Alachua County, FL Environmental Rules: Boat Dock Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max footprint (screening)
- 600 sq ft; 900 sq ft via DRC
- Max height
- 14 feet, floor to highest point
- Side setback
- 10 ft (<65 ft shoreline) / 25 ft (≥65 ft)
- Santa Fe River cap
- 160 sq ft, single uncovered platform
- Docks per parcel
- One per single-family lot
Summary
Docks on unincorporated Alachua County waterfront are a limited use under ULDC Section 404.108, capped at 600 square feet through pre-application screening (900 with Development Review Committee approval), 14 feet tall, and set back 10 to 25 feet from side lines depending on shoreline width.
Docks are allowed as limited uses in the unincorporated area, provided the conditions of this Section are satisfied. ... (1)Size limits.a.Maximum size. The maximum total footprint of a dock shall not exceed 600 square feet. ... b.Maximum total width and covered width. ... If the property width at the lateral shoreline is 80 feet or less, the maximum width of a dock shall not exceed 20 feet. If the property width is greater than 80 feet, the maximum width shall not exceed 25 feet. ... c.Maximum height. The maximum height shall not exceed 14 feet ... (6)Walls are prohibited. There shall be no structures enclosed by walls on any side, temporary or permanent. ... (7)One dock per property. There shall be no more than one dock per single-family residential parcel of land.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 63).
Full Breakdown
108 regulates dock construction, including repairs, in the unincorporated county to limit impacts on water bodies while preserving public recreational access. A dock includes any fixed or floating structure extending from the upland into the water for mooring or water-dependent recreation, plus detached floating structures, boat lifts, and mooring pilings. Through the pre-application screening process, a dock's total footprint cannot exceed 600 square feet (access walkways up to five feet wide excluded from that calculation). Maximum width is 20 feet on shorelines 80 feet wide or less, and 25 feet on wider shorelines; maximum height is 14 feet measured from floor to the highest point.
Side setbacks are 25 feet where the shoreline is 65 feet or more wide, and 10 feet where it is narrower. Docks on the Santa Fe River are limited to a single uncovered platform of 160 square feet with no roofed area. Walls enclosing any side of a dock, temporary or permanent, are prohibited outright, and no more than one dock is allowed per single-family residential parcel. A dock that cannot meet these limits, such as a larger platform up to 900 square feet or reduced setbacks, requires Development Review Committee approval instead of pre-application screening.
A County building permit does not substitute for required federal, state, or water management district permits, and a dock cannot create a hazard to navigation or damage aquatic vegetation and wetlands.
Violations & Fines
A dock built without the required County permit, or one that exceeds the pre-application-screening size, width, height, or setback limits without Development Review Committee approval, is a Section 404.108 violation enforceable under the ULDC's Chapter 409 remedies: referral to Alachua County Code Enforcement under Chapter 24 and F.S. Ch. 162, permit withholding, or a corrective/removal order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a dock in unincorporated Alachua County?
How big can my dock be?
Can I enclose my dock with walls?
Are Santa Fe River docks held to the same limits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alachua County
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