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Florida · North Central Florida · Suwannee River
Lafayette County, Florida
One of Florida's least populated counties on the Suwannee River — from Mayo's historic courthouse to the Troy Springs State Park's submerged Civil War steamboat, the Ichetucknee River's headwaters, and a county of fewer than 9,000 people that preserves the wild North Florida river corridor in one of the most remote stretches of the state's interior. Property tax, courts, public records, and senior services for Lafayette County residents.
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Office: Lafayette County Emergency Management – (386) 294-1955 | lafayettecountyfl.gov
Alert System: Florida FDEM; CodeRED; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Lafayette County High School; contact OEM
FEMA Region: Region 4
Notes: North-central Florida Suwannee River county; Mayo is county seat; one of Florida’s smallest population counties (~9,000 – the least populous county in Florida); hurricane risk (inland); severe thunderstorms; flooding (Suwannee River – the dominant geographical feature; Lafayette County exists almost entirely within the Suwannee River floodplain); wildfire risk; the Mayo Clinic has no connection to the county – Mayo was named after a local official; very rural and remote
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Roads: Lafayette County Roads – (386) 294-1955
Transit: None; completely auto-dependent; very remote
Notes: US-27 (north-south through Mayo – connects to Live Oak north and Branford/Gilchrist County south); SR-51 (east to Perry/Taylor County); Lafayette County is about 55 miles south of Gainesville; Mayo is a very small county seat; the Suwannee River flowing along the county’s western boundary is the primary geographical and ecological feature
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Lafayette County Building – (386) 294-1955
Services: Very basic; Mayo only community
Notes: Minimal development; agricultural and ranching structures; no significant construction activity
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Lafayette County Veterans Services – (386) 294-1955
VA Medical: Malcom Randall VAMC (Gainesville – about 55 miles south via US-27)
Notes: Gainesville VA accessible; very small veteran population; remote agricultural community
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Lafayette County Public Library – (386) 294-3039
Address: Mayo
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs; Suwannee River heritage
Notes: Single library; critical internet access point for one of Florida’s most isolated communities
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Suwannee River (the river flows along Lafayette County’s western boundary; excellent canoeing and fishing; Lafayette Blue Spring (Lafayette County’s outstanding spring – one of north Florida’s finest; crystal-clear spring run to the Suwannee; scuba diving; manatees in winter; canoeing); Troy Springs accessible (Columbia County border)); Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (Live Oak, Suwannee County – the region’s finest outdoor music venue accessible from Lafayette County)
Notes: Lafayette County’s Suwannee River access and Lafayette Blue Spring are its primary natural assets; the spring is excellent – clear spring water in a pristine setting with manatees in winter; the county’s extreme rural character and low development density mean the natural setting is exceptionally well-preserved
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Very limited; Florida DEP; SRWMD Suwannee River maps; Lafayette Blue Spring maps
Notes: Minimal county GIS; SRWMD maintains the primary maps; spring monitoring data
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Very basic; Lafayette County Sheriff animal control
Notes: Ranching county; cattle; gopher tortoises; white-tailed deer; wild turkey; Florida black bears; Suwannee River wildlife (alligators; river turtles; river otters; manatees in springs)
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Very limited; transfer station
Environmental: Florida DEP; Suwannee River Water Management District; Lafayette Blue Spring protection; Suwannee River watershed
Notes: Springs protection is the primary environmental priority; Lafayette Blue Spring is vulnerable to nitrogen from the agricultural recharge zone; SRWMD monitors the spring; the county’s extreme rural character and minimal development mean overall environmental quality is high
About Lafayette County
Heritage | Mayo is one of Florida’s smallest county seats; Lafayette County is Florida’s least populous county; a deeply rural, forested county in the Suwannee River basin; significant timber and agriculture Outdoors | Suwannee River; Troy Springs State Park (a stunning first-magnitude spring — the Civil War steamboat Madison lies preserved on the spring bottom, visible from the surface); Lafayette Blue Springs State Park Notable | Lafayette County is one of the most remote and least-visited counties in Florida; the Suwannee River corridor here is pristine and largely undeveloped Library | Lafayette County Public Library — (386) 294-2640
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK OF COURTS (Records, Marriage Licenses)
120 W. Main St., Mayo, FL 32066
(386) 294-1600
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Lafayette County Clerk of the Circuit Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Lafayette County Recorder of Deeds, P.O. Box 88, Mayo, FL.
Local societies
No dedicated Lafayette County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Lafayette County Clerk of the Circuit Court, Probate Division 120 West Main Street, Mayo, FL 32066 (386) 294-1600 Lafayette County sits in Florida’s 3rd Judicial Circuit.
IMPORTANT – a major statewide law change just took effect: Florida’s summary administration threshold DOUBLED from $75,000 to $150,000 effective July 1, 2026, under CS/HB 1337 (Chapter 2026-57, Laws of Florida). Confirm which threshold applies based on date of death when helping someone (see
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
130 E. Main St., Mayo, FL 32066
(386) 294-1222
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS
120 W. Main St., Mayo, FL 32066
(386) 294-1600
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
FL Dept of Health — Lafayette
152 NW Community Dr., Mayo, FL 32066
(386) 294-1321
FL DCF — Lafayette
(386) 294-1600
FL Medicaid
(800) 299-4833
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Florida DOH in Lafayette County – (386) 294-1220 | lafayette.floridahealth.gov
Services: Very basic; immunizations; vital records
Hospital: No local hospital; Live Oak and Gainesville hospitals for care
Notes: Extremely limited local healthcare; one of Florida’s most remote health care access situations; behavioral health challenges in isolated rural community
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Editorial Trust
5 official sources cited
Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Mayo
Population: 8,000
Area: 543 mi²
Established: 1856
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Lafayette County residents.