Floating docks in Miami Beach

Who a floating dock suits

Owners with deep water at the wall, frequent wakes, a small boat, kayaks or a jet ski, or a seawall too high for an easy step down.

Tide at Government Cut

NOAA's Miami Harbor Entrance gauge at Government Cut, beside South Beach, shows a 2.46 ft mean range and a 2.70 ft great diurnal range, with mean higher high water about 0.33 ft above NAVD 88 (1983 to 2001 epoch). A wall at 5.7 ft NAVD therefore stands roughly 5.4 ft above an average high tide, the margin the City wants for king tides and sea level rise.

Floats, guide piles and gangway length are sized from that range so the gangway stays walkable at low water.[1]

Narrow island canals and the 25% rule

On the narrower Miami Beach canals, DERM's short form allows a dock, lift or davit to reach no more than 25% of the waterway width. DERM also uses a D-5 boundary to protect a neighbour's view and access, so it may ask for a letter of consent from the lot next door.

Floating sections count toward the same size limit as a fixed dock.[2]

Bay-side lots and the aquatic preserve

Lots that face open Biscayne Bay rather than a dredged canal sit on the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve, which counts as Outstanding Florida Waters. There the state dock exemption is 500 sq ft of over-water area, and the preserve says manatees move into the bay in the cooler months.

Floats shade the bottom, so they are kept off seagrass.[3][4][5]

What makes Miami Beach different

The city has about 55 miles of seawall, of which only about 5 miles are publicly owned, so most of it is the responsibility of private owners. Its seawall ordinance dates from Resolution R2016-4009 in May 2016, was strengthened in January 2021 and amended again in July 2025.[6][8]

Groundwater and flooding

The city notes that groundwater rises through the porous bedrock under Miami Beach, so a seawall alone cannot stop flooding. A raised wall stops tidal overtopping; drainage and flood protection handle the rest.[9]

Permits in Miami Beach

• City of Miami Beach Building Department: Building permit with a site plan, structural plans and an elevation certification.
• Miami-Dade DERM, Coastal Resources Section: Class I permit or exemption for seawalls, docks and lifts on the island canals and the bay, issued alongside the City permit. Phone (305) 372-6575.
• Florida DEP or South Florida Water Management District: State review where a dock or wall reaches open Biscayne Bay, part of the aquatic preserve, where FDEP's free online self-certification is not available.
• US Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District: Federal authorisation for work in Biscayne Bay and Indian Creek; we confirm the small-project route since SPGP VI's stated July 2026 expiry.

Do you need a permit for a floating dock?

Usually yes, at county and city level. Florida's exemptions cover private docks on pilings or floating up to 1,000 sq ft and floating vessel platforms up to 500 sq ft, but they do not remove county and municipal requirements. In Miami-Dade any structure over tidal water needs a DERM Class I permit.[4][2]

What goes into the install

• Float sections and decking
• Anchoring to pilings or the seawall
• Aluminium gangway with hinges for the tidal range
• Cleats, bumpers and lighting

Frequently asked questions