Building a dock, boathouse, or boat lift on Winter Haven's Chain of Lakes requires permits from the City Engineering Division and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and may need the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers depending on size. Small docks under 1,000 sq ft can self-certify exemption under FDEP rules.
Shoreline structures on the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes are regulated by: (1) City Engineering for the building permit and zoning setbacks (863-291-5851); (2) FDEP for the Environmental Resource Permit (62-330 F.A.C.); (3) Florida Fish and Wildlife (FWC) for aquatic plant impacts; (4) Lake Region Lakes Management District (LRLMD); and (5) U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for navigable waters. FDEP self-certification of exemption is free for single-family docks of up to 1,000 sq ft over water outside Outstanding Florida Waters; FDEP exemption verification is $100 and FDEP General Permit (up to 2,000 sq ft, two vessels) is $250. Maximum dock length is generally to the harvest line or 20% of water-body width, whichever is less. Seawalls and bulkheads require separate FDEP review.
Building a dock without required permits is a Ch. 5 / Ch. 21 violation. FDEP enforcement can include daily civil penalties up to $10,000 per day under FS §403.121. City Code Compliance can require removal or modification.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Winter Haven, FL
Most residential wood or chain-link fences in Winter Haven do not require a building permit if they stay within Sec. 21-103 height limits (typically 4 ft fro...
Winter Haven, FL
Winter Haven Minimum Property Maintenance Standards Sec. 704.2 (Ord. O-10-15) requires every dwelling unit to have a listed, approved smoke alarm installed a...
Winter Haven, FL
Backyard recreational fire pits in Winter Haven are governed by the Florida Fire Prevention Code (adopted via Code Chapter 6) and NFPA 1, which require fire ...
Winter Haven, FL
Outdoor burning of yard waste in Winter Haven is regulated by Code Chapter 6 (Fire Prevention and Protection), the Florida Fire Prevention Code, and Florida ...
Winter Haven, FL
Winter Haven Code Chapter 6 (Fire Prevention and Protection) adopts the Florida Fire Prevention Code, which incorporates Florida Statute Chapter 791 regulati...
Winter Haven, FL
Tree removal on private property in Winter Haven is regulated by Chapter 21 ULDC tree-protection provisions and Florida Statute §163.045 which preempts most ...
See how Winter Haven'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.