What usually needs a permit
- New docks and dock extensions.
- New boat lifts, and in some cities any lift work (Clearwater needs a separate building permit for lifts).
- Repairs beyond the decking, such as new framing, stringers or pilings.
- Seawalls, riprap and anything else at the water's edge.
Broward County
- Broward County environmental resource licence for any work in, on, over or under the water. Repairs and replacements without extra fill can usually use the streamlined general licence.
- City building permit. Lighthouse Point, for example, asks for outside agency approvals, signed and sealed plans, a Notice of Commencement, the contractor's Longshore insurance where required, and an updated dock survey before the final inspection.
More: Broward permits · Lighthouse Point.
Lee County
- Cape Coral: city permit and inspection for docks and lifts. The city doesn't measure canal depth before issuing one, so check it yourself.
- City of Fort Myers and Fort Myers Beach have their own building departments.
- Unincorporated Lee: Lee County's Department of Community Development. The contractor needs a state licence registered with the county or a county certificate.
More: Lee County permits · Fort Myers Beach.
Pinellas County
- City approval first where the city requires it. Clearwater pre-approves docks before the county application.
- Pinellas County Water and Navigation review, countywide including the cities, through the county's Access Portal.
- City building permit, including Clearwater's separate permit for boat lifts.
More: Pinellas permits · Clearwater.
State and federal approvals
Work on state-owned submerged land or in navigable waters can need Florida DEP or U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approval. A standard Corps permit can take six months to a year. Pinellas notes that projects qualifying under its Programmatic General Permit can avoid a separate Corps review, and Cape Coral's seawall guideline accepts the Corps' SAJ-91 general permit on saltwater canals.
Who should apply
Your licensed contractor, in their own name. Owner-builder permits make you responsible for the work. Our contractor checklist covers licences, Longshore insurance, deposits and contracts.
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
Do I need a permit to build a dock in Florida?
Almost always. New docks, extensions and boat lifts need local permits, and often county, state or federal approval too, because they're built in the water. Even repairs need one once they go beyond decking. In Lighthouse Point, for example, replacing stringers or framing needs signed and sealed plans.
Who should apply for my dock permit?
Your licensed contractor, in their own name. Owner-builder permits make you legally responsible for the work and its supervision.