WallDockDeck
Palm Beach Gardens · Palm Beach County

Do I need a permit to repair a seawall in Palm Beach Gardens?

Yesbuilding permit

Yes. Palm Beach Gardens' local Florida Building Code amendments require a permit to construct, alter or repair a structure, and the under-$1,000 repair exemption applies only to work that does not affect structural integrity. The city Building Division's dock and seawall checklist calls for sealed plans, a survey and Army Corps approval.

Source: City of Palm Beach Gardens Code Sec. 86-27 Exh. A s. 105, Sec. 86-137 (Supp. 53); Decking/Docks & Seawalls checklist; 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

CityPermit required to 'construct, enlarge, alter, repair' a building or structure - Sec. 86-27 Exh. A s. 105.1
ExemptionRepair under $1,000 exempt only if it will not adversely affect structural integrity - Sec. 86-27 Exh. A s. 105.2; a permit lapses if work does not begin within six months - s. 105.4.1; single-family permits are to issue within 30 working days unless unusual circumstances apply - s. 105.3.4
ChecklistThe Building Division's Decking/Docks & Seawalls checklist (commercial version) requires the Universal Municipal Permit Application, digitally signed and sealed plans, Army Corps approval and a property survey, with review by Building, Development Compliance and Engineering
Flood zone VSeawalls need other-agency authorization plus design-professional analysis - Sec. 86-137
Emergency workWhere repairs must be done in an emergency, the permit application is due to the building official by the next working business day, with notice of the address, what the emergency is and the scope of work - Sec. 86-27 Exh. A s. 105.2.1
Stale applicationsAn application is treated as abandoned six months after filing unless it has been pursued in good faith or a permit has issued - s. 105.3.2
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)
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

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

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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.

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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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