administration May 1, 2026High |
Schools School Impact Fee - Single Family Detached (2,000-2,499 sf) — Effective 10/1/2022 (most recent adopted school schedule). Tiered by heated/cooled living area. Representative ~2,000-2,500 sf tier used as primary. Other tiers: <2,000 sf=$8,829; 2,500-2,999 sf=$11,402; 3,000-3,999 sf=$12,015; >=4,000 sf=$9,584. School impact fee is levied by Orange County Public Schools / collected by the County. VERIFIED. | per dwelling unit | $9,513 | Orange County, FL - Development Services / Impact Fee Administration Oct 1, 2022Highdated 2022 |
Schools School Impact Fee - Single Family Detached (<2,000 sf) — Smaller-home school tier. Excluded to avoid double-counting with primary 2,000-2,499 sf row. VERIFIED. alternative · not added to total | per dwelling unit | $8,829 | Orange County, FL - Development Services / Impact Fee Administration Oct 1, 2022Highdated 2022 |
Schools School Impact Fee - Single Family Detached (2,500-2,999 sf) — Larger-home school tier. Excluded to avoid double-counting. VERIFIED. alternative · not added to total | per dwelling unit | $11,402 | Orange County, FL - Development Services / Impact Fee Administration Oct 1, 2022Highdated 2022 |
Water & sewer connection fees
| Fee (local term) | Basis | Amount | Source · effective |
|---|---|---|---|
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Capital Charge (per ERC - residential 5/8" x 3/4" meter) — Levied by Orange County Utilities (OCU). One ERC = the 5/8" by 3/4" meter that 'Applies to most single-family homes' per OCU rate schedule (source index 3, effective 10/1/2025). Applies only within the OCU water service area; other municipal/private utilities in Orange County (e.g., City of Orlando, Orlando Utilities Commission) have their own charges. VERIFIED against UtilitiesPermittingFees page. | per meter | $2,790 | Orange County, FL - Planning & Development / Utilities Oct 1, 2025High |
Sewer connection (tap / SDC) Wastewater Capital Charge (per ERU - residential) — Levied by Orange County Utilities (OCU). One ERU = single-family residential connection. Applies only within the OCU wastewater service area. There is currently NO capital charge for reclaimed water connections per the same source. VERIFIED against UtilitiesPermittingFees page. | per meter | $5,270 | Orange County, FL - Planning & Development / Utilities Oct 1, 2025High |
County
St. Johns County, FL
$34,085
Total per single-family home
impact + connection fees
$22,490
Impact / development fees
roads, parks, schools…
$11,595
Water & sewer connection
tap / capacity / SDC
—
Per multifamily unit
total fees / unit
Impact / development fees
| Fee (local term) | Basis | Amount | Source · effective |
|---|---|---|---|
Transportation / roads Multimodal Transportation (Roads) Impact Fee — Representative ~2,000-2,500 sq ft single-family tier (ITE LUC 210/215/220/221/222/240). Roads renamed 'Multimodal Transportation Impact Fee' in the Dec 2025 ordinance. Verified verbatim in Phase 1 2026 PDF. | per dwelling unit | $12,015 | St. Johns County, FL Mar 4, 2026High |
Schools School Impact Fee — Florida counties may levy school impact fees; collected by St. Johns County for the school district. Representative 1,801-2,500 sq ft tier. Verified. | per dwelling unit | $6,082 | St. Johns County, FL Mar 4, 2026High |
General government / capital Public Buildings / General Capital Facilities Impact Fee — General government/capital buildings category; also covers library facilities (no standalone library impact fee line). Representative 1,801-2,500 sq ft tier. Verified. | per dwelling unit | $968 | St. Johns County, FL Mar 4, 2026High |
Fire / EMS Fire Rescue Impact Fee — Representative 1,801-2,500 sq ft tier. Verified. | per dwelling unit | $764 | St. Johns County, FL Mar 4, 2026High |
Police Law Enforcement & Correctional Facilities Impact Fee — Renamed 'Law Enforcement and Correctional Facilities Impact Fee' in Dec 2025 ordinance. Representative 1,801-2,500 sq ft tier. Verified. | per dwelling unit | $452 | St. Johns County, FL Mar 4, 2026High |
Parks & recreation Parks Impact Fee — Representative 1,801-2,500 sq ft tier. Verified. | per dwelling unit | $1,906 | St. Johns County, FL Mar 4, 2026High |
Open space Conservation & Open Space Impact Fee — New fee created Dec 2025; ordinance page confirms it starts at 50% of max recommended amount and increases 12.5%/yr for four years to full amount. Representative 1,801-2,500 sq ft tier; $303 is the Phase 1 (2026) amount. Verified. | per dwelling unit | $303 | St. Johns County, FL Mar 4, 2026High |
Transportation / roads Multimodal Transportation (Roads) Impact Fee - smaller home tier — Reference tier: 1,251-1,800 sq ft single-family home. TOTAL all-category county impact fee for this tier = $17,811/du. Excluded from total to avoid double-count with primary 1,801-2,500 sq ft tier. Verified. alternative · not added to total | per dwelling unit | $9,428 | St. Johns County, FL Mar 4, 2026High |
Transportation / roads Multimodal Transportation (Roads) Impact Fee - larger home tier — Reference tier: 2,501-3,750 sq ft single-family home. TOTAL all-category county impact fee for this tier = $27,514/du. Excluded from total to avoid double-count with primary tier. Verified. alternative · not added to total | per dwelling unit | $13,685 | St. Johns County, FL Mar 4, 2026High |
Water & sewer connection fees
| Fee (local term) | Basis | Amount | Source · effective |
|---|---|---|---|
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Unit Connection Fee (SJCUD) — SJCUD Schedule A water unit connection fee, per dwelling/unit (1.0 ERC = 350 gpd water). Applies where SJCUD is the provider; additive to sewer connection. Some county areas are served by JEA with a different (higher) capacity fee. Verified. | per dwelling unit | $2,850 | St. Johns County Utility Department Jun 17, 2025High |
Sewer connection (tap / SDC) Sewer Unit Connection Fee (SJCUD) — SJCUD Schedule A sewer unit connection fee, per dwelling/unit (1.0 ERC = 280 gpd sewer). Additive to water connection. Verified on same Single/Multiple Family row. | per dwelling unit | $5,750 | St. Johns County Utility Department Jun 17, 2025High |
Water connection (tap / SDC) Water Tapping Fee, 3/4" meter (SJCUD) — Physical tap/meter installation for base residential 3/4" meter; additive to the water unit connection fee. A $75 locate/right-of-way fee also applies per tap. Verified. | per meter | $1,395 | St. Johns County Utility Department Jun 17, 2025High |
Sewer connection (tap / SDC) Sewer Tapping Fee, 2" force main (SJCUD) — Physical sewer tap installation (2" force main; gravity sewer and >2" force main are charged at labor+equipment+material+25%). Additive to sewer unit connection fee; plus $75 locate fee. Medium because residential connection type (force main vs gravity) varies by site. Verified verbatim. | per meter | $1,600 | St. Johns County Utility Department Jun 17, 2025Medium |
What drives the difference
St. Johns County’s $34,085 per single-family home is $1,334 (4%) above Orange County’s $32,751. The largest single difference is in schools: Orange County charges about $9,513 there versus $6,082 in St. Johns County — a $3,431 swing that accounts for much of the overall gap. The two also differ in how much falls on water and sewer connection charges: $8,060 in Orange County versus $11,595 in St. Johns County.
Keep comparing
Orange County vs St. Johns County impact fees — FAQ
- Which has higher impact fees, Orange County or St. Johns County?
- St. Johns County, FL is higher. A single-family home pays about $34,085 per unit in St. Johns County versus $32,751 in Orange County, FL — $1,334 (4%) more, as of 2026.
- How much more does it cost to build a home in St. Johns County than in Orange County?
- About $1,334 more per single-family home — $34,085 in St. Johns County, FL versus $32,751 in Orange County, FL, a difference of 4% in total development impact and connection fees.
- What's the difference between impact fees in Orange County and St. Johns County for a single-family home?
- Orange County, FL charges about $32,751 per single-family home ($24,691 impact + $8,060 water/sewer connection), while St. Johns County, FL charges about $34,085 ($22,490 impact + $11,595 connection). Figures are normalized from official sources for 2026.