Choosing a lift
- Elevator lifts mount on the seawall or pilings and raise the boat straight up. They're good for narrow canals, but they load the seawall, so the wall must be sound.
- Four-post lifts stand on their own pilings, and suit larger boats or lots with room to spare.
- Floating lifts and davits suit personal watercraft and small boats.
Before you buy
- Capacity: size it to the loaded weight of the boat, with a margin, not the brochure's dry weight.
- Water depth: check it at low tide, at the lift and along the route out. Cape Coral, for one, doesn't measure canal depth before issuing a lift permit.
- Power: lifts need a dedicated circuit with proper GFCI protection at the water.
- The seawall: if it needs work, do it first, or quote both together.
- Setbacks: cities limit how far lifts can extend into the waterway and how close they can sit to neighbors.
What installation costs
National guides put installed lifts at a few thousand dollars for small lifts and well over $15,000 for large ones. Florida coastal installs with permits and marine access often cost more. Ask for a quote that separates:
- the lift itself
- pilings and mounting
- electrical work
- permits
Permits by area
- Broward: work in the water needs a county environmental licence as well as a city building permit (Broward permits).
- Cape Coral and Lee County: Cape Coral requires a permit and city inspection for docks and lifts (Lee County permits).
- Pinellas: new lifts go through the county's Water and Navigation review, and some cities add their own permit. Clearwater requires a separate building permit for lifts (Pinellas permits).
Already have a lift?
If it's not working, or it went under water in a storm surge, see boat lift repair.
This page summarizes published rules and prices for general information. It isn't engineering or legal advice, and codes change. Your contractor, engineer and building department have the final word for your property.
Common questions
How much does it cost to install a boat lift?
National guides put installed lifts at a few thousand dollars for small lifts and well over $15,000 for large ones, depending on capacity, type, pilings and electrical work. Florida coastal installs with permits and marine access often cost more. Get an itemized quote that separates the lift, pilings, electrical work and permits.
What size boat lift do I need?
Size it to the boat's loaded weight, including fuel, water, engines and gear, not its dry weight, and leave a margin. Check the beam fits between the lift's guides, and that there's enough water depth at low tide to float the boat on and off.