Seawall inspections in Miami Beach

When to book an inspection

Book one when something changes, not only when something breaks.

• After a city citation or warning
• Before buying or selling a waterfront home
• After a hurricane or a run of king tides
• When you see new cracks, stains or sinkholes

What triggers a citation

A wall that lets tidal water flow over or through it triggers the city's elevation and maintenance requirements. Owners with no seawall can also be cited.[1]

From inspection to permit

After the inspection, the engineer sets the fix: a repair below $300 per linear foot, or a raise to 5.7 ft NAVD. The City permit needs a site plan, structural plans and an elevation certification, and DERM Coastal Resources approval comes alongside it.[1]

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.

We inspect at the lowest tide of the week so the lower wall face and the toe are visible.[2]

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][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.[5]

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.

What we check

We walk the full length of the wall from the land and the water.

• Cap: cracks, spalling, rust staining, height against the local standard
• Face and panels: cracks, open joints, lean
• Tiebacks and anchors: signs of movement
• Toe: scour or undercutting
• Land side: sinkholes, soft ground, weep holes

Who is responsible for a private seawall?

The property owner. Miami Beach requires owners to correct walls that let tidal water flow over or through them and can cite owners with no seawall at all. Fort Lauderdale presumes a wall is in disrepair if it lets upland soil erode, material pass through it, or tidal water flow onto neighbours or the street, and gives owners 60 days to show progress and 365 days to finish.[1][8]

Frequently asked questions