WallDockDeck
Boynton Beach · Palm Beach County

Do I need a permit to repair a seawall in Boynton Beach?

Yespermit

Yes. Boynton Beach's land development regulations say seawalls along access waterways must be installed under a city permit, with the water-side face not over the property line. No wall may extend into Lake Worth past the 1956 bulkhead line, and marine structures may not take up more than a quarter of the waterway.

Source: City of Boynton Beach Land Development Regulations Ch. 3 Art. V Sec. 3.O and Ch. 4 Art. XII Sec. 5 (Gridics CodeHUB); s. 403.813(1)(e), 161.053, 553.79 F.S. (2026); r. 62-330.051, 18-21.005 F.A.C.; 33 CFR 322.3(a); PBC ERM Permitting and Regulation page · Verified 2026-10

The detail

City'Seawalls, bulkheads, piers and docks installed along access waterways shall be installed under a permit issued by the Boynton Beach Development Department' - LDR Ch. 3 Art. V Sec. 3.O
PlacementWater-side face not to encroach over the property line; no bulkhead or seawall extending into Lake Worth past the bulkhead line on the 1956 map (Ordinance No. 289); docks, seawalls and similar structures no more than one-quarter of the waterway width - Sec. 3.O
FillLand filling within the mapped area needs a fill permit under City Commission direction, with fill at least 6 ft above mean sea level and compliance with state and Army Corps rules - Sec. 3.O
After the workNo fertilizer within 10 ft of the top of a seawall or lake bulkhead, or 3 ft with a deflector shield or drop spreader - LDR Ch. 4 Art. XII Sec. 5
State (FDEP)Restoring a seawall in place or up to 18 in. waterward can be exempt from an Environmental Resource Permit where it was damaged within the last year by a discrete event or needs only minimal backfilling, and any chapter 161 permits are obtained (s. 403.813(1)(e) F.S.; r. 62-330.051(12)(b) F.A.C.); batter piles, king piles or a cap used only to stabilize and repair a wall are also exempt (r. 62-330.051(12)(d))
State-owned bottomExempt work on sovereign submerged land still needs separate authorization under chs. 253 and 258 F.S., which the Board of Trustees grants by rule for many exempt activities (r. 62-330.051 intro; r. 18-21.005(1)(b) F.A.C.)
CountyPalm Beach County ERM's Permitting and Regulation page lists no seawall or shoreline permit program among its topics (PBC ERM Permitting and Regulation page)
Ocean sideSeaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line a wall needs a separate state coastal construction permit; the chapter 161 repair exemption expressly excludes seawalls (s. 161.053(2)(a), (11)(a) F.S.)
Small-job exemptionThe state's under-$7,500 single-family permit exemption does not cover structural work or property in a flood hazard area (s. 553.79(1)(g)2. F.S.)
FederalA U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Department of the Army) authorization is required for structures or work in or affecting navigable waters, unless exempt or covered by a nationwide or regional general permit - 33 CFR 322.3(a) (Rivers and Harbors Act s. 10)

Your city's height sheet

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The county rule behind this

What applies across Palm Beach County, and where each city departs from it.

Palm Beach CountySeawall requirements county-wide

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Twelve signs a seawall is failing

What to look for, where to look for it, and what it means when you find it. Walk your wall in twenty minutes.

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