Two approvals for most jobs
- A Broward County environmental resource licence. The county says a licence is required "prior to any work in, on, over or under waters of Broward County". That covers seawalls, docks, lifts, pilings and riprap.
- A building permit from your city, or from the county in unincorporated areas. This covers the structural work, engineering and inspections.
Some projects also need state (Florida DEP) or federal (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) approval, for example work on state-owned submerged land. A marine contractor will know when that applies.
The county licence
- General licence: a streamlined route for repairing or replacing existing structures, as long as there's no extra fill on the water side, no dredging and no impact on wetlands. Applications go through the county's ePermit portal.
- Regular licence: for projects that do involve those things, which take longer to review.
- Riprap: the county's guidance says over-water structures under 500 sq ft, or exact replacements of existing docks, don't need riprap. Other projects may.
For questions, the county's Environmental Permitting Division is on 954-519-1483.
The city building permit
Each Broward city has its own building department, plan review and inspections, and applies the county's tidal flood barrier height standard through its own code. Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and Pompano Beach have their own pages on this site:
Contractor licensing
Marine contractors in Broward hold either a Florida state licence (general, building, residential or specialty) or a Broward County certificate of competency. Since July 1, 2023, Broward cities no longer require contractors to carry the county certificate when their state licence covers the trade.
You can check a state licence on the Florida DBPR licence search, and a county licence through Broward County's contractor licensing page. Florida law also requires contractors to put their licence number on their contracts and advertising.
Who should pull the permits
Your contractor, in their own name. That ties the permit, the inspections and the responsibility to the licensed professional doing the work. Be wary of anyone who asks you to pull an owner-builder permit for work they're doing. Owner-builder permits make you the responsible party.
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
Can I pull the seawall permit myself as an owner-builder?
Florida allows owner-builder permits in some cases, but it makes you legally responsible for the work and its supervision. For seawalls and docks it's almost always better for your licensed contractor to apply in their own name.
How long does a Broward seawall permit take?
It varies by project and city. The county describes its general licence for repairs and replacements as a streamlined process, but larger jobs, engineering and the city building permit add time. Ask your contractor for a written timeline that includes permits.
Who do I call at Broward County about a seawall or dock licence?
The county's Environmental Permitting Division handles environmental resource licences for work in the water. Its main number is 954-519-1483.