Seawall & Bulkhead Help on the Treasure Coast

How Treasure Coast Shorelines Differ

Much of the waterfront here faces the Indian River Lagoon, which DEP describes as a long, wide, shallow estuarine lagoon mixing fresh water from rivers and creeks with ocean water. DEP's lagoon plan says the lagoon's preserves on this coast reach the Atlantic only through Sebastian, Fort Pierce, St. Lucie and Jupiter inlets, and that only Jupiter Inlet is natural. Inland, the St. Lucie Canal (C-44) links Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie Estuary, with Corps structures at Port Mayaca (S-308) and the St. Lucie Lock and Dam (S-80) controlling flows.

Much of this water is protected. DEP's 2016 management plan says the four Indian River Lagoon aquatic preserves cover 91,000 acres across five counties, and DEP says they were designated Outstanding Florida Waters in 1979. On the Treasure Coast they are Indian River-Malabar to Vero Beach, Indian River-Vero Beach to Fort Pierce and Jensen Beach to Jupiter Inlet. A separate preserve covers a 16-mile stretch of the North Fork of the St. Lucie River, from Midway Road in White City south to Coconut Point in Stuart and Jenkins Point in Palm City.

The same plan says that in many areas seawalls, docks and riprap have replaced natural mangroves, seagrasses and oyster habitat, and preserve staff say they will recommend living shorelines to waterfront owners and regulators where erosion is a concern. A softer option may come up in review, especially for a new shoreline structure.

Who Reviews Seawall Work Here

• State: DEP's Southeast District in West Palm Beach covers Martin and St. Lucie counties, while Indian River County is in DEP's Central District. The South Florida Water Management District covers Martin and St. Lucie, and the St. Johns River Water Management District covers Indian River.
• Lagoon rule: section 373.414(5), Florida Statutes (opens in a new tab), states the Legislature's intent to protect estuaries and lagoons from vertical seawalls. Under it, a state permit to create a vertical seawall needs one of a few listed conditions, such as an existing manmade canal already partly lined with vertical seawalls, and a permit to repair or replace one generally calls for riprap facing or full riprap replacement unless such a condition applies. Which waters it covers is an agency call, so ask early.
• State exemptions: section 403.813(1)(e) (opens in a new tab) exempts restoring a seawall at its previous location or within 18 inches waterward of it from certain state permits, while the exemption for seawalls in artificial waterways does not cover vertical seawalls in estuaries or lagoons except in an existing manmade canal already partly lined with them. Neither removes local requirements.
• Federal: the Corps' State Programmatic General Permit (SPGP VI) (opens in a new tab), used for many minor shoreline projects, states an expiration date of July 27, 2026, so ask how federal authorization is being handled now.
• Manatees: FWC lists approved manatee protection plans for Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties, used when agencies review permit applications for new or expanding boat facilities.
• Local: the county or city building department, plus any county environmental review described below. Check first whether your parcel is inside a city or in the unincorporated county.

Martin County: Determination Letter First

Martin County's Growth Management Department handles new shoreline structures through a Shoreline Stabilization Permit (SSP). The county's help document lists permit types for vegetation only, living shorelines, new riprap, new retaining walls and new seawalls, and says a new seawall also needs a separate building permit. If your property is inside a city such as Stuart, ask that city which county steps apply.

1. 1Pre-application evaluationStaff evaluate the site to decide whether the shoreline qualifies for a structure. The county asks for a deed, a survey, a site plan and an agent authorization form if someone applies for you.
2. 2Determination LetterIf staff find the shoreline qualifies, the county issues a Determination Letter, which it says is required for most SSP applications.
3. 3Permit applicationThe SSP application can call for a planting plan, an updated survey showing the mean high water line and, for new structures, a grading plan and scaled structural drawings.
4. 4Building permitThe county Building Department's residential seawall checklist asks for a DEP permit or exemption, engineer-sealed drawings and, for new seawalls, an environmental waiver from Growth Management.

Repair or replacement of a previously permitted seawall or retaining wall starts at the Martin County Building Department instead, and repair of an old unpermitted structure uses the new-structure SSP. The county encourages stabilization with native vegetation, such as a living shoreline, and says fees and review time for that approach are significantly reduced.

St. Lucie and Indian River Counties

Fort Pierce's Building Department seawall checklist (updated August 2026) requires Engineering Department pre-approval, a marine permit application with a signed Longshore insurance acknowledgement, digitally signed and sealed plans from a Florida-licensed architect or engineer, and approval letters from the Corps, DEP and/or SFWMD. Lots in a special flood hazard area also get a floodplain review.

In Vero Beach, the city's code compliance application says residential docks and seawalls need two sets of drawings sealed by a Florida professional engineer, plus a copy of any DEP or Corps application, and that a building permit from the Indian River County Building Department may also be required.

We could not verify current seawall rules for Port St. Lucie, unincorporated St. Lucie County, Sebastian or unincorporated Indian River County for this guide. Ask each building department directly.

What the Official Storm Record Shows

Frances and Jeanne in 2004 and Nicole in 2022 all made landfall on this stretch of coast, according to the National Hurricane Center, whose reports describe wind, water and damage but not seawall failures.

Notes on Communities

• Stuart: the North Fork preserve's southern boundary reaches Coconut Point in Stuart, and DEP's lagoon plan names Stuart as the only incorporated city bordering the Jensen Beach to Jupiter Inlet preserve. See the Stuart page.
• Palm City, Jensen Beach and Hobe Sound: DEP's lagoon plan lists Jensen Beach and Hobe Sound among the unincorporated communities on the Jensen Beach to Jupiter Inlet preserve, which includes the Peck Lake and Hobe Sound area, and the North Fork preserve reaches Jenkins Point in Palm City. Confirm by parcel whether county permitting applies.
• Port St. Lucie: DEP's North Fork preserve page lists an accessible kayak launch on the North Fork off U.S. 1 in Port St. Lucie. City seawall rules were not verified for this guide.
• Fort Pierce: the Indian River-Vero Beach to Fort Pierce preserve ends at the north A1A bridge in Fort Pierce, and the Jensen Beach to Jupiter Inlet preserve begins at the city's southern limits. Jeanne's 111 kt gust was measured at Fort Pierce Inlet.
• Vero Beach: Nicole made landfall here in 2022. The city sits between two lagoon preserves, Indian River-Malabar to Vero Beach to the north and Indian River-Vero Beach to Fort Pierce to the south.
• Sebastian: borders the Indian River-Malabar to Vero Beach preserve, which includes the St. Sebastian River and reaches the ocean through Sebastian Inlet. DEP's plan says the lagoon preserves' clam aquaculture leases are all in this preserve.

How to Check a Contractor Before You Sign

How Florida Bulk Head Handles Treasure Coast Inquiries

Florida Bulk Head is building a network of licensed regional marine contractors, and no participating contractor is confirmed on the Treasure Coast yet. We accept project inquiries from Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties and connect owners with a qualified participating contractor when one is available, subject to availability. Barefoot Marine Construction, which owns Florida Bulk Head, works in Northeast Florida and does not perform work in this region.

Send photos, the waterway, the wall length and what you are seeing, and we will tell you plainly whether a match is possible. The Seawall Health Check helps you document conditions, and the lead-sharing disclosure explains how information is shared.