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Guide
Seawall height requirements by city in Palm Beach County
Updated November 6, 2026
Minimum and maximum cap elevations from each city code, with the ordinance number and a link.
There is no single Palm Beach County seawall height. Cities set their own. Of the codes we could read, North Palm Beach requires caps of at least 4 feet NAVD88 (5 feet on the Intracoastal, Lake Worth and the ocean), Delray Beach at least 4.2 feet NAVD88, and Boca Raton at least 4.0 feet NAVD88 with a 6.0 foot maximum. Unincorporated Palm Beach County's 2024 flood ordinance sets no numeric seawall height in the text we read. Your city's building department has the current rule.
NAVD88 is the vertical datum surveyors use. Your survey shows your existing cap in NAVD88, and you compare that number to the table.
Minimum and maximum seawall cap heights by city
| City | Code | Minimum | Maximum | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Palm Beach | Ordinance 2019-07, Village Code s. 5-72 | 4 ft NAVD88 (Zone X, and flood zones with a base flood elevation); 5 ft NAVD88 on the Intracoastal, Lake Worth or the Atlantic | 6 in. above grade or 4.5 ft (Zone X); 6 in. above grade or 5 ft (flood zones); 6 in. above grade or 6 ft, or up to the FEMA base flood elevation with approval (Intracoastal, Lake Worth, ocean) | Caps higher than the neighbor need a finished wall return. Village Engineer review. |
| Delray Beach | Ordinance 23-21, LDR s. 7.1.7 | 4.2 ft NAVD88 | The property's base flood elevation where it is 5.0 ft or more; 5 ft where it is 4.0 ft | Walls built below 5.0 ft must be designed for a future extension to 5.0 ft. Work on more than 50 percent of the wall length is "substantial repair" and must meet the minimum along the whole shoreline. Sale contracts in tidally influenced areas need a tidal flood disclosure. |
| Boca Raton | Engineering Design Standards Manual s. 7.7 (updated January 2025) | 4.0 ft NAVD88 | 6.0 ft NAVD88 | Applies to "any new or replaced seawall or dock." Walls must be designed so 12 to 18 inches can be added later without altering the wall. City seawall plan requirements page. |
| Unincorporated Palm Beach County | Ordinance 2024-024 (ULDC Art. 18 flood rules) | No numeric height found | None found | In Coastal High Hazard Areas and Coastal A Zones, seawalls and bulkheads need analysis by a registered design professional showing "no harmful diversion of floodwaters or wave runup and wave reflection." |
All four documents fetched November 6, 2026. City codes change; confirm the current section with the building department before design.
Cities not in the table yet
We have not yet read a primary code section for West Palm Beach, Jupiter, the Town of Palm Beach, Riviera Beach, Lake Worth Beach, Palm Beach Gardens or Boynton Beach, so we do not list a number for them. Ask the building department two questions: what minimum cap elevation applies to new or replaced walls, and what counts as "substantial repair" that triggers it.
What this means for a repair
- A cap replacement may have to come up to the minimum. Delray Beach ties it to work on more than half the wall length.
- Raising a cap above a neighbor's can require a return wall (North Palm Beach).
- Design for the future: Boca Raton asks for 12 to 18 inches of added height capacity; Delray Beach asks for a path to 5.0 ft.
Permits are covered in the seawall permit guide, and prices in seawall cost per foot. If raising the cap means replacing it, JKT Marine publishes full cap replacement at $100 to $200 per foot.
Questions, answered
FAQ
How high does a seawall have to be in Palm Beach County?
It depends on the city. North Palm Beach requires at least 4 ft NAVD88 (5 ft on the Intracoastal, Lake Worth and the ocean), Delray Beach 4.2 ft NAVD88, and Boca Raton 4.0 ft NAVD88 with a 6.0 ft maximum. The county's 2024 flood ordinance sets no numeric height in the text we read.
Do I have to raise my seawall when I repair it?
Sometimes. Delray Beach requires the minimum elevation when work covers more than 50 percent of the wall length. Boca Raton's minimum applies to any new or replaced seawall. Check your city's rule before you sign.
What is NAVD88?
The North American Vertical Datum of 1988, the vertical reference surveyors use. North Palm Beach's ordinance defines it as the datum used for vertical control surveying in the conterminous United States and Alaska.
What is the maximum seawall height in Boca Raton?
6.0 feet NAVD88, with a 4.0 foot minimum, under section 7.7 of the city's Engineering Design Standards Manual (updated January 2025).
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