Is my address in the Town of Orange Park?
Check first. The Town of Orange Park is a small incorporated town in Clay County along the St. Johns River. Many homes with an Orange Park mailing address, in areas such as Oakleaf and Fleming Island, are in unincorporated Clay County instead. The two governments have very different rules for a second unit.
What does the Town of Orange Park allow?
The town's code defines a guest house as a unit in a separate building on the lot, used only for occasional stays by a non-paying guest or family member, as of October 2026. Under that definition it:
- may not be rented;
- may not have a separate utility meter;
- is limited to minimal kitchen equipment, such as a microwave, a bar sink and a small refrigerator.
That works for visiting family, not for a rental. We did not find a separate rentable ADU category in the parts of the town code we reviewed.
What does unincorporated Clay County allow?
Clay County treats an ADU as a conditional use. Its requirements, as of October 2026, include:
- allowed in the PUD, AG, AR, AR-1, AR-2, RA, RB and RE districts;
- a principal lot of at least 15,000 sq ft, which cannot be split to separate the ADU;
- one ADU per single-family home, detached or over a garage;
- at least 375 sq ft, and no more than 40% of the main home's floor area or 1,000 sq ft, whichever is less;
- the owner living in the homesteaded main house;
- one off-street parking space for the ADU;
- a design uniform with the main house, and no separate sale.
Which path fits my Orange Park property?
It depends on which side of the town line you are on and how large the lot is. Inside the town, plan for a family guest house. In Clay County, a lot of 15,000 sq ft or more in a listed district can support a full ADU through the conditional use process. We confirm both with the right office.
Related
As of October 2026. Sources: Town of Orange Park land development code Sec. 2.02.01 definitions (via Zoneomics); Clay County ADU requirements page. Confirm with the Town or Clay County.