Bulkheads in Miami Beach

Who this is for

Owners and associations with a bulkhead that leaks, leans or sits below the local height standard.

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.

Bulkheads meet the same height rule as seawalls.[1]

Citations for overtopping

If tidal water flows over or through a wall, the City can cite the owner, and owners without a seawall can be cited too. After a citation there are 10 days to appeal, 60 days to show progress and 730 days to finish, with fines of $250 for a first offence and then $500 a day.

Repairing an old bulkhead can trigger the full height rule, so we check first.[1]

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.[2][3]

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.[1][3]

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.[2]

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.

Where state exemptions stop

Florida exempts restoring a seawall at its previous location or within 18 inches waterward, and allows seawalls in artificial waterways. The exemption does not cover new vertical seawalls in estuaries or lagoons unless they sit inside an existing manmade canal already lined with seawalls.[9]

Frequently asked questions