State guide
Bulkheads & Seawalls in Florida
How Florida seawalls and bulkheads are regulated, from Cape Coral canals to Atlantic beaches, with links to state, federal and local permit offices.
Last reviewed by the Bulkhead Walls Editorial Team
Overview
Florida seawall projects are commonly reviewed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection or a water management district, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the local building department. Beachfront work may also fall under the Coastal Construction Control Line program, and several cities set their own seawall standards or elevations.
- Communities covered
- Cape Coral, Naples, Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Tampa, Clearwater, Sarasota, Fort Lauderdale, Miami Beach, Pensacola
- Waterbodies
- Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Tampa Bay, Biscayne Bay, Charlotte Harbor, St. Johns River, Pensacola Bay, residential canal systems
- Water types
- saltwater, brackish, freshwater, tidal
Key local considerations
- Environmental Resource Permitting may be handled by DEP, a water management district or a delegated county program.
- Work waterward of mean or ordinary high water can involve state-owned submerged lands authorization.
- Florida Statutes include limited exemptions for certain seawall restoration and canal seawalls; conditions apply.
- Sandy beach projects may need a Coastal Construction Control Line permit.
- Some southeast Florida cities set minimum seawall top elevations.
Florida has more seawall-lined shoreline than most states, and it is not one environment. Dredged residential canals on the southwest coast, the tidal rivers of the northeast, the Tampa Bay estuary, the bays and lagoons of southeast Florida and the low-tide bays of the Panhandle each load a wall differently. The regional pages below describe those settings. This page covers what is common across the state.
How seawall work is typically regulated in Florida
Most shoreline wall projects touch three levels of government. The exact mix depends on location, water type and scope, so treat this as a map for research rather than a checklist for any one property.
| Level | Typical role | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| State environmental | Environmental Resource Permitting for work in, on or over wetlands and surface waters | DEP SLERP program |
| State lands | Authorization to use state-owned submerged lands, reviewed with the ERP application | Same DEP program or the water management district |
| State coastal | Construction seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line on sandy beaches | DEP CCCL program |
| Federal | Corps of Engineers permits for work in waters of the United States | Corps Jacksonville District |
| Local | Building permits, design standards, inspections and some county environmental permits | County or city building department |
DEP states that ERP applications are processed by either DEP or a water management district under operating agreements. Three local governments, Broward, Miami-Dade and Hillsborough, have ERP delegation agreements with the state. Our Permit Navigator lists the agency pages we have verified for Florida.
State-owned submerged lands
Some shoreline projects extend onto state-owned (sovereignty) submerged lands, and DEP's application asks applicants to identify that. The state's application form for using state-owned submerged lands lists a letter of consent for seawalls, bulkheads or other shoreline stabilization structures no more than three feet waterward of mean or ordinary high water, and leases or easements for larger uses. If a project affects state-owned submerged lands, the agency notifies the applicant as part of the review.
Statutory exemptions
Section 403.813(1) of the Florida Statutes lists activities that do not need certain state permits. It includes restoration of seawalls at their previous locations, upland of them or within 18 inches waterward of them, and construction of seawalls in artificially created waterways when water quality standards are met. It also covers private seawalls built between and adjoining existing seawalls along a uniform construction line. Each exemption has conditions, the restoration exemption does not affect Chapter 161 coastal permitting, and none removes federal or local requirements.
Coastal conditions that vary by region
Tide range differs sharply around the state. NOAA tidal datums show a mean range of about 0.9 feet at Fort Myers, 1.6 feet at St. Petersburg, 2.0 feet at Virginia Key, 4.5 feet at Mayport and 1.2 feet at Pensacola. A larger range moves more water through weep holes and joints each day. A small range means most of the wall face stays wet or dry for long periods. Neither is better. They produce different patterns of soil loss behind a seawall and toe scour.
Storm surge is the larger structural event. Recent hurricanes have pushed water several feet above ground level along every Florida region we cover. The regional pages summarize National Hurricane Center findings for each area.
Local seawall standards
Several Florida cities regulate seawall design or height directly:
- Cape Coral publishes city seawall standard details and requires new seawalls, and replaced portions of existing ones, to meet its engineering design standards.
- Fort Lauderdale updated its seawall ordinance in 2023 to set a minimum top elevation for seawalls and other tidal barriers.
- Miami Beach adopted a seawall ordinance in 2021 requiring new seawalls to be built to a minimum elevation of 5.7 feet NAVD, or 4 feet NAVD if designed to support a future 5.7 feet.
Check with the city or county before design begins. A wall that meets state rules may still need to meet a local elevation or detail.
Florida regions
- Southwest Florida: Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Marco Island and Punta Gorda.
- Northeast Florida: Jacksonville, the Beaches, Ponte Vedra, St. Augustine and Fernandina Beach.
- Tampa Bay and Gulf Coast: Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Sarasota.
- Southeast Florida: Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami-area waterfronts.
- Northwest Florida: Pensacola and the surrounding bays.
Where to go next
Start with the bulkhead permit guide for how permits fit into a project schedule. If a wall is showing distress, review signs of bulkhead failure and the seawall repair and seawall replacement guides. A licensed marine contractor or professional engineer can assess a specific wall, and the permitting agencies decide what a specific project needs.
Frequently asked questions
Who issues seawall permits in Florida?
Usually more than one agency. State environmental review is handled by DEP or a water management district, the Corps of Engineers reviews work in federal waters, and the county or city typically issues the building permit.
Is seawall repair exempt from state permits in Florida?
Section 403.813, Florida Statutes, lists exemptions for some seawall restoration and for seawalls in artificially created waterways, each with conditions. Whether a specific project qualifies is a determination for DEP or the water management district.
What is the Coastal Construction Control Line?
It is a state jurisdictional line on sandy beaches. Construction seaward of it is reviewed by DEP's CCCL program under siting and design criteria meant to protect the beach-dune system.
Do Florida cities have their own seawall height rules?
Some do. Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach, for example, have ordinances setting minimum seawall elevations that apply to new seawalls and to certain repair or redevelopment situations.
Sources
- 1Submerged Lands and Environmental Resources Coordination Program — Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Accessed November 3, 2026.
- 2ERP Local Program Delegation — Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Accessed November 3, 2026.
- 3Section F: Application for Authorization to Use State-Owned Submerged Lands — Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Accessed November 3, 2026.
- 4Coastal Construction Control Line Program — Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Accessed November 3, 2026.
- 5Florida Statutes Section 403.813 — Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine). Accessed November 3, 2026.
- 6Miami Beach Commission Adopts First Seawall Ordinance of its Kind (Jan. 13, 2021) — City of Miami Beach. Accessed November 3, 2026.
- 7Climate Resiliency — City of Fort Lauderdale. Accessed November 3, 2026.
- 8Tidal Datums (station pages for Fort Myers, Mayport, St. Petersburg, Virginia Key and Pensacola) — NOAA Tides & Currents. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Educational guidance only. This information is general and is not a structural assessment, engineering advice, or a permitting determination. Conditions at every waterfront are different; consult a licensed marine contractor or professional engineer about your wall.