WallDockDeck
Marathon · Monroe County

What are the boat lift rules in Marathon?

Allowed; lift max 5 ft above dockcovered lifts to 20 ft above MHW

Marathon limits the frame of a boat lift beside a dock or seawall to 5 feet above the dock's highest walking surface or the seawall cap, not counting boat guides; pile-mounted davits may reach 8.5 feet. Covered lifts without side walls are allowed up to 20 feet above mean high water, but not over protected seagrass or hardbottom, and a lift is not permitted where it would harm nearby natural resources.

Source: City of Marathon LDR (Code App. A) Sec. 104.64 (municipalcodeonline.com, read 3 Oct 2026); s. 403.813(1)(s), F.S. (2026); 33 CFR 322.3(a) · Verified 2026-10

The detail

Height of liftNo part of a boat lift beside a dock or seawall, except boat guides, may exceed 5 feet above the highest walking surface of the dock or seawall cap - LDR Sec. 104.64 (docking facilities)
DavitsPile-mounted davits no higher than 8.5 feet above the highest walking surface of the dock - Sec. 104.64
CoversCovered boat lifts without side walls may be permitted; covered lifts over submerged bottoms with protected living marine resources are prohibited; maximum 20 feet from mean high water to the highest point - Sec. 104.64
Natural resourcesBoat lifts are not permitted where they can reasonably be expected to harm natural resources in the immediate vicinity - Sec. 104.64
Tie-downsDocks with boat lifts, davits or similar mechanisms must have cleats, rings or similar points to secure the boat out of the water in high wind - Sec. 104.64
ReachDocks no longer than 100 feet from mean low water or 10% of the water body width; dock or mooring structure plus moored vessel no more than 25% of the navigable portion - Sec. 104.64
How manyOne dock structure per single-family property under common ownership - Sec. 104.64
PermitsAll federal, state and water management district permits before the city building permit - Sec. 104.64
State and federalFloating boat lifts and floating vessel platforms that meet s. 403.813(1)(s), F.S. (they float at all times, hold the vessel out of the water, and either sit inside a previously permitted slip or total no more than 500 sq ft - 200 sq ft in Outstanding Florida Waters - beside a qualifying dock or bulkhead) need no state permit; a local government may then ask only for a one-time registration unless the platform is attached to a bulkhead with no dock. Structures in navigable waters otherwise need Army Corps authorization unless exempt or under a general permit - 33 CFR 322.3(a).

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 Monroe County, and where each city departs from it.

Monroe CountySeawall requirements county-wide

The same question, nearby

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

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Other questions about Marathon

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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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