Daytona Beach, FL Environmental Rules: Boat Dock Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- LDC § 5.3.C.7
- Docks per lot
- One, unless 100+ ft of frontage
- Max platform area
- 500 square feet
- Max height
- 18 ft above mean high water
- Side setback
- 20 feet minimum
- Outside approvals
- Army Corps and Florida DEP required
Summary
Daytona Beach allows one private dock per waterfront lot, with a second dock possible once frontage reaches 100 feet. The Land Development Code caps dock height, platform size, and walkway width, and every dock still needs sign-off from the Army Corps of Engineers and Florida DEP.
Docking Facility.a.One dock shall be permitted for each lot of record located along a waterfront.b.Where water frontage of a parcel is 100 feet or more, one additional dock may be permitted for each additional 50 feet of frontage.c.A roof may be permitted over boat slips, mooring areas, and dock platform areas adjacent to boat slips and mooring areas. No portion of the roofed area of dock platform, boat shelter, or walkway may be enclosed or covered with siding.d.Docks shall comply with the dimensional standards in Table 5.3.C.7 below: ... Setback from extended side property line, minimum 20 ft; Walkway width, maximum 10 ft; Platform area, maximum 500 sf; Height, maximum 18 ft above mean high water level.e.All requirements of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection shall be met prior to approval to construct a dock.f.For nonresidential docks, agreement for use of submerged lands from Florida Department of Environmental Protection shall be submitted before the beginning of construction.g.A facility shall comply with the boat slip limits in Section 3.4.CC, Boat Slip Allocation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 78 | Land Development Code: Supplement 36).
Full Breakdown
7 of the Daytona Beach Land Development Code sets the baseline at one dock per lot of record on a waterfront, with an additional dock allowed only where the parcel's water frontage reaches 100 feet or more, and then only one more dock for each additional 50 feet of frontage beyond that. 7 fixes the dimensional envelope: docks must sit at least 20 feet back from the extended side property line, walkways cannot exceed 10 feet in width, the platform area is capped at 500 square feet, and no part of the structure may rise more than 18 feet above mean high water level.
A roof is allowed over boat slips, mooring areas, and the platform areas next to them, but the code specifically bars enclosing or covering that roofed area with siding, so a screened-in boathouse does not qualify. S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and nonresidential docks additionally need a submerged-lands use agreement from Florida DEP before work begins. CC's boat slip allocation limits, meaning the number of individual slips a docking facility can serve is capped separately from the one-dock-per-lot rule.
The use is permitted broadly across the city's zoning map, appearing as an allowed accessory use in most base districts, so waterfront homes and businesses in most of Daytona Beach's residential, office, and business districts can add a dock without a rezoning.
Violations & Fines
Building a dock that exceeds the height, setback, walkway, or platform limits in Table 5.3.C.7, or adding docks beyond the one-per-lot (or frontage-based) allowance, is a Land Development Code violation under Section 10.4. The city can issue a $100 civil citation for a first violation and $250 for a repeat violation, and unpermitted or oversized docks can also draw a stop-work order and daily administrative fines from the Code Enforcement Board that attach as a lien on the property under Chapter 162, Florida Statutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many docks can I build on my Daytona Beach waterfront lot?
Can I build a boathouse with walls over my dock?
Do I need federal or state approval to build a dock in Daytona Beach?
How tall can a Daytona Beach dock be?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Daytona Beach
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