Dock construction in Boca Raton
We build new docks in Boca Raton, from drawings to final survey.
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From survey and drawings to pilings, framing and decking, we build fixed docks on canals, the Intracoastal and open bay water.
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- Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and the Keys
The short answer
Building a dock in Boca Raton means signed and sealed drawings, a survey less than one year old for new construction, outside approvals such as FDEP and FIND on the Intracoastal, and a final marine structure survey once the dock is built (Palm Beach County; City of Boca Raton). Fixr's 2025 national range for a dock is $7,000 to $25,000.
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Who this is for
Owners adding a first dock, replacing a dock that is beyond repair, or redesigning a dock for a new boat or lift.
Typical project sizes
Most single-family docks are small enough for the state exemption: up to 1,000 sq ft of over-water area outside Outstanding Florida Waters. Larger docks of up to 2,000 sq ft and no more than two vessels can go through an FDEP general permit.
Step by step in Boca
1. Survey and signed and sealed drawings. 2. State, FIND and Army Corps approval or exemption, as applicable. 3. City permit under Chapter 22. 4. Build. 5. Final marine structure survey.[1][2]
Why FIND matters here
The Florida Inland Navigation District is listed in the county checklist for work along the Intracoastal Waterway, which runs through Boca Raton.[1]
Docks that stop 6 to 8 ft out
Single-family freestanding docks in Boca Raton may protrude no more than 6 to 8 ft waterward of the seawall, depending on canal width (City Code 22-58). That is much tighter than the limits in the other cities we serve, so marginal docks along the wall and seawall-mounted lifts are the usual answer.
We design new docks to that limit first, then fit the boat and the lift around it.[4]
A height band, not just a minimum
Boca Raton's Engineering Design Standards Manual sets any new or replaced seawall or dock between 4.0 ft and 6.0 ft NAVD88. The maximum is unusual among the cities we work in: a wall or dock cannot simply be built as high as the owner likes.[4]
What makes Boca Raton different
Plan review needs a current-conditions survey showing the seawall wet face or bulkhead line, the property line and piles, section details with the finished cap elevation, and a proposed site plan. Inspections are staged: a location survey before the cap is poured and before the structural cap and piling inspections, a final engineer report on cap elevation with photos, and a final marine structure survey for docks and lifts.[2]
Agencies beyond the City
Palm Beach County's marine structure checklist for unincorporated areas lists the outside approvals agencies expect to see: FDEP, the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) and the Army Corps, as applicable. That checklist is dated 2005, so we confirm current requirements for each job. The federal seagrass range used in dock design covers Palm Beach County waters.[1][5]
Permits in Boca Raton
- City of Boca Raton Development Services: Marine structure permits under City Code Chapter 22, with staged survey and engineer inspections.
- Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND): May be involved for work along the Intracoastal Waterway.
- Florida DEP or South Florida Water Management District: State permit or exemption for docks, walls and lifts on Lake Boca Raton and the Intracoastal Waterway.
- US Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District: Federal authorisation along the Intracoastal, which the Palm Beach County checklist expects to see with the building permit.
How a new dock gets built
- Survey of the shoreline, water depth and any seagrass
- Design and engineered drawings
- County, city and state approvals
- Pilings driven or jetted, with manatee precautions
- Framing, decking, cleats and lighting
- Final inspections
Seagrass and dock design
In Johnson's seagrass range, which runs from Palm Bay south to central Biscayne Bay, docks over seagrass must follow federal minor piling-supported structure guidelines. In aquatic preserves a single-family dock is limited to a 4 ft wide walkway and a 160 sq ft terminal platform, and may not extend more than 500 ft or 20% of the waterbody width.[5][9]
Neighbours and view lines
Miami-Dade uses a D-5 boundary to protect neighbours' view and access. A dock beyond it may need consent letters from adjacent owners.[7]
| Item | Figure | Source and scope |
|---|---|---|
| Dock, built | $7,000 to $25,000, average $15,000 | Fixr, national, 2025 |
| Piling dock | $20 to $40 per sq ft installed | Fixr, national, 2025 |
| Removing an old dock first | $250 to $1,000 | Fixr, national, 2025 |
| DERM application fee, $10,000 to $19,999 job | $470 plus $23 per $1,000 above $10,000 | Miami-Dade, 2025 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to build a dock in Boca Raton?
Fixr's 2025 national estimate is $7,000 to $25,000. Intracoastal depths, drawings and surveys add to Boca projects.
Sources
- TYPE 8 Marine Structures (Dock, Seawall, Boatlift, Boathouse) Application Submittal Checklist, Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning and Building. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Seawalls and Marine Structures, City of Boca Raton. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Cost to Build a Dock (updated 31 Jan 2025), Fixr.com (secondary national cost guide). Accessed October 27, 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.
- 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.
- Insure Your Property, City of Boca Raton. Accessed October 28, 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.
- 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.
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