A private dock in Florida is exempt from a state permit if it has 1,000 sq ft or less of over-water area (500 sq ft in Outstanding Florida Waters), sits on pilings or floats, needs no fill or dredging and is one per 65 ft of shoreline (Florida Statute 403.813). The exemption does not remove county and city permits, such as Miami-Dade's DERM Class I permit.
Do you need a permit to build a dock in Florida?
At state level, often not. Florida Statute 403.813 exempts private docks with 500 sq ft or less of over-water area in Outstanding Florida Waters, or 1,000 sq ft or less elsewhere, on pilings or floating, for recreational use, one per 65 ft of shoreline.[1] The same statute says the exemptions do not relieve you of state submerged lands approval or county and municipal requirements.[1]
| Route | Size | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Online self-certification of exemption | Exempt docks; not available in aquatic preserves | Free |
| Exemption verification | Up to 500 sq ft in OFW, 1,000 sq ft elsewhere | $100 |
| General permit | Up to 2,000 sq ft, no more than two vessels | $250 |
| Individual permit | Larger docks | $420 (more for 10 or more slips) |
Over-water area counts roofs, boat canopies, elevated platforms and decking.[2]
Do you need a permit for a floating dock?
Floating docks count as docks. Floating boat lifts and floating platforms have their own exemption up to 500 sq ft combined, or 200 sq ft in Outstanding Florida Waters, placed where seagrass is least dense.[1]
Docks over state-owned water
State-owned submerged land needs a letter of consent and proof of upland interest, and structures must sit at least 25 ft inside riparian lines (10 ft for marginal docks), with exceptions.[2] In Miami-Dade, DERM can grant that consent for qualifying projects on Biscayne Bay and its tributaries.[3]
Aquatic preserve limits
In an aquatic preserve, a single-family dock is limited to one dock and two boats, a 4 ft wide walkway, a 160 sq ft terminal platform, and no more than 500 ft or 20% of the waterbody width, ending no further out than -4 ft mean low water. In Resource Protection Areas 1 and 2 the walkway sits 5 ft above mean high water with planks no wider than 8 inches spaced at least 1/2 inch apart.[2]
County rules
- Miami-Dade: a DERM Class I permit for any dock over tidal water; single-family docks within 25% of the waterway width use the short form.[3]
- Palm Beach County: docks are Type 8 marine structures, with signed and sealed drawings and FDEP, FIND and Army Corps approval or exemption as applicable.[4]
- Monroe County: a dock length limit under Code section 118-12(m)(15), with a $1,450 special exception for longer docks.[5] In unincorporated areas such as Key Largo, docks may cover no more than 10% of the waterbody width, must end in at least 4 ft of water at mean low water, and use non-leaching or sleeved pilings.[8]
- Broward County: a county license before any work in, on, over or under county waters, repairs included.[10]
City rules in the places we work
| Place | How far a dock may reach | Other local rule |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale | 25% of the waterway width or 25 ft, whichever is less | Longer needs a City Commission waiver ($1,500 fee) |
| Jupiter | Canals: 5 ft or 10% of width (greater). Natural waterways: 20% or 50 ft (lesser) | Lifts in canals parallel to the bulkhead; 50% of the waterway kept open |
| Boca Raton | Freestanding docks 6 to 8 ft from the seawall, by canal width | Docks between 4.0 and 6.0 ft NAVD88 |
| Key Largo (Monroe County) | Pier docks up to twice the frontage or 100 ft, 4 ft wide | 10% of waterbody width; 4 ft of water at mean low water |
| Islamorada | Village Code Sec. 30-1542 | Covered lifts only over cut-in slips; no mooring to mangroves |
| Miami-Dade cities | 25% of the waterway width for the DERM short form | Bay frontage is aquatic preserve water (500 sq ft exemption) |
Federal
SPGP VI let FDEP verify federal authorisation for qualifying docks; its stated expiration date was 27 July 2026, and we could not confirm a replacement when we checked.[6][7]
See dock construction and floating docks, or the local pages for Miami, Coral Gables, Boca Raton and Key Largo.
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Frequently asked questions
How big can a dock be without a permit in Florida?
For the state exemption, 1,000 sq ft of over-water area, or 500 sq ft in Outstanding Florida Waters. County and city permits still apply.
Can I self-certify a dock exemption online?
Yes, FDEP's online self-certification is free, but it is not available in aquatic preserves.
Do you need a permit for a floating dock?
Usually yes at county and city level. At state level, floating platforms and floating lifts are exempt up to 500 sq ft combined.
Sources
- Florida Statutes 2026, Section 403.813: Permits issued at district centers; exceptions, The Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine). Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Dock Permitting in Florida: Permit Application Fee Schedule and Aquatic Preserve Design Criteria, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Class I Permit Application for Coastal Construction and Mangrove Trimming within Miami-Dade County (Revised May 2025), Miami-Dade County RER, Division of Environmental Resources Management (DERM), Coastal Resources Section. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- TYPE 8 Marine Structures (Dock, Seawall, Boatlift, Boathouse) Application Submittal Checklist, Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning and Building. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Dock Length Special Exception Application (Last revised August 2026), Monroe County Planning and Environmental Resources Department. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Department of the Army State Programmatic General Permit VI (SPGP VI), SAJ-2015-2575, State of Florida, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District (document hosted by Florida DEP). Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Federal Permits and Coordination Agreements Between DEP, WMDs, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Monroe County Land Development Code, Sec. 118-12 Shoreline Setback, subsections (k) Bulkheads, seawalls and riprap and (m) Docking facilities (third-party code copy), Monroe County, Florida (text reproduced by Zoneomics; the official Municode copy blocked automated access). Accessed October 28, 2026.
- City Commission Agenda Memo #26-0535: Waiver of Limitations at 1614 Brickell Drive for one boat lift (16 Jun 2026), City of Fort Lauderdale. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Do I need a license to replace or repair my dock / seawall?, Broward County (311 knowledge base, Environmental Protection and Growth Management). Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Marine Structure: Docks permit checklist (revised January 2021), Town of Jupiter Building Department. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Application for Dock Waiver (form dated 14 Mar 2016, quoting Town Code 27-2626), Town of Jupiter Department of Planning and Zoning. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Engineering Design Standards Manual, section 7.7 Minimum Criteria for Waterway Features (PDF modified 10 Apr 2025), City of Boca Raton. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Ordinance No. 24-15 amending Village Code Sec. 30-1542 Shoreline Setback, with Department of Commerce Final Order COM-24-043, Islamorada, Village of Islands. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection. Accessed October 28, 2026.
