What the city's permit checklist asks for
Lighthouse Point's Building Department publishes a checklist for dock and seawall permits. It includes:
- A building application and addendum showing the lot, block, subdivision and job value, plus electrical and plumbing applications where needed.
- Outside agency approvals: Broward County, DEP or the Army Corps of Engineers.
- Signed and sealed plans: two sets when stringers or framing are replaced, three for concrete docks.
- A zoning affidavit if the survey is more than a year old.
- A Notice of Commencement.
- The contractor's updated registration, including Longshore insurance where federally required.
- An updated dock and seawall survey before the final inspection, showing the seawall's height and the dock's length.
The Building Department is at 3701 NE 22 Avenue, phone 954-943-6509.
The Longshore insurance point
The checklist points out that work over navigable water can fall under the federal Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, and that state workers' compensation doesn't satisfy it. Ask any marine contractor whether they carry this cover. If a worker is hurt on your dock, it matters.
The seawall height rule
Lighthouse Point is in Broward County, where the regional standard for new and substantially repaired seawalls is 5 ft NAVD88. Walls permitted before 2035 can be built at 4 ft if they're designed to reach 5 ft by 2050. Substantial means work on more than half your shoreline. Confirm the city's own version with the Building Department or your contractor. See Broward's 5 ft rule.
Costs
South Florida contractors publish about $100–600 per linear foot for targeted seawall repairs and $1,500–3,500 per foot for replacement built to current code. See the cost guide, dock repair and boat lift repair.
Getting a quote
Use the form below. We'll pass your request to one licensed, insured contractor who works in Lighthouse Point. Free for homeowners, with no obligation.
Source: City of Lighthouse Point, Permit Application Checklist for Docks & Seawalls.
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
What does Lighthouse Point need for a dock or seawall permit?
The city's checklist asks for a building application with the job value, approvals from outside agencies (Broward County, DEP or the Army Corps), signed and sealed plans when framing is replaced (three sets for concrete docks), a Notice of Commencement, the contractor's registration including Longshore insurance where federally required, and an updated dock and seawall survey before the final inspection.