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Riviera Beach · Palm Beach County

What are the boat lift rules in Riviera Beach?

Allowed; 5 ft side setback, canal-by-canal capsno roofs or coverings

Riviera Beach treats boat lifts as residential marine facilities. They must stay 5 feet from the side lines, may not have walls, roofs or coverings, and in canals may reach 25% of the canal width or a canal-specific cap, whichever is less - 21 feet in the Lake Park Marina Canal, 40 feet on Morse Boulevard/Powell Drive, 75 feet on the north and south sides of Yacht Harbor.

Source: City of Riviera Beach Code Sec. 31-557 (Supp. 65); s. 403.813(1)(s), F.S. (2026); 33 CFR 322.3(a) · Verified 2026-10

The detail

AllowedBoat lifts are residential docks and related marine facilities, permitted as an accessory use in all residential districts - Code Sec. 31-557(a)-(b)
Side setback5 feet from the side lines - Sec. 31-557(c)(1), (d)(1)
Canal reach25% of the waterbody width or: Lake Park Marina Canal 21 ft; Wilma Circle 30 ft; Gulfstream Way/Bimini Lane 30 ft; Grand Bahama Lane 30 ft; Morse Blvd/Powell Dr 40 ft; Sugar Sands 30 ft on Singer Drive, 40 ft elsewhere; Yacht Harbor 75 ft north and south, 35 ft east - whichever is less; Shore Drive/Palm Drive 33% or 25 ft - Sec. 31-557(c)(1)
Other waters25% of the width or 200 feet, whichever is less - Sec. 31-557(d)(1)
CoversResidential docks and related marine facilities may not contain walls, roofs, coverings or enclosures (dock boxes, fish tables, utility pedestals and trash cans excepted) - Sec. 31-557(e)
BoatsVessels may not obstruct more than 30% of a canal (33% on Shore Drive/Palm Drive) or extend past the side lines - Sec. 31-557(c)(1)
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).

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