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GCS Palm Beach

Town of Palm Beach · Guide

Seawalls, docks and the oceanfront.

The short answer

On Palm Beach, the Town's Building Official permits seawalls, bulkheads and docks under the Town construction permit, and a seawall needs an engineer's condition survey when a new house is built or a renovation passes 50 percent of the house's value. Oceanfront work seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line also needs the state's FDEP permit or exemption.

  • 15 years

    How often a seawall is recertified.

  • 50%

    A renovation past it brings an engineer’s seawall survey.

  • $300

    The Town permit fee for each boat lift.

Updated
. Checked against the Town of Palm Beach’s published rules.
From
GCS Palm Beach, the company of Philip Modenos, Florida Certified General Contractor CGC057454 (opens the state record)

Who permits a seawall on Palm Beach

Town permits for bulkheads, seawalls and groins are issued by the Building Official.1 All bulkheads and seawalls must be kept in good condition.2

Where state law on bulkhead lines, coastal setbacks or waterfront construction conflicts with the Town’s marine-structures chapter, state law prevails.3

The engineer’s survey and the 15 years

Two events bring a seawall into the permit: a new building on the lot, or a renovation that exceeds 50 percent of the primary structure’s value. Either way, a Florida-licensed engineer’s condition survey and plans are submitted. Recertification is required every 15 years.2

I

A new house

The engineer’s condition survey and plans for the seawall.

II

A renovation past 50%

The same survey and plans, when the work exceeds half the house’s value.

III

Every 15 years

Recertification, whatever else is happening.

The house has a 50 percent line of its own, for flood zones: see the 50% rule.

Docks and boat lifts

Marine structures, seawalls and docks are permitted under the Town’s construction permit. Docks are priced by square footage, and boat lifts are $300 each.45

On the Intracoastal

The Army Corps of Engineers must approve work within Intracoastal right-of-way easements.6 Whether a specific dock or seawall needs other state permits depends on the project, so expect that other agencies may apply.

Mangroves may not be removed, transplanted, damaged or destroyed without permission after a Town Council hearing.12

On the ocean: the CCCL

Under Florida law, once a Coastal Construction Control Line is set, no one may build a structure, excavate, change ground elevations, or damage dunes or dune vegetation seaward of it, except as the statute provides.7

The state’s CCCL Program “regulates structures and activities that can cause beach erosion, destabilize dunes, damage upland properties or interfere with public access.”8 For construction seaward of the line, the Town’s permit checklist requires the FDEP permit or exemption.6

The Town’s own Coastal Construction Code applies along the Atlantic frontage too. Construction must sit far enough landward to allow natural shoreline movement and keep the dunes stable.9

The floodplain permit

If the lot is in flood Zone AE or VE, the job needs a separate Floodplain Development Permit, with an elevation certificate or a survey with elevations.410 The rest of the permit side is in the building permits guide.

A waterfront job site

Construction sites are secured and screened with fence, walls or dense landscaping. The ocean or Intracoastal side is excepted unless Town staff asks for screening there.11

When a tropical storm or hurricane watch or warning is issued for any part of Palm Beach County, all construction materials and debris must be secured, stored or removed.13

How GCS helps

Philip Modenos pulls the permits with the Town of Palm Beach building department and works with your architect through ARCOM and Landmarks.

  • Licensed 1994Florida Certified General Contractor since 1994
  • About 25 yearsOn Palm Beach island for over 25 years

Text him the address and which side of the house faces the water.

Call Philip Text Philip

Questions

Does my seawall need an engineer?
Yes, when a new building is proposed or a renovation exceeds 50 percent of the primary structure's value: a Florida-licensed engineer's condition survey and plans, then recertification every 15 years.
Who issues a seawall permit on Palm Beach?
The Town's Building Official issues permits for bulkheads, seawalls and groins. Where state law conflicts with the Town's marine-structures chapter, state law prevails.
I'm oceanfront. Who else permits my project?
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, for construction seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line. The Town also has its own Coastal Construction Code.
What does a boat lift permit cost?
$300 per boat lift on the Town's fee table. Docks are priced by square footage.

Sources

The Town’s own documents and the Town Code, each read on . The numbers in the text point here.

  1. Town Code (Sec. 62-76)library.municode.com
  2. Town Code Sec. 62-77library.municode.com
  3. Town Code (Sec. 62-1)library.municode.com
  4. Town construction permit application (Rev. 2026-07-22)townofpalmbeach.com
  5. Town master fee schedule (Rev. 08/11/2026)townofpalmbeach.com
  6. Town 1 & 2 unit dwelling checklisttownofpalmbeach.com
  7. Section 161.053, Florida Statutesleg.state.fl.us
  8. FDEP Coastal Construction Control Line Programfloridadep.gov
  9. Town Code (Sec. 18-276, 18-277)library.municode.com
  10. Town floodplain development permit informationtownofpalmbeach.com
  11. Town Code Sec. 18-353library.municode.com
  12. Town Code (Sec. 126-60)library.municode.com
  13. Town Code (Sec. 18-1014)library.municode.com

Call or text Philip.

Call or text for Philip’s personal attention.

561-758-8976
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