Seawall & Bulkhead Help in Miami Beach

Miami Beach's Seawalls at a Glance

The city reports about 55 miles of seawalls, and all but about 5 miles are privately held. In its October 2026 grant announcement, the city also said 93 percent of buildings in Miami Beach are in the FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, that properties on the west side bordering Biscayne Bay are particularly vulnerable to flooding, and that the east side is largely protected by a dune and beach system along 7 miles of Atlantic coastline.

Many seawall decisions here therefore rest with private owners, and the city points to the bay side as the more flood-prone. In the same release, a city commissioner said the previous week's king tides were among the highest recorded at NOAA's Virginia Key tide gauge outside a named storm. Biscayne Bay itself is a state aquatic preserve, running from the headwaters of the Oleta River south to Card Sound, which DEP lists as Outstanding Florida Waters.

The Height Rule: 5.7 Feet NAVD

On January 13, 2021, the City Commission unanimously adopted an ordinance titled Resiliency Standards for Tidal Flood Protection, which codified minimum elevations for new seawalls and other tidal flood barriers. All new seawalls must be built to at least 5.7 feet NAVD, or to 4 feet NAVD if designed to support a future elevation of 5.7 feet. Seawalls must also be upgraded when the property undergoes new construction or substantial improvements.

The city said the ordinance was modeled on seawall ordinances recently adopted by Broward County and Fort Lauderdale. Broward's 2020 standard, and Fort Lauderdale's 2023 update, use 5 feet NAVD88 (see the Fort Lauderdale page). Miami Beach's number is higher, so a design that meets Broward rules may not meet this one.

Repair Deadlines and Fines

The 2021 ordinance also added penalties for owners who fail to maintain private seawalls that cause flooding on adjacent properties and the public right of way. Owners get up to 730 days to bring a failing seawall into compliance. A violation carries a fine of $250 per day for a first offense and $500 per day for later violations.

Because the deadline and fines turn on water reaching neighbors and streets, it pays to document your wall's condition before king tide season and to keep records of any design or permit work already under way. If water is coming through joints or over the cap now, see joint separation and get a professional assessment.

Four Permit Layers

The city's 2021 release says seawall replacement requires approvals from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the State of Florida, Miami-Dade County's environmental regulators (the Regulatory and Economic Resources Department, RER) and the City of Miami Beach.

• Miami-Dade Class I permit: Section 24-48 of the county code requires a Class I permit for work in, on, over or upon tidal waters or coastal wetlands, including inside municipalities such as Miami Beach. Seawall construction, repair or replacement at the mean high water line or no more than 18 inches waterward of the existing location can be reviewed as a short form project, and most short form permits are valid for 2 years.
• Smaller jobs: the county's package lists sealing cracks and spall repair on a cap or face, and backfilling landward of an existing seawall, as exempt. Cap and tieback repair or replacement can receive expedited administrative authorization when the contractor submits structurally approved plans from the building authority.
• 2025 changes: Ordinance 25-73, adopted July 1, 2025, also made seawalls eligible for a short form permit where the existing support piles extend no more than 14 inches waterward and the rebuilt wall is no more than 18 inches waterward of them, and it set permit processing timelines. Ask the county which version of its process applies to your application.
• State and federal: DEP's Southeast District covers Miami-Dade County, and section 403.813(1)(e), Florida Statutes (opens in a new tab) exempts restoring a seawall within 18 inches waterward of its previous location from some state permits. That exemption does not remove county or city requirements.

The Seawall Grant Program

In October 2026 the city opened applications for reimbursement grants of up to $20,000 per property for eligible seawall improvements through its Fight the Flood Private Property Adaptation (PPA) program, administered by the Environment and Sustainability Department. Key terms from the city's announcement:

• Open to residential and commercial property owners, for seawall projects only.
• Docks, decking, dock foundation piles, pile wraps and other work not directly related to the seawall are not covered.
• Applicants who qualify as low-to-moderate income receive full project funding up to $20,000 with no matching requirement.
• Projects are reimbursed only after they are completed.
• Applications are accepted until program capacity is reached.

Confirm availability and eligibility with the city before you sign a contract that depends on the grant, and ask your contractor to price seawall work separately from dock work so the reimbursable scope is clear.

What Irma and Nicole Showed

During Hurricane Irma in 2017, the National Hurricane Center reports maximum inundation of 4 to 6 feet above ground in parts of Miami-Dade County, especially along Biscayne Bay, a peak of 3.7 feet above Mean Higher High Water at the Virginia Key tide gauge, and sustained winds of 65 kt measured at Government Cut off Miami Beach. NHC says some damage occurred along the Biscayne Bay shoreline from storm surge. In Nicole (2022), NHC says minor surge impacts reached as far south as Miami, with nuisance street flooding in beach communities.

Questions to Settle Before You Hire

No participating contractor is confirmed in Miami Beach yet. Florida Bulk Head accepts project inquiries here and connects owners with a qualified participating contractor when one is available, subject to availability. Barefoot Marine Construction does not perform work in this region. The Southeast Florida guide compares neighboring cities' rules.