WallDockDeck
Jupiter · Palm Beach County

How high does a seawall have to be in Jupiter?

No minimumset in local code

Jupiter sets no minimum seawall height. It caps new bulkheads at the property's FEMA base flood elevation, and a bulkhead more than 3 ft above mean high water must be fully faced with riprap or mangroves.

Source: Town of Jupiter Code of Ordinances, Ch. 27 Zoning, Art. XI Div. 25 Marine Facilities, Sec. 27-2624 (Supp. 24, online 10/2/2026) · Verified 2026-10

The detail

MinimumNone set in Sec. 27-2624 (Shoreline stabilization)
MaximumTop of new bulkhead must be at or below the property's required base flood elevation on current FEMA maps - Sec. 27-2624(8)
Exemptions to maxProperties east of the Coastal Construction Control Line; Riverwalk properties where ADA slope cannot be met - Sec. 27-2624(8)a-b
Riprap triggerTop more than 3 ft above mean high water line requires 100% riprap/mangrove facing - Sec. 27-2624(1)c, (2)d
LocationReplacement within 18 in. waterward of existing permitted bulkhead (one-time waterward move since 6/16/2015) - Sec. 27-2624(1)-(2)
Riprap placementRiprap must cover the bottom half of the bulkhead, sloped no steeper than 2:1, and may not reach more than 8 ft waterward of the mean high water line. No filter cloth is needed - Sec. 27-2624(5)b
Mangrove follow-upWithin two years of final inspection, mangroves must be established on at least 10% of the riprap-faced shoreline; if not, 20% of the shoreline must then be planted - Sec. 27-2624(5)c-d
Old unpermitted wallsWhen replacing an unpermitted bulkhead, a dated survey or historical aerial proving it existed before 20 Dec 2005 excuses the riprap, as long as the new top stays within 3 ft of mean high water. Wood or other degradable walls must be removed - Sec. 27-2624(2)f, (2)h

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

Palm Beach CountySeawall requirements county-wide

The same question, nearby

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

Palm BeachBoca RatonPalm BeachDelray BeachPalm BeachWest Palm BeachPalm BeachNorth Palm Beach

Other questions about Jupiter

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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.

A screening sheet for owners, not an engineering inspection.

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