Sea turtle season, May 1 to October 31.
1,354 sea turtle nests on the beaches of St. Johns, Duval and Nassau counties in 2025, by FWC’s count. What the season changes on the beach, town by town, and what it asks of the people who own on the sand.
By Krista Fracke — Broker Associate, Christie's International Real Estate First Coast · 20+ years in Northeast Florida · 500+ closings · client reviews
The 2025 nests, county by county
I’m Krista Fracke, and if you buy on these beaches, turtle season comes with the house. St. Johns County carries most of the region’s nests: 932 loggerhead nests in 2025, plus 63 green and 4 leatherback, on 68.8 km of surveyed beach. Statewide, FWC counted 100,951 loggerhead nests the same year.
| County | Loggerhead | Green | Leatherback | Beach surveyed | Nests per mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Johns | 932 | 63 | 4 | 68.8 km | 23.4 |
| Duval | 180 | 1 | 2 | 30.5 km | 9.7 |
| Nassau | 155 | 16 | 1 | 24.2 km | 11.4 |
Nests from FWC’s 2025 statewide nesting totals. Nests per mile is our arithmetic: all three species over the surveyed beach.
What the season changes on the beach
Each town sets its own rules and says them a little differently. These are their words, condensed; a town that doesn’t state a rule on its page isn’t credited with one here.
St. Johns County beaches (Ponte Vedra Beach to Matanzas)
- Flashlights and lanterns are not permitted on the beach during the season.
- County beach gates close to vehicles at 7:30 p.m. and reopen at 8 a.m.
- Nothing may be left on the beach overnight, and open fires are not permitted.
- Cross the dunes only on the walkovers.
Jacksonville Beach
- Beachfront lights must not shine on the beach directly or indirectly; the city asks for shielded, downward, amber or red fixtures.
- Take chairs, umbrellas and tents home each day, fill holes and flatten sandcastles.
- No flashlights, flash photos or phone lights near a turtle or nest; stay at least 50 feet from a nesting turtle or hatchlings.
- The Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol takes sighting reports at 904-613-6081.
Atlantic Beach
- Beach fires are prohibited during nesting season.
- The city asks owners to turn off or shield beachfront lighting from sunset to sunrise, and beachgoers to take their gear home.
Fernandina Beach
- The city runs nighttime lighting inspections along its beaches every month of the season.
- Its outdoor lighting code asks for low, shielded, long-wavelength light; decorative string, landscape and pool lights come off or get disconnected.
Unincorporated Nassau County (south Amelia Island)
- Beachfront lighting is regulated by county ordinance section 37.07.
The part nobody tells you: the lights belong to the turtles in summer
If a light on your house can be seen from the beach, turtle season reaches you. FWC’s standard, the one the state writes into its lighting guidance, is low, shielded, long-wavelength light: a bulb of 560 nanometers or more, which means amber, orange or red. Hatchlings head for the brightest horizon, and a white porch light can outshine the ocean.
Owners who build or renovate seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line get a state permit with the same lighting standard in it, so the fixtures on an oceanfront house are part of the inspection, not a matter of taste. On an oceanfront showing, look at the exterior fixtures, the pool lights and how much the windows glow at night; swapping them is a real line item, and it is cheaper to price before you offer than after a code-enforcement letter in July.
Short-term rentals add a wrinkle: guests don’t know the rules, and the owner hears about it. Amber bulbs on timers and a note on the fridge do most of the work.
A turtle-friendly beach day
- Fill in holes and knock down sandcastles before you leave; a hatchling can’t climb out of a hole.
- Take chairs, tents and toys home every evening. St. Johns County does not allow anything left overnight.
- Leave the flashlight in the car after dark, and stay out of the dunes.
- Marked nests are fenced with stakes and tape. Give them room, and never touch a turtle, a nest or a hatchling.
- To report a stranded, injured or disoriented turtle, call FWC’s Wildlife Alert line, 888-404-3922.
Planning where to go? Every public beach access and its parking is on one map, and the shark teeth and shells guide covers what you can take home from the sand.
Oceanfront homes for sale in Ponte Vedra Beach
Where the lighting rules apply.
Oceanfront homes for sale in St. Augustine Beach
The newest listings, live from the MLS.
Oceanfront homes for sale in Jacksonville Beach
The newest listings, live from the MLS.
Oceanfront homes for sale on Amelia Island
The newest listings, live from the MLS.
This is the work I do every week. Looking at an oceanfront home? I'll check its fixtures against the town's lighting rules and help you price the changes before you offer.
Work with Krista (904) 709-7917 TextSave contact
By texting Krista you agree to receive conversational SMS text messages from Krista Fracke about your home search or sale. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to unsubscribe, HELP for help. Terms: www.kristafracke.com/terms. Privacy: www.kristafracke.com/privacy.
Broker Associate · Christie's International Real Estate First Coast · 20+ years · 500+ closings
Common questions
When is sea turtle season in Northeast Florida?
May 1 through October 31. St. Johns County, Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach and Fernandina Beach all use those dates. Loggerheads lay most of the nests; green turtles and a few leatherbacks nest here too.
How many sea turtles nest on St. Johns County beaches?
FWC counted 999 nests on St. Johns County beaches in 2025: 932 loggerhead, 63 green and 4 leatherback, over 68.8 km of surveyed beach. Duval counted 183 and Nassau 172.
Can I use a flashlight on the beach at night during turtle season?
Not on St. Johns County beaches: flashlights and lanterns are not permitted there from May 1 to October 31. Jacksonville Beach asks for no flashlights, flash photography or phone lights near a turtle or a nest.
Do sea turtle lighting rules apply to my oceanfront house?
Yes, if your lights can be seen from the beach. The beach towns ask for shielded, low, amber or red light from May through October, and FWC’s standard is long-wavelength light of 560 nanometers or more. Work on the seaward side of the Coastal Construction Control Line needs a state permit, and those permits carry the same lighting standard.
What should I do if I see a sea turtle or hatchlings on the beach?
Keep your distance and your lights off. Jacksonville Beach asks for at least 50 feet from a nesting turtle or hatchlings. Report it: the Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol takes calls at 904-613-6081, and FWC’s Wildlife Alert line is 888-404-3922.
Every public beach access, mapped →
Parking, fees, ramps and rules, Amelia Island to Matanzas.
Shark teeth and shells →
Where they turn up, and what the law lets you keep.
What oceanfront costs to own →
Insurance, flood zones and the dune.
Walk to the beach →
Homes a short walk from a public access, without oceanfront prices.
Buying on the sand?
Tell me the beach town. I’ll send the oceanfront homes and tell you what each one needs before next May.