Boat docks on the Gulf coast at Hernando Beach, Bayport, Pine Island and Aripeka, on the Weeki Wachee River and Mud River, and on the Withlacoochee River require a Hernando County building permit (Building Department (352) 754-4050) under the county Code, plus a Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) under FAC 62-330, a US Army Corps of Engineers Section 10 permit (Jacksonville District) for any structure in navigable waters, and a state submerged lands authorization from the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund (TIITF). The Weeki Wachee River carries an additional 5.61-mile Springs Protection Zone established under FS 327.45 and Hernando County Code Chapter 7 — vessel anchoring, mooring, beaching, or grounding within the zone is prohibited (with a $140 fine), except that the rule does not apply to property owners along the Weeki Wachee River docking personal vessels on water adjacent to their property.
Dock construction in unincorporated Hernando County reflects four overlapping jurisdictions plus one springs-specific layer. (1) Hernando County: building permit issued by the Building Department under the Hernando County Code; reviewed for setbacks, structural design, electrical service for boat lifts, and dock dimensions. Contact: Hernando County Building Department, (352) 754-4050. (2) SWFWMD: ERP under FAC 62-330. Single-family private residential docks of 1,000 square feet or less (500 sq ft in Outstanding Florida Waters such as the Weeki Wachee) that meet the General Permit standards at FAC 62-330.417 can proceed without an Individual ERP; docks larger than that, docks in seagrass beds, docks affecting manatee habitat, and most commercial/multifamily docks need an Individual ERP. The SWFWMD ePermitting Help Desk is (352) 754-3456. (3) USACE: Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act (1899) covers any structure in navigable waters of the United States; the Withlacoochee River and the Gulf-front waters of Hernando County are federally navigable, requiring a USACE permit (typically a Nationwide Permit) — administered by the Jacksonville District Regulatory Division. (4) State submerged lands: TIITF authorization under FS Ch. 253 — for private residential docks supporting the riparian owner's personal use, a letter of consent under FAC 18-21.005 is typical and free; commercial or multi-slip docks generally require a lease. (5) Weeki Wachee Springs Protection Zone: Under FS 327.45 and Hernando County Code Chapter 7, a 5.61-mile zone extends from the Weeki Wachee Springs State Park headsprings downstream to Rogers Park; vessel operators are prohibited from anchoring, mooring, beaching, or grounding a vessel within the zone (with a $140 fine). The Protection Zone does NOT apply to property owners along the Weeki Wachee River docking personal vessels on water adjacent to their property. Most tubes and rafts are not considered vessels under Florida law and remain allowed. Standard riparian setbacks of 25 feet from the extended property line apply unless the adjacent owner waives. FWC manatee speed zones (FAC 68C-22) apply on the lower Weeki Wachee, Mud River, and around the Hernando Beach and Bayport coast and may restrict in-water construction during winter manatee aggregation season (Nov-Mar).
Building or extending a dock without the required county, SWFWMD, USACE, and TIITF approvals violates the Hernando County Code and the corresponding state and federal statutes. Consequences stack: county Stop Work orders and Special Magistrate fines up to $500/day under FS 162.09; SWFWMD/FDEP administrative penalties up to $10,000/day under FS 373.430 and 403.121; USACE cease-and-desist orders and federal restoration requirements under the Rivers and Harbors Act and Clean Water Act with potential criminal exposure; civil trespass damages to the State of Florida for unauthorized occupation of sovereign submerged lands. Mooring or anchoring a vessel inside the Weeki Wachee Springs Protection Zone (outside the riparian owner exception) is a $140 fine under Hernando County Code Chapter 7. Damaging seagrass or harassing manatees brings federal Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act exposure.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Spring Hill, FL
Solar installations in Spring Hill require a building permit through the Hernando County Building Division and must comply with the Florida Building Code (FB...
Spring Hill, FL
Florida Statute § 509.102 forbids Hernando County from prohibiting food trucks 'within the entirety of the entity's jurisdiction,' which preempts countywide ...
Spring Hill, FL
Florida Statute § 509.102 (enacted as HB 1193 in 2020) preempts local regulation of mobile food dispensing vehicle licenses, registrations, permits, and fees...
Spring Hill, FL
U.S. airspace is federally regulated by the FAA (Part 107 for commercial; 49 U.S.C. § 44809 for recreational flyers). Florida Statute § 330.41 (the Unmanned ...
Spring Hill, FL
Hernando County does not impose a numeric cap on garage / yard / estate / moving sales in unincorporated Spring Hill — there is no countywide ordinance limit...
Spring Hill, FL
Spring Hill was master-planned by the Deltona Corporation in 1967 with 28,500 platted lots sold in three years, leaving thousands of small individually owned...
See how Spring Hill's boat dock permits rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.