Got a notice, or planning ahead. Start with the rule for your own city, then the checklist.
The rule where you are, with the code section and the date we checked it.
Fort Lauderdale sets both ends. The minimum is 5 ft NAVD88 and the maximum is your base flood elevation or 6 ft NAVD88, whichever is lower - and where
Fort Lauderdale · BrowardYes. Fort Lauderdale requires a permit from its Development Services Department before work on mooring structures, a term its code defines to include
Fort Lauderdale · BrowardFort Lauderdale's floodplain chapter adds no freeboard number of its own for ordinary buildings, so the Florida Building Code's BFE + 1 ft applies. Wh
Miami Beach · Miami-DadeRequired for a new seawall, or an existing one undergoing substantial improvement. A wall being repaired below that threshold may be built to 4.0 ft N
Miami Beach · Miami-DadeSeawall work needs a Miami Beach building permit, and the city requires DERM approval as well. Most repairs also need a Miami-Dade DERM Class I permit
Miami Beach · Miami-DadeMiami Beach sets a minimum freeboard of 1 foot and lets owners build up to 5 feet above base flood elevation without the extra height counting against
Boca Raton · Palm BeachBoca Raton sets a band, not a single number. The city's Engineering Design Standards Manual requires any new or replaced seawall or dock to reach 4.0
Boca Raton · Palm BeachYes. Boca Raton requires a city permit to install or replace a seawall, and no bulkhead or retaining wall may be built in city waters until Developmen
Boca Raton · Palm BeachBoca Raton uses a 49% substantial-improvement trigger counted over one year: improvements within a 1-year period that add up to 49% of market value, s
Pompano Beach · BrowardPompano Beach sets both ends of the range. A tidal flood barrier must reach 5 ft NAVD88 and must not exceed 5 ft 10 in NAVD88, so a wall can be too hi
Pompano Beach · BrowardYes. Pompano Beach makes it unlawful to construct or repair a seawall, cap or rip-rap without two city permits: an engineering permit from the City En
Pompano Beach · BrowardPompano Beach sets its own floor: homes must sit at BFE plus one foot or at least 18 inches above the crown of the adjacent streets, whichever is high
Hollywood · BrowardHollywood's minimum is 5 ft NAVD88. An application filed before 1 January 2035 may be permitted at 4 ft NAVD88, but only if the barrier is designed an
Hollywood · BrowardYes. Hollywood will not issue a building permit to build, rebuild, structurally alter or repair a waterfront retaining wall unless its seawall rules a
Hollywood · BrowardHollywood counts improvements over five years: any combination of work in a five-year period that adds up to 50% of market value is a substantial impr
Key West · MonroeKey West's Code of Ordinances sets no minimum or maximum seawall top elevation in any datum. The city's land development rules discourage vertical sea
Key West · MonroeYes. Key West requires a building permit for any work valued over $1,000, and its code says shoreline bulkheads are installed under a permit from the
Delray Beach · Palm BeachDelray Beach sets one minimum in every flood zone, 4.2 ft NAVD88, and lets the maximum vary with your flood zone. The rule applies when a seawall is b
Delray Beach · Palm BeachYes. Delray Beach requires a building permit to build or alter a seawall, with plans sealed by a Florida engineer and approval from the other reviewin
Delray Beach · Palm BeachDelray Beach keeps its flood rules in Chapter 10 of the land development regulations, uses the plain 50% substantial-improvement test, and lets owners
Jupiter · Palm BeachJupiter 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 hi
Jupiter · Palm BeachYes. Jupiter requires a town building permit for seawalls. A replacement may sit up to 18 in. waterward of the existing wall one time only, a replacem
Jupiter · Palm BeachJupiter requires every building in a flood hazard area to sit at base flood elevation plus 1.5 feet, or the design flood elevation if higher. It count
Coral Gables · Miami-DadeCoral Gables states its requirement in NGVD29, the old datum, while most of its neighbours use NAVD88. The two are not interchangeable and the city pu
Coral Gables · Miami-DadeCoral Gables puts its flood rules in Chapter 113 of the land development regulations and counts improvements over five years: work that adds up to 50%
Key Biscayne · Miami-DadeKey Biscayne's code has no seawall-specific permit section, but development in a flood hazard area needs a village permit, and in coastal flood zones
Key Biscayne · Miami-DadeKey Biscayne requires new one- and two-family homes at base flood elevation plus 1 foot (or the Florida Building Code level, if higher), and lowers it
Lighthouse Point · BrowardYes. Lighthouse Point's Building Department lists repairs to seawalls among projects that need a building permit, and even owner-builders must use a l
Deerfield Beach · BrowardDeerfield Beach adopted the county standard and then went further than any other Broward city we have read: it sets a ceiling as well as a floor, regu
Deerfield Beach · BrowardYes. Deerfield Beach's land development code says no seawall or other shoreline structure may be built until the plans have the required approvals, an
Deerfield Beach · BrowardDeerfield Beach ties first-floor height to the road as well as the flood map: a home's first floor goes 18 to 24 inches above the centerline of the ad
Dania Beach · BrowardNew, substantially repaired or substantially rehabilitated seawalls in Dania Beach must reach at least 5.0 ft NAVD88. Permit applications filed before
Dania Beach · BrowardYes. Dania Beach adopts the Florida Building Code in its entirety, and its seawall article covers new walls, substantial repairs and attached structur
Hallandale Beach · BrowardNew, substantially repaired or substantially rehabilitated seawalls in Hallandale Beach must reach at least 5.0 ft NAVD88. Applications filed before 1
Hallandale Beach · BrowardYes. Hallandale Beach recognizes the Florida Building Code with Broward County's administrative provisions, and its Building Division takes permit doc
Hallandale Beach · BrowardHallandale Beach labels its rule 'additional elevation (freeboard)': homes go to the Florida Building Code elevation or 18 inches above the crown of t
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea · BrowardNew, substantially repaired or substantially rehabilitated seawalls in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea must reach at least 5.0 ft NAVD88. Applications filed bef
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea · BrowardYes. Lauderdale-By-The-Sea adopts the Florida Building Code as the town's building code, and its seawall article covers new walls, substantial repairs
Miami · Miami-DadeMiami-Dade County sets no countywide seawall elevation, so the City of Miami sets its own. On tidally influenced and waterfront properties citywide, s
Miami · Miami-DadeMiami's code says no waterfront structure may be built, rebuilt or repaired without a Building Department permit, and the application must include the
Miami · Miami-DadeThe City of Miami requires residential lowest floors at the base flood elevation plus one foot of freeboard. It counts improvements over two years, an
Surfside · Miami-DadeSurfside ties its seawall height to the FEMA flood map, not to a fixed number. Since Ordinance 23-1734 (14 March 2023), the top of a seawall on Biscay
Surfside · Miami-DadeSurfside makes it unlawful to build a bulkhead or seawall without a permit from the town manager or designee, and the wall must stay inside the bulkhe
Surfside · Miami-DadeSurfside's Chapter 42 counts improvements over five years: any combination of work in a five-year period reaching 50% of market value is a substantial
Aventura · Miami-DadeAventura has no seawall-specific section, but no development may start until the Building Division issues a permit, and work next to tidal waters need
Aventura · Miami-DadeAventura's land development rules put the lowest floor at least 1 foot above base flood elevation or 18 inches above the highest point of the adjacent
Sunny Isles Beach · Miami-DadeSunny Isles Beach has no seawall-specific code section, but no development may happen until the Building Department issues a building permit under the
Sunny Isles Beach · Miami-DadeSunny Isles Beach has the longest look-back among the Miami-Dade cities here: improvements are added up over ten years, counting from the first permit
Bay Harbor Islands · Miami-DadeThe top of any seawall cap must be at 5.50 ft above mean sea level. Certain lots facing Biscayne Bay wave action may choose to go up to 6.0 ft above M
Bay Harbor Islands · Miami-DadeNo seawall may be built or repaired in Bay Harbor Islands until the Town approves its location, design, materials and strength in writing, and the Tow
Bay Harbor Islands · Miami-DadeBay Harbor Islands amended its flood chapter in August 2025 (Ord. No. 1131) and uses a 49% substantial-improvement and damage trigger. It bans manufac
Bal Harbour · Miami-DadeBal Harbour requires a village permit to build or repair any structure, and its engineering fee schedule expressly covers bulkheads. Most repairs also
Bal Harbour · Miami-DadeBal Harbour caps voluntary freeboard at whatever county, state or federal law requires and tells builders to follow the stricter of the state or feder
West Palm Beach · Palm BeachWest Palm Beach's zoning code sets no minimum or maximum seawall height. Its shoreline rules cover where walls go and require riprap or vegetation wit
West Palm Beach · Palm BeachYes. West Palm Beach's building code chapter recognizes the Florida Building Code, which governs repair as well as construction of structures. City sh
West Palm Beach · Palm BeachWest Palm Beach requires buildings and homes in flood hazard areas at base flood elevation plus 2 feet, 6 inches above the nearest road crown, or the
North Palm Beach · Palm BeachNew and substantially rebuilt seawalls in North Palm Beach need a cap at least 4 ft NAVD88, or 5 ft NAVD88 on the Intracoastal, Lake Worth or the ocea
North Palm Beach · Palm BeachYes. North Palm Beach requires a permit for seawall work, with building, zoning and village engineer review; the engineer reviews every repair or reco
Palm Beach · Palm BeachYes. The Town of Palm Beach's building official issues bulkhead and seawall permits, and building permits carry a condition that all state and federal
Palm Beach · Palm BeachThe Town of Palm Beach counts improvements over one year: work in a one-year period reaching 50% of market value is a substantial improvement, with th
Palm Beach Gardens · Palm BeachPalm Beach Gardens' code has no seawall section and sets no seawall height. Seawalls appear only in the floodplain rules and the fertilizer setback.
Palm Beach Gardens · Palm BeachYes. Palm Beach Gardens' local Florida Building Code amendments require a permit to construct, alter or repair a structure, and the under-$1,000 repai
Boynton Beach · Palm BeachBoynton Beach's development code requires a permit for seawalls and keeps the water-side face on the property line, but sets no seawall height.
Boynton Beach · Palm BeachYes. Boynton Beach's land development regulations say seawalls along access waterways must be installed under a city permit, with the water-side face
Highland Beach · Palm BeachHighland Beach requires seawalls west of A1A to be at the FEMA base flood elevation or higher. There is no fixed number; it depends on the property's
Highland Beach · Palm BeachYes. In Highland Beach, building a seawall needs approval by the town's consulting engineer, all federal, state and county agencies, and the Planning
Marathon · MonroeMarathon's Land Development Regulations set no minimum or maximum seawall top elevation in any datum. The city fixes a two-foot cap width and a six-in
Marathon · MonroeYes. Marathon requires anyone doing bulkhead, seawall or riprap work in surface waters to file a natural resources inventory or similar notice and get
Islamorada · MonroeIslamorada's Village Code sets no minimum or maximum seawall top elevation in any datum. Its shoreline-hardening rules are strict: vertical seawalls a
Islamorada · MonroeYes. Islamorada requires building permits as the Florida Building Code provides and for any work subject to floodplain rules, and its minor-repair exe
Wilton Manors · BrowardYes. Wilton Manors requires a building permit from its Community Development Services Department for seawalls, plus a notarized statement that you own
Wilton Manors · BrowardWilton Manors writes the largest fixed freeboard among the Broward cities here: at least 2 feet above base flood elevation and never lower than 6 feet
Hillsboro Beach · BrowardNew seawalls in Hillsboro Beach must have a top elevation of at least 5.0 ft NAVD88. The top generally may not be higher than the property's FEMA base
Hillsboro Beach · BrowardYes. Hillsboro Beach requires a town permit for any improvement or alteration of property, including walls, issued by the Town Clerk or the Town Build
Hillsboro Beach · BrowardHillsboro Beach's development code sets the lowest living floor no lower than the elevation shown on the 100-year flood criteria map. Its floodplain a
Oakland Park · BrowardNew or substantially rehabilitated seawalls, seawall caps, canal banks or berms in Oakland Park must reach at least 5.0 ft NAVD88. Applications filed
Oakland Park · BrowardYes. Oakland Park makes it unlawful to erect docks or any other structure on or in waterways without a permit from the building official, plan approva
Sea Ranch Lakes · BrowardNew, substantially repaired or substantially rehabilitated seawalls in Sea Ranch Lakes must reach at least 5.0 ft NAVD88. Applications filed before 1
Sea Ranch Lakes · BrowardYes. In Sea Ranch Lakes the Village Clerk issues building permits, and the village's land development code requires a substantially repaired seawall t
Sea Ranch Lakes · BrowardSea Ranch Lakes keeps its flood rules inside the land development code appendix and adds no freeboard number of its own, so the Florida Building Code'
North Bay Village · Miami-DadeULDC Sec. 8.16(B) requires shoreline properties being developed, redeveloped or substantially improved to meet the Village Seawall Design Criteria mem
North Bay Village · Miami-DadeNorth Bay Village's code says no one may build, repair, rebuild or alter a seawall without a permit from the Village Building Department. Most repairs
Golden Beach · Miami-DadeAll new and replacement seawalls must be built to 4.425 ft NAVD88. Existing legal nonconforming seawalls must be brought up when the home is substanti
Golden Beach · Miami-DadeGolden Beach requires a town building permit for seawall work plus a cash bond, with engineer-certified plans and staged surveys. Most repairs also ne
Palmetto Bay · Miami-DadePalmetto Bay has no seawall-specific section, but development in a flood hazard area needs a village permit, and the Building & Permitting Department
Palmetto Bay · Miami-DadePalmetto Bay writes its freeboard into local Florida Building Code amendments: A-zone floors at base flood elevation plus 1 foot, and in V zones the s
Cutler Bay · Miami-DadeCutler Bay has no seawall-specific section, but development in a flood hazard area needs a town permit, and seawalls in coastal flood zones need other
Cutler Bay · Miami-DadeCutler Bay sets the building floor at the higher of the state code elevation or 1 foot above the back of sidewalk (or the road crown where there is no
Miami Shores · Miami-DadeThe minimum seawall elevation is 4 ft NAVD88 (5.5 ft NGVD29). Owners are strongly encouraged to design the foundation so the wall can later be raised
Miami Shores · Miami-DadeMiami Shores requires a development permit for seawall work, and its dock and seawall checklist says plans must be approved by DERM. Most repairs also
Miami Shores · Miami-DadeMiami Shores Village counts improvements over one year: any combination of work in a one-year period reaching 50% of market value is a substantial imp
Ocean Ridge · Palm BeachNew, substantially repaired or substantially rehabilitated seawalls in Ocean Ridge must have a top (including cap) of at least 5 ft NAVD88. Atlantic O
Ocean Ridge · Palm BeachYes. Ocean Ridge requires a town building permit for seawalls, issued once all other agencies' permits are in hand. A substantial repair (over half th
Ocean Ridge · Palm BeachOcean Ridge counts improvements over two years, from the first permit after 10 July 2017, against the 50% substantial-improvement line, and treats two
Gulf Stream · Palm BeachGulf Stream sets no minimum seawall height. It caps new or replacement seawalls on Intracoastal-connected water at 8 ft NGVD (or the NAVD equivalent).
Gulf Stream · Palm BeachYes. Gulf Stream's Town Commission approves all construction plans for seawalls, and every applicable regulatory agency must approve in writing first.
Gulf Stream · Palm BeachGulf Stream's Chapter 48, adopted in 2017, uses the plain 50% substantial-improvement test with no look-back. FEMA lists the town at CRS class 10, so
Manalapan · Palm BeachManalapan requires a permit and fixed wall lines for seawalls but sets no seawall height.
Manalapan · Palm BeachYes. Manalapan's Building Department must issue a permit before a seawall is built on the ocean or the Intracoastal, and only after town, county, stat
Tequesta · Palm BeachNew and substantially rebuilt seawalls in Tequesta need a cap of at least 4 ft NAVD88. Repairs under 50% of replacement cost are exempt.
Tequesta · Palm BeachYes. Tequesta's Building Department reviews every seawall permit and requires plans sealed by a Florida engineer and 48-hour notice before key inspect
Juno Beach · Palm BeachJuno Beach's code has no seawall section and sets no seawall height. Seawalls appear only in the floodplain rules and the fertilizer setback.
Juno Beach · Palm BeachYes. Juno Beach has no seawall-specific permit section, but it adopts the Florida Building Code, which requires a permit to repair a structure, and re
Juno Beach · Palm BeachJuno Beach amends the Florida Building Code to require 18 inches above base flood elevation instead of the state's 1 foot, for both homes and other bu
Riviera Beach · Palm BeachRiviera Beach sets no seawall height. Dock permits must show the existing top-of-seawall elevation, but no minimum is required.
Riviera Beach · Palm BeachYes. Riviera Beach incorporates the Florida Building Code, plus city amendments recommended by the county advisory board, as its building code, so sea
Riviera Beach · Palm BeachRiviera Beach's Chapter 25 uses the plain 50% substantial-improvement test without a look-back period and sets no freeboard for ordinary buildings, so
Lantana · Palm BeachLantana sets no seawall height. Its waterway rules only fix the bulkhead line on Lake Worth.
Lantana · Palm BeachYes. Lantana's Building Division lists seawalls and structural repairs among projects that need a permit. Its checklist asks for engineer drawings, tw
Lantana · Palm BeachLantana adopts its floodplain ordinance through Code Section 6-101, uses the plain 50% substantial-improvement test, and limits decks and patios in V
South Palm Beach · Palm BeachSouth Palm Beach sets no fixed seawall height. A new seawall or bulkhead cap must match the caps on neighboring properties as far as possible.
South Palm Beach · Palm BeachYes. South Palm Beach requires a permit to build bulkheads or seawalls, with plans sealed by a Florida engineer who also certifies Army Corps and stat
Lake Worth Beach · Palm BeachLake Worth Beach sets no seawall height. Its waterways chapter only fixes the bulkhead line and fill limits.
Lake Worth Beach · Palm BeachYes. Lake Worth Beach's development regulations bar anyone from constructing, altering or repairing a structure without a building permit from the bui
Key Colony Beach · MonroeKey Colony Beach is the only jurisdiction in Monroe County that sets a seawall elevation, and it is the most prescriptive seawall code in the Keys - h
Key Colony Beach · MonroeYes. Key Colony Beach requires a city building permit from the building official before any seawall construction, issued only after the Army Corps, Fl
Fort Lauderdale · BrowardA seawall and a dock priced together are a different job from either one alone, and the number moves on things you can establish before anyone quotes.
Boca Raton · Palm BeachThe same seawall can be addressed three structurally different ways, and the spread between them is wider than most owners expect. We do not publish f
Coral Gables · Miami-DadeA boat lift is priced to a specific vessel, not to a dock, so two neighbours with the same dock can pay very different amounts. Coral Gables also requ
The rule that applies across the whole county, and where the cities inside it depart from it.
Broward is the only one of the four counties we cover with a countywide seawall standard, and the number most people quote is the wrong one.
Miami-Dade CountyMiami-Dade works the opposite way to Broward. The county runs the environmental permit through Chapter 24, but it sets no countywide seawall
Palm Beach CountyPalm 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;
Monroe CountyMonroe is the only county of the four where we can say with certainty that no elevation standard exists, because we read every mention of se
Which agencies are involved, what they want, and the order they want it in.
Permits, agencies and the order they go in, for Broward.
Regional guidePermits, agencies and the order they go in, for Miami-Dade.
Regional guidePermits, agencies and the order they go in, for Palm Beach.
Regional guidePermits, agencies and the order they go in, for Florida Keys.
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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