The Florida Legislature of 1957 authorized North Florida Junior College and five other community colleges in the state. The counties of Hamilton, Madison, Lafayette, Suwannee, and Taylor were proposed as an area with need for a community college. In the establishment of the college area, Jefferson County replaced Suwannee County. Suwannee County became a participating county in 1974.

In March, 1958, Dr. Marshall W. Hamilton was appointed President of the new institution, and temporary academic and administrative quarters were secured in Madison. In September, the first North Florida Junior College classes were organized. Ground was broken in January, 1959 for the first permanent buildings: the Library and Science Building. North Florida Junior College and Suwannee River Junior College merged in 1966.

Dr. Stephen T. McMahon served as president from 1970-1978; Dr. Gary P. Sims, 1978-1984; and Dr. Robert W. Ramsay, 1984-1987. Dr. William H. McCoy assumed the presidency on August 1, 1987. A major tornado damaged many campus buildings and destroyed the Van. H. Priest Auditorium and the Hardee Chapel on April 17, 1988.  

In July 1995, the District Board of Trustees changed the name of the College from North Florida Junior College to North Florida Community College in order to better define the purpose of the institution.  

Dr. McCoy retired in 1995. On January 2, 1996, Dr. Beverly M. Grissom became president. Dr. Grissom retired in 2001. Morris G. Steen, Jr. was named president of North Florida Community College on March 1, 2002; he served as interim president from July 2001 through February 2002 before being named NFCC’s seventh president. In 2008 the college celebrated its 50^th year anniversary. Mr. Steen retired in 2008.  

John Grosskopf was named the eighth president of North Florida Community College on Jan. 20, 2009.