Doral, FL Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- All walls and fences citywide (§74-214)
- Max height, residential districts
- 6 feet (§74-222)
- Height measured from
- Average grade, both sides (§74-218)
- Grading workaround
- Prohibited except to level site or meet flood elevation
- Retaining wall with fill in floodway
- Needs engineered no-rise analysis (§23-303.4)
- Enforcement
- Code compliance division, Ch. 56 (§74-229)
Summary
Any retaining wall in Doral needs a permit before it goes up. Section 74-214 requires permits for all walls and fences, Section 74-222 caps wall height at six feet in residential districts, and Section 74-218 sets the measuring method: height runs from the average grade of the finished site, and owners cannot artificially regrade the lot just to dodge that limit.
Permits shall be required for all walls and fences, and except as may be approved as a result of public hearings, walls, fences, which obscure or obstruct vision, and hedges shall be restricted to the height, location and type as indicated hereinafter... ... The height of a wall, hedge or fence shall be the vertical distance measured from the average elevation of the finished building site to the top of the wall, hedge or fence... ... Virgin land may not be increased or decreased to affect the permitted or required height of a wall, hedge or fence unless the entire building site is graded to even out the level of the site or to increase it to the required county flood criteria elevation... ... The height of any fence or wall shall not exceed six feet.
Full Breakdown
Section 74-214, in the fences and walls article, requires a permit for all walls and fences citywide and restricts height, location, and type unless the city approves a variance through a public hearing. Section 74-218 sets how that height is measured: the vertical distance from the average elevation of the finished building site to the top of the wall, with the average taken along both sides of the wall line at five-foot intervals. The section specifically blocks a workaround, virgin land cannot be raised or lowered just to change the permitted or required wall height, unless the entire site is graded to even out its level or to raise it to the required county flood criteria elevation.
Section 74-222 sets the baseline number for most residential lots: the height of any fence or wall shall not exceed six feet. Other zoning categories carry different caps, general-use district walls are limited to six feet in setback areas and eight feet elsewhere under Section 74-223, and business, office, and industrial district walls run four feet in setback areas and up to eight feet elsewhere under Section 74-224. 3(1).
Violations & Fines
Section 74-229 places enforcement of the fences and walls article with the code compliance division under Chapter 56's code enforcement procedures; a wall built without the required permit or above the applicable district's height cap is handled through that citation and hearing process. A retaining wall placing fill in a regulated floodway without the engineering no-rise analysis required by Section 23-303.4 is a separate floodplain violation under Section 23-109.4, carrying a fine of up to $500 per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a retaining wall in my Doral yard?
How is the height of a retaining wall measured under Doral's code?
Is there a maximum height for a retaining wall in a Doral residential district?
Are retaining walls treated differently near a canal or floodway?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Doral
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Doral to another location·View the Florida fence regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Retaining Walls in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Miami-Dade County handle retaining walls.