Duval County Seawall Permits: Jacksonville and the Beaches

Who Issues What in Duval County

Jacksonville and Duval County share a consolidated government, so the City of Jacksonville's Building Inspection Division (opens in a new tab) is the building permit office for most of the county. It enforces 'the Florida Building Code and the City of Jacksonville's building ordinances,' with the Florida Building Code 8th Edition (2023) in effect, and online submission through JaxEPICS is required for all permit types.

Three beach cities run their own building offices: Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach. Above the local level, the DEP Northeast District in Jacksonville generally handles state environmental review for single-family work that is not part of a larger development, the St. Johns River Water Management District covers all of Duval County for projects DEP does not handle, and the Corps' Jacksonville District handles federal authorization.

Duval Waterways and What They Mean for Permits

The Jacksonville Waterways Commission describes its focus as 'the St. Johns River and all tidal waters in Duval County.' Tidal water matters for permits: work in navigable waters needs federal authorization, and the submerged land in front of a wall may be state-owned, which brings in state-lands consent.

• River, Intracoastal and creek walls. Most residential walls sit on the St. Johns River, the Intracoastal Waterway or tidal creeks. In estuaries, section 373.414(5), F.S. (opens in a new tab) generally calls for repaired or replaced vertical seawalls to be faced with or replaced by riprap unless an exception applies. The agency decides whether your water body counts.
• Aquatic preserve. The Nassau River-St. Johns River Marshes Aquatic Preserve (opens in a new tab) lies in Duval and Nassau counties, between Fernandina Beach and Jacksonville. State aquatic preserve rules bar new seawalls waterward of the mean or ordinary high water line except in limited cases.
• Atlantic beaches. Duval's Coastal Construction Control Line is described in Rule 62B-26.004, F.A.C. (opens in a new tab) and applies to the beach and dune system, not to river or Intracoastal walls.
• Timucuan Preserve. While SPGP VI was in effect (its stated term ended July 27, 2026), DEP listed the Timucuan Preserve among 'federal special waters' excluded from federal self-certification. Ask the Corps early how federal review applies to a wall there.
• Manatees. The City of Jacksonville has an FWC-approved manatee protection plan (2018). FWC says such plans are used when reviewing permit applications for new or expanding boat facilities, so they matter most when a project adds docking.

Local Rules Worth Knowing

• Online only in Jacksonville. The Building Inspection Division requires electronic submission for all permit types through JaxEPICS (opens in a new tab), and you need a JaxEPICS account to apply.
• Owner-builder permits. The City's residential permits page allows a homeowner to permit work on a primary residence that is not for sale or rent, with the owner's name on the deed; the homeowner must appear in person.
• Do not start early. The same page states that 'starting work without first applying for a permit is unlawful and punishable by a fine of $250.'
• No published seawall checklist. The Division's current checklists cover items such as aluminum enclosures, new homes, pools and tubular steel structures, but not seawalls or docks, so ask the Division which permit type and documents apply to your wall.
• Neptune Beach requirements. The city's building permit application lists a signed legal survey, a recorded Notice of Commencement when construction value is greater than $2,500, and a DEP Notice to Proceed if the property is east of the Coastal Construction Control Line.
• Advisory, not permitting. The Jacksonville Waterways Commission (opens in a new tab) studies and makes recommendations to City Council on the river and tidal waters; it does not issue seawall permits.
• No local seawall height rule found. We did not find an adopted City of Jacksonville seawall height standard in the official pages reviewed for this guide. Ask the Building Inspection Division about current requirements.

Typical Permit Steps in Duval County

1. 1Confirm your jurisdictionCheck whether the property is in the consolidated City of Jacksonville or in Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach or Neptune Beach. That decides which building office you use.
2. 2Define the scopeHave the wall assessed and decide between repair and replacement. Note where a new face would sit relative to the old one, since state exemptions turn on that distance.
3. 3Handle the state reviewUse DEP's self-certification or exemption verification if the work qualifies, or apply for an ERP. For a single-family wall not part of a larger development, that generally means the DEP Northeast District.
4. 4Confirm federal authorizationAsk the Corps, or DEP during state review, which federal authorization covers the work, especially on the St. Johns River and other tidal waters.
5. 5Add the CCCL permit if oceanfrontFor beach property seaward of the CCCL, plan for a DEP CCCL permit. Neptune Beach's application asks for the DEP Notice to Proceed.
6. 6Apply for the building permitSubmit through JaxEPICS in Jacksonville, BSAOnline in Atlantic Beach, or the beach city's own process, with the drawings and approvals the office asks for.
7. 7Build and pass inspectionsKeep the permit posted, schedule required inspections and close out the permit when work is complete.

Barefoot Marine Construction, the company behind Florida Bulk Head, is based in Jacksonville and serves Duval County directly. Plan & Permit is a standard step in its project process.

Documents to Gather

Duval County Permit Contacts