Docks and boat lifts in Islamorada
Docks and boat lifts in Islamorada, built to Village rules.
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Islamorada writes its own shoreline rules, and as part of the Florida Keys they need state approval. We design docks and lifts around them.
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The short answer
Islamorada sets its own shoreline rules in Village Code Section 30-1542, last amended by Ordinance 24-15 in September 2024 and approved by the Florida Department of Commerce because the Keys are an area of critical state concern. Covered boat lifts are allowed only over cut-in slips on manmade canals, with roofs no higher than 12 ft above grade (Islamorada, 2024).
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What makes Islamorada different
Principal buildings sit 20 ft from the mean high water line on altered shorelines such as canals, 30 ft on open water with conditions, and 50 ft on unaltered shorelines. Docks, lifts, davits, seawalls and riprap are water-dependent structures that may sit inside that setback under the Village's standards.[1]
Sanctuary and manatee layers
The federal small-project permit, SPGP VI, required Sanctuary sign-off before any Islamorada project in Keys waters, and crews follow the state manatee conditions on every in-water job.[2][3]
Areas we cover around Islamorada
- Plantation Key
- Windley Key
- Upper Matecumbe Key
- Lower Matecumbe Key
Who issues permits in Islamorada
- Islamorada, Village of Islands, Planning and Development Services: Docks, lifts and shoreline structures under Village Code Chapter 30.
- Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary: Sanctuary waters surround every Islamorada key from the mean high water mark; we confirm what Sanctuary approval each project needs.
- Florida DEP or South Florida Water Management District: State permit or exemption; part of the Village's water is the Lignumvitae Key Aquatic Preserve.
- US Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District: Federal authorisation for work in the Sanctuary waters around the Village.
Services in Islamorada
Seawalls in Islamorada
Seawall repair, replacement, new caps, raising, riprap toe protection and inspections.
Docks in Islamorada
New docks, dock repair, floating docks, pilings and composite decking.
Boat lifts in Islamorada
Boat lift installation, repair, motors and cables, jet ski lifts and servicing.
Marine construction in Islamorada
Pile driving, bulkheads, boat davits and living shorelines.
Flood protection in Islamorada
Flood barriers and panels for doors and garages, and flood vents.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put a roof over my boat lift in Islamorada?
Only an open-sided covered lift over a cut-in boat slip on a manmade canal, not extending past the mouth of the slip or over mangroves, seagrass or hard bottom, with the roof no more than 12 ft above grade and no deck on top.
Can I tie my boat to the mangroves in Islamorada?
No. The Village bans docking, mooring or tying up to shoreline vegetation, including mangroves, except in a declared emergency.
Does Monroe County or the Village permit my dock?
Islamorada is its own municipality, and its Village Code, not the Monroe County code, sets the dock and shoreline rules inside the Village.
Sources
- 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.
- 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.
- Standard Manatee Conditions for In-Water Work (2011), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Datums for station 8723808, Islamorada, Upper Matecumbe Key, Florida Bay (tidal epoch 1983 to 2001), NOAA Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS), Tides and Currents. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Datums for station 8723814, Upper Matecumbe Key, Hawk Channel (tidal epoch 1983 to 2001), NOAA Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS), Tides and Currents. Accessed October 28, 2026.
- Floodplain Management, Islamorada, Village of Islands, Building Department. Accessed October 28, 2026.
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