City-Level Seawall and Dock Rules: Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and Pompano Beach

Seawall and dock rules in South Florida layer county requirements on top of city rules, and the city rules are often the first ones that apply to your property. In Palm Beach County, the county code chapter on boats, docks, and waterways governs unincorporated areas, while inside cities like Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, and West Palm Beach, each city's own rules take precedence.

The same is true in Broward, where cities such as Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach maintain their own marine structure codes.

Fort Lauderdale's seawall ordinance requires new and replaced seawalls to a minimum top elevation of 5 feet (NAVD88), up from the older 3.9-foot standard, as part of the city's response to sea level rise and tidal flooding.

A common rule of thumb applied by the city: a repair that touches more than half of a wall can require the whole wall to be raised to the current elevation standard. Docks are governed by the city code's dock permit rules, and the permit checklist includes a signed and sealed survey, zoning and engineering review, and dredge approval from Broward County and/or the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Boca Raton regulates bulkheads, seawalls, docks, and mooring facilities in Chapter 22 of the city code, with additional minimum criteria for waterway features in the city's Engineering Design Standards Manual, updated in January 2025.

The city requires a location survey of the seawall wetface or bulkhead line, property lines, and pile locations to be inspected before the cap is installed, and a certified Notice of Commencement is required on permits over $5,000.

Pompano Beach's beaches and waterways chapter requires an engineering permit from the city engineer plus a building permit for seawalls, docks, boat lifts, and other marine structures.

The city also sets physical limits on docks: they must be set back at least 5 feet from side property lines, and on waterways more than 50 feet wide they may extend only to 10 percent of the waterway width or 8 feet, whichever is less.

On top of city rules, Broward County issues uniform permits and environmental approvals, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection issues environmental resource permits for work in state waters. Dredging a slip or canal typically needs its own county and state approval path.

The practical takeaway is that a waterfront project can touch three sets of rules at once, and the permit path depends on where the property sits.

City codes are updated, and the rules above are a starting point, not a permit. Confirm the current requirements with your city's building or permitting department before you design a project or sign a contract.

A qualified contractor can also walk you through the permit path for your specific waterway, including the survey, engineering review, and county and state approvals.

To request free resources about dredging, call (561) 299-1323 or email slselleck@gmail.com. Tell us about your dock, slip, or waterway and we will help you understand what it needs, including the permit path.