WallDockDeck
Deerfield Beach · Broward County

How high does a seawall have to be in Deerfield Beach?

5.0ft NAVD88, and no more than 7.0

Deerfield Beach adopted the county standard and then went further than any other Broward city we have read: it sets a ceiling as well as a floor, regulates how wide the cap may be, and bans retaining walls on top of it. If you are only checking the minimum, you are checking the easy half.

Source: City of Deerfield Beach Land Development Code Sec. 98-87(d)(4)b, Docking and Mooring Facilities - Tidal Flood Barriers; Ord. 2022/003 and Ord. 2022/014; Broward County Code Ch. 39, Art. XXV, Sec. 39-407 · Verified 2026-10

The detail

Minimum5 ft NAVD88 for all new or substantially repaired tidal flood barriers.
The 2035 routeAn application before 1 January 2035 may be permitted at 4 ft NAVD88, if the barrier is designed and constructed to accommodate 5 ft NAVD88 by 1 January 2050.
Maximum7 ft NAVD88, or the required finished grade elevation, whichever is higher. The county sets no ceiling at all, so this one is Deerfield's.
Cap widthNo less than 18 inches and no greater than 42 inches.
Retaining wallsProhibited on top of or over a seawall cap.
Riprap is requiredNatural limerock riprap, or approved habitat enhancement, at the waterward face. Placed from one foot above mean high water, at a slope no steeper than two horizontal to one vertical, with no reinforcing rods or protrusions and no filling gaps with concrete.
The whole shorelineA barrier undergoing substantial repair must be built along the property's entire shoreline, not only the failing section.
No gapsBarriers must adjoin immediately proximate barriers so far as practicable.
The clock60 days to demonstrate progress after a notice, 365 days to complete. Tidal water crossing onto a neighbour or a right-of-way is a public nuisance and a citable offence.
What counts as substantialWork on more than 50% of the shoreline length, or an appurtenant structure costing more than 50% of a barrier along that shoreline.
Your dock is tied to itA dock may not exceed the height of the seawall, and where it is attached to the cap under sealed engineering it may sit no more than 6 inches above it. Minimum dock height with a seawall is 4 ft NAVD88.
Where it does not applyOceanfront beaches and shorelines seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line.

Your city's height sheet

The elevation your city requires, the datum it is measured in, and the section of code that says so. One page.

Available for the cities whose rule we have verified and sourced.

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The county rule behind this

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

Broward CountySeawall requirements county-wide

The same question, nearby

The rule changes at the city line, not the county line.

BrowardFort LauderdaleBrowardPompano BeachBrowardHollywood

Other questions about Deerfield Beach

Seawall permit processDo I need a permit to repair a seawall in Deerfield Beach?Flood zone & elevationWhat flood zone is Deerfield Beach in, and what does it require?Dock permit & size limitsHow big a dock can I build in Deerfield Beach?Boat lift rulesWhat are the boat lift rules in Deerfield Beach?Waterfront deck requirementsWhat are the deck setback and railing rules in Deerfield Beach?Storm prep & documentationWhat are the storm and debris rules in Deerfield Beach?

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.

A screening sheet for owners, not an engineering inspection.

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