Flagler County, FL Environmental Rules: Boat Dock Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Scope
- Applies only in unincorporated Flagler County
- Permit authority
- County building official issues the permit
- Prerequisite
- State and federal agency approval required first
- Application
- Scaled drawing (1 in = 100 ft) required
- Waterway depth
- Minimum 8 ft below mean low water
- Default penalty
- Up to $500 fine, up to 60 days jail
Summary
Before building a bulkhead, boat dock or pier on waterfront property in unincorporated Flagler County, the owner must get a construction permit from the county building official, and that approval only follows sign-off from the relevant state and federal agencies. The Land Development Code also sets minimum waterway depth and requires a scaled drawing showing the structure's exact location.
B.Bulkheads, Boat Docks, and Piers. Prior to the construction by the applicant of any bulkhead, boat dock or pier, a construction permit shall be obtained from the building official after approval by appropriate state and federal agencies. A drawing at a scale of one (1) inch = one hundred (100) feet, or such other scale approved by those agencies, showing the location of the bulkhead, boat dock or pier shall be presented at the time of permit application.
Full Breakdown
09 of the Land Development Code, governing waterfront developments, treats bulkheads, boat docks and piers as construction projects requiring their own permit track. S. Army Corps of Engineers for work below the mean high-water line, have signed off. The application package must include a drawing at a scale of one inch to one hundred feet, or another scale those agencies accept, pinpointing the bulkhead, dock or pier's location. The same section separately regulates dredging, filling and excavation along the waterfront: any dredge, fill or excavation permit likewise requires county commission approval of a plat before work begins, under subsection A.
Where the work involves constructing a new waterway, subsection C sets a minimum channel depth of eight feet below mean low water across a continuous twenty-foot bottom width, so the waterway can handle tidal and wind-driven water movement. These waterfront development standards apply only in unincorporated Flagler County; a dock built from a Palm Coast, Flagler Beach or Beverly Beach address falls under that city's own permitting process instead.
Violations & Fines
The Land Development Code does not set a stand-alone fine inside § 4.06.09; building without the required permit falls under the Code's general default penalty at § 1-6, punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to 60 days in the county jail, or both, with each day a continuing violation counted as a separate offense. The county can also revoke or suspend a permit and pursue civil penalties or injunctive relief.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a dock on my waterfront lot in unincorporated Flagler County?
What has to be included with the permit application?
Does this rule apply to docks in Palm Coast or Flagler Beach?
What if I build a dock without the permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Flagler County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Flagler County to another location·View the Florida environmental rules overview
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