WallDockDeck
Key West · Monroe County

How big a dock can I build in Key West?

No fixed size limit; 4 ft depth ruledock must link to a channel at least 4 ft deep at mean low water

Key West's land development regulations set no length, width or side setback for a private dock. What they do require is depth: a dock, pier or wharf is allowed only where a continuous channel at least 4 ft deep at mean low water links it to deep water, and only with Army Corps approval. In the Conservation district, whose areas include waters reaching 600 ft into the tidal water next to the city limits, docks are a conditional use and may be no wider than 5 ft.

Source: City of Key West Land Development Regulations Secs. 110-186 (through Ord. 98-14), 110-192, 118-361, 122-126, 122-129, 122-1186 (Ord. 97-10); F.A.C. 62-302.700(9)(i)13 (rule effective 11-25-2025); Fla. Stat. 403.813(1)(b) (2026); 33 CFR 322.3(a) · Verified 2026-10

The detail

Depth and approvalDocks, piers or wharves need approval by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and/or any other agency with jurisdiction, and are permitted only where a continuous channel with a mean low water depth of 4 ft or more links the structure with deep water (deeper than 4 ft) - Land Development Regulations 122-1186(b)
Conservation districtThe Conservation (C) district covers areas designated conservation on the future land use map, including waters of the state extending 600 ft into tidal water next to the city limits - 122-126. Below mean high water there, fishing piers, docks and boardwalks no wider than 5 ft are conditional uses, after all state and federal permits are granted - 122-129
Narrow docksTimber catwalks, docks and trail bridges less than 4 ft wide, with no fill or dredging beyond pilings, are exempt from the city's coastal resource protection regulations - 110-192(a)(3)
Environmental reviewDocks are not approved until the applicant shows compliance with federal and state law; plans need an environmental impact component showing no harm to seagrass, hardbottom, nearshore waters or manatees; open wet slips are preferred to covered ones - 110-186, 110-186(10)
PermitBulkheads, piers and docks along the shoreline are installed under a permit from the building official - 118-361
Outstanding Florida WatersThe Florida Keys waters, out to three leagues around Key West and the Keys, are designated Outstanding Florida Waters, except the Key West sewage outfall, the Stock Island power plant mixing zone and artificial waterbodies such as dredged canals - F.A.C. 62-302.700(9)(i)13. A dock in an Outstanding Florida Water qualifies for the state permit exemption only up to 500 sq ft over water - Fla. Stat. 403.813(1)(b)1
State exemptionA private, non-commercial dock on pilings with 1,000 sq ft or less of over-water surface (500 sq ft in Outstanding Florida Waters), and the only exempt dock along 65 ft of shoreline (or one per lot if the lot is narrower), needs no state environmental permit - Fla. Stat. 403.813(1)(b). The exemption does not grant permission to use state-owned submerged lands and does not override city or county rules - 403.813(1)
FederalStructures in navigable waters need a Department of the Army permit, general or individual - 33 CFR 322.3(a)

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Monroe CountySeawall requirements county-wide

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