WallDockDeck
West Palm Beach · Palm Beach County

How big a dock can I build in West Palm Beach?

100 ft max lengthand no longer than the shortest length state/federal agencies approve

West Palm Beach caps a dock at the shortest length the state DEP, the Army Corps or the water management district approves for mooring depth and clearing seagrass, and never more than 100 ft. Docks on the north bank of the West Palm Beach Canal east of Dixie Highway are limited to 40 ft. Every dock, pile and lift must sit within the middle third of the lot extended into the water, and docks may be no wider than 10 ft.

Source: City of West Palm Beach Zoning and Land Development Regulations Sec. 94-313 (through Ord. 4935-21, 3-22-2021), enCodePlus; Fla. Stat. 403.813(1)(b) (2026); 33 CFR 322.3(a) · Verified 2026-10

The detail

LengthMeasured from the mean high water line or bulkhead to the farthest point of the dock, finger pier or terminal platform (excluding dolphins and pilings); no longer than the minimum length approved by DEP, the Army Corps and/or SFWMD for low-tide mooring depth and clearing seagrass, up to a maximum of 100 ft - Zoning 94-313(3)(i)(i)
West Palm Beach CanalDocks on the north bank east of Dixie Highway may not exceed 40 ft - 94-313(3)(i)(ii)
Longer docksThe City Commission may approve more length through a Class A special use permit to fit the allowed slips, protect the marine environment, avoid dredging or allow full use of the dock - 94-313(3)(i)(iii), 94-313(a)
LocationDocks, tees, dolphins, pilings and boatlifts must be built within the middle one-third of the lot extended into the waterway; no boat may extend beyond the side setback lines for principal structures - 94-313(3)(h)
WidthNo wider than 10 ft; finger piers and terminal platforms may be wider if they stay in the middle third and are no more than 10 ft long measured perpendicular to the dock - 94-313(3)(j)
HeightNo part of the dock above the top of the bulkhead it is attached to, and no buildings on docks - 94-313(3)(k)
NumberOne dock per lot; two mooring slips in single-family districts; multifamily one slip per 4 units for the first 60 units then one per 25 - 94-313(3)(f)-(g)
Lake WorthDocks may not constrict water circulation in Lake Worth or significantly affect seagrass, aquatic preserves or manatee sanctuaries - 94-313(3)(b)
DolphinsA marine reflective band at least 5 inches wide, iridescent silver, about 24 inches from the top - 94-313(3)(r)
PermitBuilding permit with proof of riparian rights, sealed plans by a Florida engineer, architect or landscape architect, a scaled site plan and cross-section, and dated written approval from DEP, the Army Corps and/or SFWMD - 94-313(2)
Other rulesOne ladder to 2 ft below mean low water; reflective street-address numerals visible from the water; no gas storage, advertising signs or blinking lights; no commercial use - 94-313(3)(d),(l)-(p)
State exemptionA private, non-commercial dock on pilings with 1,000 sq ft or less of over-water surface (500 sq ft in Outstanding Florida Waters), and the only exempt dock along 65 ft of shoreline (or one per lot if the lot is narrower), needs no state environmental permit - Fla. Stat. 403.813(1)(b). The exemption does not grant permission to use state-owned submerged lands and does not override city or county rules - 403.813(1)
FederalStructures in navigable waters need a Department of the Army permit, general or individual - 33 CFR 322.3(a)

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Palm Beach CountySeawall requirements county-wide

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