Boat lift installation
A new boat lift sized to your boat, your dock and your water.
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We size the lift to your boat's weight, set new pilings where needed, run the electrics and handle the permits. Moving an existing lift is planned the same way.
- Free, no-obligation quote
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- Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and the Keys
The short answer
A 10,000 lb four-post boat lift installed in South Florida costs $7,000 to $14,000, and a 10,000 lb elevator lift is about $12,480 for the equipment alone before installation, according to ThePricer's 2026 guide. In Miami-Dade a lift on a new or existing dock or seawall is a short-form DERM permit (Miami-Dade DERM, 2025).
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Which lift suits you
The right lift depends on how you moor.
- Four-post lift: on its own pilings in a slip beside the dock
- Elevator lift: mounted on the seawall face, good where pilings are hard to place
- Floating lift: for jet skis and small boats, no pilings
Typical project sizes
New pilings can turn a $10,000 lift project into $15,000 or more, so a slip with sound pilings costs less to fit out.
Permits for a new lift
Miami-Dade issues a short-form DERM permit for a lift on a new or existing dock, seawall or bulkhead, as long as a single-family lift does not protrude more than 25% of the waterway width. Florida exempts floating boat lifts and floating platforms up to 500 sq ft combined (200 sq ft in Outstanding Florida Waters). In aquatic preserves, a roof may not overhang more than 1 ft beyond the lift and boat.[2][3][4]
Relocating a lift
Moving a lift to a new slip or a new home is a new installation in the eyes of the permit office, so we plan pilings and permits for the new spot. Removing the old lift and old piles is DERM-exempt in Miami-Dade.[2]
| Lift | Figure | Source and scope |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000 lb four-post, installed | $7,000 to $14,000 | ThePricer, South Florida, 2026 |
| 10,000 lb elevator, equipment only | About $12,480 | ThePricer, 2026 |
| Hydraulic lift, equipment only | About $10,505 to $27,987 | ThePricer, 2026 |
| Installation labour | $500 to $3,000 or more | ThePricer, 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
How much is a motorized boat lift?
ThePricer's 2026 guide puts a 10,000 lb four-post lift at $7,000 to $14,000 installed in South Florida and a 10,000 lb elevator lift at about $12,480 for the equipment.
Can I put a boat lift on my seawall?
Yes, an elevator lift mounts to the seawall face if the wall is sound. In Miami-Dade that is a DERM short-form permit.
How long does a boat lift install take?
Once permits are in hand, a lift on existing pilings is often a short job; new pilings and electrical work add time. We give you a schedule with the quote.
Sources
- How Much Does a Boat Lift Cost? (updated 11 Aug 2026), ThePricer.org (secondary cost guide; cited in the FCC master plan). 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.
- Florida Statutes 2026, Section 403.813: Permits issued at district centers; exceptions, The Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine). 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.
- TYPE 8 Marine Structures (Dock, Seawall, Boatlift, Boathouse) Application Submittal Checklist, Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning and Building. 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.
- Top Boat Lift Maintenance Tips (31 Jul 2025), ShoreMaster (boat lift manufacturer). Accessed October 27, 2026.
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