WallDockDeck
Palm Beach County · Seawalls

What are the seawall requirements in Palm Beach County?

Town by townno single county standard applies

Palm Beach is the hardest of the four counties to get a straight answer in. Broward has a county standard its cities were required to adopt; Palm Beach does not work that way. Some towns set an elevation in their own document, many set none at all, and two neighbouring towns can differ. The rule is also not always in the code where you would look for it first.

Source: City of Boca Raton Engineering Design Standards Manual § 7.7 and Code of Ordinances Ch. 22, Sec. 22-31(5); City of Delray Beach Land Development Regulations Sec. 7.1.7 and Table 7.1.7(D), Ordinance 23-21; North Palm Beach Code Sec. 5-72; Tequesta Code Sec. 76-33; Ocean Ridge Code Sec. 64-82; Gulf Stream Code Sec. 70-78 · Verified 2026-10

The detail

How this county differsBroward's cities were required to adopt one county standard. Of the Palm Beach County towns we have verified, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, North Palm Beach (Sec. 5-72), Tequesta (Sec. 76-33) and Ocean Ridge (Sec. 64-82) set a seawall elevation, each in its own code. Jupiter, West Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Juno Beach, Riviera Beach, Lantana, Lake Worth Beach, South Palm Beach and Manalapan set none, and Gulf Stream sets only a maximum of 8 ft NGVD (Sec. 70-78).
Boca Raton4.0 ft NAVD88 minimum, 6.0 ft maximum. The wall must also be built so a further 12 to 18 inches can be added later without altering it.
Two documents in BocaThe 4.0 to 6.0 ft NAVD88 band is in the Engineering Design Standards Manual, section 7.7. The Code of Ordinances separately says no bulkhead may be built lower than plus 5.00 feet, with no datum stated (Sec. 22-31(5)). Ask the city in writing which it applies.
Delray Beach4.2 ft NAVD88 minimum in every flood zone, for new seawalls, substantial repairs and fixed structures attached to them (LDR 7.1.7(B)). The maximum varies with your FEMA flood zone — your base flood elevation where that is 5.0 ft or higher, 5 ft where the BFE is 4.0.
Delray's extra obligationAny contract to sell property in a tidally influenced area of Delray Beach, signed after 1 February 2022, must carry a tidal flood barrier disclosure in bold capitals of at least 14 point. The duty attaches to the sale contract (LDR 7.1.7(D)(7)).
Build low, engineer highBoth towns require a wall built under the higher figure to be designed so it can be raised later. Building to the minimum today does not close the question.
What to ask your townWhat is the minimum cap elevation, in which datum, and where is it written — the code, or an engineering standards manual? The second half of that question is the one that saves you a week.

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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Your city, specifically

120 published across 18 cities: Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Gulf Stream, Highland Beach, Juno Beach, Jupiter, Lake Worth Beach, Lantana, Manalapan, North Palm Beach, Ocean Ridge, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Riviera Beach, South Palm Beach, Tequesta, West Palm Beach.

Seawall height requirement

Boca Raton4.0 – 6.0 ft NAVD88Boynton BeachNo minimum set in local codeDelray Beach4.2 ft NAVD88 minimumGulf StreamNo minimum set in local codeHighland BeachBFE FEMA base flood elevationJuno BeachNo minimum set in local codeJupiterNo minimum set in local codeLake Worth BeachNo minimum set in local codeLantanaNo minimum set in local codeManalapanNo minimum set in local codeNorth Palm Beach4 ft NAVD88Ocean Ridge5 ft NAVD88Palm Beach GardensNo minimum set in local codeRiviera BeachNo minimum set in local codeSouth Palm BeachNo minimum set in local codeTequesta4 ft NAVD88West Palm BeachNo minimum set in local code

Seawall permit process

Boca RatonYes permit + staged inspectionsBoynton BeachYes permitDelray BeachYes building permit, engineer-sealedGulf StreamYes commission approval + building permitHighland BeachYes planning board approval + building permitJuno BeachYes building / floodplain permitJupiterYes building permit (Marine Structure)Lake Worth BeachYes building permitLantanaYes building permitManalapanYes building permitNorth Palm BeachYes permit + village engineer reviewOcean RidgeYes building permitPalm BeachYes building permit (Marine Structure)Palm Beach GardensYes building permitRiviera BeachYes building permitSouth Palm BeachYes building permit, engineer-sealedTequestaYes building permitWest Palm BeachYes building permit

Flood zone & elevation

Boca RatonBFE +1 ft (state code) no extra city freeboard foundDelray BeachBFE +1 ft (state code) no extra city freeboard for buildings foundGulf StreamBFE +1 ft (state code) no extra town freeboard foundJuno Beach+18 in above BFE or design flood elevation, whichever higherJupiter+1.5 ft above BFE lowest floor / bottom of structural memberLantanaBFE +1 ft (state code) no extra town freeboard foundOcean RidgeBFE +1 ft (state code) no extra town freeboard foundPalm BeachBFE +1 ft (state code) no extra town freeboard foundRiviera BeachBFE +1 ft (state code) no extra city freeboard foundWest Palm Beach+2 ft above BFE or 6 in above road crown / DFE, whichever higher

Dock permit & size limits

Boca Raton6 ft into the waterway canals under 100 ft wide; 8 ft on wider waterwaysBoynton Beach25% of waterway width max for docks, piles and dolphins; no fixed-foot limitDelray Beach8 ft from the seawall max dock projection; piles up to 25% of waterway widthGulf Stream5 ft wide, inside a lot-by-lot docking zone max dock and boat 70 ft on lots with 100 ft frontage or lessHighland Beach25 ft or 25% of waterway width whichever is less, from the seawall's wet face (not the Intracoastal)Juno BeachNo size limit in the code state and federal rules governJupiter50 ft or 20% of waterway width whichever is less, on natural waterwaysLake Worth Beach10 ft from the neighbour's lot line only numeric dock rule; no length limit in the codeLantana1,000 sq ft; 25% of width; 100 ft long max area / max share of water body / max lengthManalapan80 ft max in R1-A and only as long as needed to reach 3 ft of water at low tideNorth Palm Beach5 ft dock; piers 15-50 ft by waterway from the rear property lineOcean Ridge5 ft into the waterway max dock projection; dolphins up to 20 ftPalm Beach150 ft from land max, and no more than 6 ft west of the U.S. Pierhead LinePalm Beach Gardens50 ft or 10% of waterway width whichever is less, from the high-water shorelineRiviera Beach25% of waterbody width or a canal-by-canal cap (21-75 ft); 200 ft max off canalsSouth Palm BeachNo size limit in the code Lake Worth bulkhead line onlyTequesta75 ft or 10% of waterway width least of the two or the 3 ft low-water line; 6 ft on canalsWest Palm Beach100 ft max length and no longer than the shortest length state/federal agencies approve

Boat lift rules

Boca RatonAllowed except in the Inlet 25% of waterway or 20 ft (raised)Boynton BeachNo lift-specific rule; structures max one-quarter width Development Department permitDelray BeachAllowed; one per single-family lot 1 lift; raised boat 10 ft from side lineGulf StreamOne dock and/or boat lift per lot raised boat max 10 ft above seawallHighland BeachSpecial exception; max BFE + 8 ft lift height incl. machineryJupiterAllowed; 1 boat lift + 1 PWC lift per dock R-1/R-2; no covered liftsLake Worth BeachAllowed by right in SF-R; engineer design state and federal approvals firstLantanaAllowed; lift and lift cover need a building permit survey in duplicateManalapanLifts allowed on docks; davits banned in some districts keel max 12 in above high tideNorth Palm BeachAllowed with a building permit structures max 25% of water widthOcean RidgeAllowed with a building permit boom within dolphin limit (20 ft)Palm BeachAllowed on Lake Worth docks; 25 ft side setback extra 2 ft between lift pilingsPalm Beach GardensNo lift-specific rule; davits within side setback docks 50 ft or 10%Riviera BeachAllowed; 5 ft side setback, canal-by-canal caps no roofs or coveringsSouth Palm BeachNo lift rule in the town code parking exception for hoisted boatsTequestaAllowed; no roofed or covered lifts 20 ft out (raised); 10 ft from side linesWest Palm BeachAllowed; engineer-designed, middle third of lot boatlifts in middle one-third

Waterfront deck requirements

Boca Raton0 ft uncovered patios and pool decks may extend to the seawallBoynton Beach2 ft from any property line for decks/patios 1 ft high or less (3 ft if up to 3 ft high)Delray Beach5 ft from any property line for uncovered patios; pools 10 ftGulf Stream20 ft from a water lot line on the Intracoastal for minor accessory structures (raised decks, pools)Highland Beach0 ft patios may reach the seawall or property line (whichever is landward)Jupiter7.5 ft rear setback for patios and wood decks (single-family)Lake Worth Beach1 ft from any property line for an at-grade pool deck or patioLantana20 ft from the high water line or seawall on Lake Worth lots (aboveground structures)Manalapan25 ft from the seawall or Lake Worth mean high water for structures; pools 13 ftOcean Ridge0 ft setback waived where a deck or patio abuts the seawallPalm Beach Gardens0 ft unroofed paved patios/decks up to 6 in high may reach the side or rear lineRiviera Beach0 ft pool decks may extend to the rear line and connect to a dock on the water

Checking a marine contractor

Boca RatonRegister, or prove it every time Boca eHub registration or documents at each permitBoynton BeachOut-of-city contractors register $2 with a countywide licenceDelray BeachRegistration required state licence + City-named insurance in eServicesGulf StreamEveryone who works registers annually, with Gulf Stream and Highland BeachHighland BeachRegistered with the Town MGO; subs tooJuno BeachRegister with the Town MGO account verified firstJupiterNo town business tax permits and status in the JCDS portalLantanaRegistration form + county BTR paper and email permits; cash or chequeManalapanActive MGO registration contractors and subs, county BTRNorth Palm BeachMGO registration first licence and insurance in the portalOcean RidgeRegistered, with Longshore cover no-fee registration; seawall crews need federal insurancePalm Beach GardensAll contractors register in the PBG Community Development PortalSouth Palm BeachEvery contractor registers each fiscal year, permit or notTequestaRegister by email State or PBC card, BTR, Village-named insuranceWest Palm BeachRegister before working email ds@wpb.org; home-city BTR accepted

Storm prep & documentation

Boca RatonNext business day to apply after emergency repairsBoynton BeachFive piles how storm debris must be sorted at the curbDelray Beach60 / 365 days to show progress / finish a cited seawallGulf Stream14 days plywood may stay up before and after a stormHighland Beach$5,000 maximum fine for an unsecured job siteJuno BeachRemove on a watch beach-stored watercraftLake Worth BeachShelter exception vessels may anchor during a hurricane watchManalapanPerpetual owner's maintenance duty for coastal structuresNorth Palm BeachAffixed or removed boats at homes on a storm warningPalm BeachEvery 15 years engineer recertification of seawallsPalm Beach GardensEdge of pavement where private-road storm debris goesWest Palm Beach48 hours emergency-repair stay for live-aboards on Lake Worth

Seawall repair cost

Boca RatonThree approaches, three prices same wall, very different jobs

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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