Dock construction in Islamorada
Dock construction for Islamorada homes, with room for the open tiki huts the Village allows on canal docks.
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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
Islamorada allows open tiki huts and gazebos up to 15 ft on docks parallel to the shore on canals and basins. Part of Islamorada's water is the 6,700 acre Lignumvitae Key Aquatic Preserve, where seagrass meadows and the 500 sq ft dock exemption shape every dock.
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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.
Tiki huts on canal docks
Islamorada allows non-enclosed gazebos and tiki huts up to 15 ft on docks that run parallel to the shoreline on canals or basins. So a marginal dock along a canal wall can double as a shaded deck, which changes how it is framed.
We design new docks to that limit first, then fit the boat and the lift around it.[1]
The Lignumvitae Key Aquatic Preserve
The 6,700 acre Lignumvitae Key Aquatic Preserve lies inside the Village between Upper and Lower Matecumbe Keys, with seagrass meadows and three navigable channels between Florida Bay and the Atlantic. It is recognised as an outstanding water resource of the state, which brings the smaller 500 sq ft dock exemption used for Outstanding Florida Waters.
A bottom survey comes before the layout so the dock clears any grass.[2][3]
No tying up to mangroves
Islamorada bans docking, mooring or tying a vessel to shoreline vegetation, mangroves included, except in a declared emergency. A boat needs a proper dock or piling to tie to, which is often the reason a new dock or mooring pile is the first project on a natural shoreline lot.[1]
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.[4][5]
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.
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.[4][11]
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.[10]
| 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
Can I build a tiki hut on my dock in Islamorada?
Yes, a non-enclosed gazebo or tiki hut up to 15 ft is allowed on a dock parallel to the shoreline on a canal or basin.
Is Islamorada water protected?
Much of it. The Lignumvitae Key Aquatic Preserve covers 6,700 acres inside the Village, and all Keys water is inside the National Marine Sanctuary.
Can I tie my boat to the mangroves in Islamorada?
No. Ordinance 24-15 bans docking, mooring or tying up to shoreline vegetation, including mangroves, except in a declared emergency.
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.
- Lignumvitae Key Aquatic Preserve, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection. Accessed October 28, 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.
- 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.
- Cost to Build a Dock (updated 31 Jan 2025), Fixr.com (secondary national cost guide). 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.
- 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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