Boat davits in Miami Beach

Who davits suit

Owners of tenders, small boats and jet skis with a sound seawall or dock and limited room for a lift slip.

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.

Davits count as mooring structures, so the same reach and setback rules apply.[1]

The 5.7 ft NAVD standard

New seawalls, new construction and substantial seawall improvements in Miami Beach must reach 5.7 ft NAVD. A wall may stop at 4 ft NAVD only if it is designed to take a future raise to 5.7 ft, so the footing and panels have to be sized for the taller wall from day one.

Davits bolt to the seawall cap, so the wall's height and condition come first.[2]

What bringing a wall to code has cost

The City's 2017 rule of thumb was $1,000 to $1,500 per linear foot to bring an old private seawall up to code. Prices have moved since, but the figure shows why owners plan raises with the grant, PACE financing and the City's seawall elevation tool in hand.[3][4]

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.[2][4]

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.[3]

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.

Before we mount a davit

1. Check the seawall cap or dock framing can carry the load
2. Confirm the reach against the 25% waterway rule
3. Permit with DERM and the city
4. Mount, wire and test

Frequently asked questions