Orlando, FL Environmental Rules: Boat Dock Permits (2026)

Section 58.976 sets the application package: the property owner's original signature (plus the applicant's, if different), proof of title and riparian rights to the upland parcel, a current survey, and four sets of a site plan showing the waterbody, the High Water Elevation, the dock's dimensions and floor/roof elevations, mooring and lift locations, the distance to adjacent property lines and to any existing neighboring dock, water depth at the dock's end, and any conservation easements or wetlands within 20 feet.

Section 58.977 then sets the substantive limits. Only one dock is allowed per upland parcel, unless the parcel touches two separate, unconnected waterbodies. A dock cannot extend into water deeper than 5 feet under normal conditions unless the waterbody itself requires more depth for safe mooring. The terminal platform, not counting open mooring areas, is capped at 10 times the shoreline frontage for the first 75 feet, 5 times the frontage beyond that, and 1,000 square feet total. Access walkways cannot exceed 5 feet in width, and any walkway crossing a wetland must be elevated at least 3 feet. Dock floors must sit at least 1 foot above the High Water Elevation, and no dock roof may rise more than 12 feet above the floor. Side setbacks from the property line match the principal structure's side-yard setback for that zoning district, dropping to a flat 5 feet where converging projected lines make that impossible. Docks cannot be used for living quarters, wet bars, or fish-cleaning stations, and any dredging or filling needs a separate dredge-and-fill permit from the City Engineer under Chapter 65, Part 6, Subpart 6A. A City dock permit does not substitute for any required State or federal permit.