Building a dock in the Florida Keys means navigating one of the most regulated waterfronts in the country. A dock permit in Monroe County typically requires coordination with three separate agencies — federal, state, and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary — plus your local building department. Since 1984, Glen Boe & Associates has managed that entire process for waterfront property owners from Ocean Reef to Key West, with all engineering and biology handled in-house.

For a step-by-step walk-through of agency approvals, surveys, and timelines, see our Florida Keys dock permit process guide.

Why You Need a Dock Permit in Monroe County

Nearly every dock, pier, and waterfront structure in the Keys requires approval before construction can begin. Four authorities can have jurisdiction over a single project:

• FDEP — Environmental Resource Permits and State 404 authorization for construction in, on, or over state waters and wetlands.
• ACOE — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers authorization under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act and/or Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for work in federal waters.
• FKNMS — Resource assessments where corals, seagrass, or sponges may be affected within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
• Local municipalities — Zoning rules, setbacks, and design standards from Monroe County, Islamorada, Marathon, Layton, or Key West.

Getting any one of these wrong can stall a project for months. Our job is to design your dock to satisfy all of them from the start.

Our Dock Permitting Process

We manage every dock project from first site visit through final approval:

1. Consultation — We review your project scope, timeline, and location to confirm which agencies have jurisdiction (FDEP, ACOE, FKNMS, and local government).
2. Site evaluation — We conduct a field visit and give you an honest opinion on the feasibility of obtaining approval before you invest further.
3. Engineering & survey — Our licensed PE prepares all design drawings, and our FKNMS-approved biologist performs any required benthic survey in-house.
4. Application preparation — We assemble complete FDEP, ACOE, and FKNMS applications with engineering drawings, survey maps, and all supporting documentation tailored to your project.
5. Agency coordination — We submit applications and work directly with reviewers to answer questions, schedule inspections, and adjust scope when needed.
6. Permit issuance — We secure your permits and review the conditions with you so you understand construction constraints and any mitigation requirements.
7. Contractor support — We remain available to clarify drawings and answer your contractor’s questions before and during construction.

Dock Projects We Design and Permit

We design and permit the full range of residential and commercial waterfront structures throughout the Keys, including fixed docks, seawalls, boat lifts, davits, and boat ramps, and swim and observation platforms for properties where water depth won’t support a vessel. Need to deepen an existing slip? We also handle maintenance dredging permits.

Why Choose Glen Boe & Associates

• 40+ years of local experience. Since 1984, our family-owned firm has permitted thousands of docks and seawalls throughout the Florida Keys.
• Everything in-house. Our licensed PE and FKNMS-approved biologist work under one roof — no subcontractors, no waiting on outside consultants, fewer delays.
• Keys-specific knowledge. We know Monroe County’s waterways, environmental conditions, and the FKNMS coral protocols unique to the Keys — which translates into cleaner, faster approvals.
• You talk to the team. When you call, you reach the people actually working on your project.

Where We Work

We serve the entire chain — Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Key Colony Beach, and the Lower Keys — from Ocean Reef to Key West.

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