Bulkhead construction and repair
Bulkheads built to hold your shoreline and meet local height rules.
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We build, repair and replace bulkheads on canals, lakes connected to tidal water and the Intracoastal, with engineered drawings and permits.
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- Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and the Keys
The short answer
A bulkhead is a vertical retaining wall at the shoreline, and in South Florida it follows the same rules as a seawall: Coral Gables, for example, requires bulkheads at a minimum of 6 ft NGVD 1929 and able to support 7.5 ft (City of Coral Gables, 2022). Florida has a dedicated Marine Bulkhead Work specialty licence category (DBPR).
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Who this is for
Owners and associations with a bulkhead that leaks, leans or sits below the local height standard.
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.[3]
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a bulkhead and a seawall?
In everyday use they mean much the same thing: a vertical wall holding back soil at the water's edge. Local codes, such as Coral Gables' Zoning Code 3-706, regulate bulkheads and walls together.
How high must a bulkhead be in Coral Gables?
At least 6 ft NGVD 1929, and structurally able to support 7.5 ft.
Sources
- CAO 2022-007: Legal Opinion Regarding Scrivener's Error in Zoning Code 3-706 Bulkheads and Retaining Walls (17 Aug 2022), City of Coral Gables, City Attorney. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Construction Industry Licensing Board: Archives (HB 1383 / SB 1142 specialty licensing changes), Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), Construction Industry Licensing Board. 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.
- Florida Statutes 2026, Section 489.105 Definitions, The Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine). 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.
- Environmental Resource Permitting: Coordination, Assistance, Portals, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Standard Manatee Conditions for In-Water Work (2011), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Accessed October 27, 2026.
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