St. Johns County, FL Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (2026)

3 of the Land Development Code protects Marine Turtles nesting on the sand beaches fronting the Atlantic Ocean in unincorporated St. Johns County. During the Nesting Season, defined as May 1 to October 31, the Code prohibits campfires or bonfires on the beach every night between sunset and sunrise, with no permit exception for that item. The same subsection bars any transient lighting, such as flashlights, torches, or gas lanterns, used to purposely illuminate nesting turtles or hatchlings, though that particular ban does not apply to individuals holding appropriate state or federal permits.

During the same season, horseback riding on the beach is confined to seaward of the high-tide line. Beach access points serving the public or multi-family properties, where a Dune crossover exists, must post permanent Marine Turtle information signs, standardized and supplied by the County; removing those signs is also prohibited. Existing beach access points had six months from the Code's effective date to comply, and any new access point must comply before a Certificate of Occupancy or final building approval issues. 09.