In Miami-Dade, Section 24-48 of the County Code requires a DERM Class I permit for any work in, on, over or upon tidal waters, including inside cities. Crack sealing and spall repair are exempt, cap and tieback work gets an expedited authorisation with a $75 review fee, and rebuilding a wall up to 18 inches waterward is a short-form permit approved by staff (Miami-Dade DERM, 2025).
Do I need a permit to repair my seawall in Miami-Dade?
Sometimes not from DERM. The Class I package, revised May 2025, sorts seawall work into four levels.[1]
| Level | Seawall work it covers | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| Exempt | Sealing cracks and spall repair on the cap or face; pilaster repair; backfilling behind the wall; riprap or gunite tube under an undercut wall up to 2 ft waterward; sand-cement bags at the toe up to 2 ft | No Class I permit |
| Expedited | Cap repair or replacement and tieback repair or replacement with structurally approved plans; limerock boulder riprap on a 2:1 slope up to 10 ft waterward after inspection | DERM staff, administrative |
| Short form | Seawall construction, repair or replacement at the mean high water line or up to 18 inches waterward | DERM staff, no public hearing |
| Standard form | Larger work such as marinas or dredge and fill | Board of County Commissioners, public hearing |
What does a DERM seawall permit cost?
| Construction cost | Application fee | Short-form permit fee |
|---|---|---|
| $0 to $2,499 | $250 | $205 |
| $2,500 to $4,999 | $425 | $205 |
| $5,000 to $9,999 | $470 | $375 |
| $10,000 to $19,999 | $470 plus $23 per $1,000 above $10,000 | $470 plus $25 per $1,000 above $10,000 |
| $20,000 to $74,999 | $470 plus $25 per $1,000 above $10,000 | $470 plus $25 per $1,000 above $10,000 |
| $75,000 to $1,000,000 | $470 plus $25 per $1,000 above $10,000 | $470 plus $28 per $1,000 above $10,000 |
What drawings are needed?
Plans prepared by a Florida-licensed engineer at submittal, and signed and sealed plans after preliminary approval.[1] Short-form permits are usually valid for 2 years, standard-form and mangrove permits 3 years, with extensions up to 10 years in total.[1]
The other permit layers
- Your city or the county building division: structural and zoning approval.[1]
- The state: FDEP or SFWMD decides the environmental resource permit or exemption. Florida Statute 403.813 exempts restoring a seawall at its old location or within 18 inches waterward, but it does not relieve anyone of county and municipal requirements.[2]
- Federal: the Army Corps of Engineers. SPGP VI let FDEP verify the federal authorisation for qualifying seawalls alongside the state decision; its stated expiration date was 27 July 2026.[3] FDEP's federal permits page still describes SPGP VI, and we could not confirm a replacement permit when we checked, so ask your contractor to confirm the federal route before filing.[4]
Seagrass and manatees
Within 18 inches of the existing wall, SPGP VI needed no seagrass survey.[3] Every permit attaches the state manatee conditions: in-water work stops if a manatee comes within 50 ft.[5]
Who to call
DERM Coastal Resources Section: (305) 372-6575, dermcr@miamidade.gov.[1]
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Frequently asked questions
Is seawall cap repair exempt from a DERM permit?
Cap repair or replacement is not exempt, but it gets an expedited administrative authorisation with a $75 review fee when the building department has approved the structural plans. Crack sealing and spall repair on the cap are exempt.
Does a state exemption mean I do not need a DERM permit?
No. Florida Statute 403.813 says its exemptions do not relieve an applicant of county and municipal requirements, so a DERM Class I permit still applies.
How long is a DERM seawall permit valid?
Most short-form permits are valid for 2 years, with extensions possible up to 10 years in total.
Sources
- 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.
- Florida Statutes 2026, Section 403.813: Permits issued at district centers; exceptions, The Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine). 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.
- Standard Manatee Conditions for In-Water Work (2011), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Accessed October 27, 2026.
