Buying a Keys Waterfront Home: Seawall Checklist
A Keys seawall is part of what you are buying, and the standard home inspection skips it. Pull the records, book a separate check early and learn what the frontage lets you rebuild.
Find the wall’s records before you commit
Start with the office that issued the permits. Use the parcel’s government, not the postal city.
| If the lot is in | Look here |
|---|---|
City of Key West | The eTRAKiT portal or the Building Department front desk City of Key West eTRAKiT |
City of Marathon, Seven Mile Bridge to Tom’s Harbor Bridge | The Viewpoint portal City of Marathon Viewpoint Marathon Charter Sec. 10 |
Key Colony Beach | The Citizenserve portal KCB Building Department |
Layton | City Hall, (305) 664-4667 City of Layton |
Unincorporated Monroe County | OPAL online; permits from before October 1, 2022 are paper files Monroe County OPAL |
Watch the mailing address. Key Haven, Rockland Key and the south side of Stock Island use Key West addresses but sit outside the city. City of Key West floodplain page
- Ask the seller for the survey, permits, engineer reports and any DEP or Army Corps letters.
- Ask for repair invoices, lift and davit specs, and photos taken after recent storms.
- Mark missing papers as missing. An empty online search is a question for the office, not proof of unpermitted work.
Book a seawall check inside the inspection period
Your home inspector does not have to look at the wall. Florida’s standards let inspectors skip seawalls, docks and boat lifts unless the agreement adds them. Rule 61-30.810, F.A.C.
The Florida Realtors/Florida Bar contracts give 15 days to inspect when the blank is left empty. AS IS contract ¶12 Key Colony Beach’s own manual tells buyers to have a Florida-registered engineer inspect the wall first. KCB Seawall Owner’s Manual
- Book the wall visit in the first days of the inspection period.
- Ask whether the frontage is a dredged canal or open water. The rebuild rules differ.
- Ask the specialist to note cap tilt, open joints, sinkholes and waterline cracks.
- Planning a new dock or lift? Ask what the water depth and canal width allow.
- Read the seller’s answer on whether the seawall and dockage are structurally sound. Florida disclosure law and form
Use the findings before the deadline
On the standard contract, seawalls and dockage must stay in Working Condition until closing. The seller’s repair limit defaults to 1.5% of the price, plus a separate 1.5% for permit problems. Standard contract ¶9, ¶12
- If repairs exceed the limit and you cannot agree within 5 days, either side may cancel and the deposit comes back. Standard contract ¶9, ¶12
- On the AS IS contract, you may cancel in your sole discretion before the inspection period ends. AS IS contract ¶12
- You cannot be fined or refused a permit only because a prior owner left a permit open. Section 553.79, Fla. Stat.
- Flood insurance will not pay for the wall. The NFIP dwelling form lists seawalls, bulkheads and docks as property not insured. Federal flood policy (Dwelling Form) IV.12
A full replacement is unlikely to finish inside a contract period, because county and city offices want state and federal approvals first. Monroe County code 118-12(k)(9) KCB Code Sec. 5-30
Negotiate on a written assessment and a scope. Then plan with the repair-or-replace guide and the cost guide.
Worried about damage? Check the warning signs.Optional · 10 short questions · no contact details
Answer from what you already know. Stay on safe ground; do not go near the edge or into the water to check. You can choose “Not sure” for any question.
Skip this and go to the request form
An inspection can help answer the questions you were unsure about.
An on-site inspection is needed to assess the wall’s condition. These answers help you explain what you have noticed.
Prepare for a professional assessment · Discuss the next step
Tell us about the concern and we’ll help you work out the next step.
Continue to the request form. You can choose whether to include this check with your request.
What this check is based on
The questions cover signs shown in the City of Holmes Beach seawall manual (pages 5–13): soil loss, wall movement, open joints and damaged concrete.
What to ask for in a seawall condition report
Confirm the type of assessment and written report with the professional you choose, including the scope and delivery date. Ask for dated photos, findings, recommended repairs and a list of areas that could not be inspected.
Ask whether the assessment covers the wall panels, concrete cap, joints, supports and ground behind the wall. Buried anchors and underwater areas may need extra investigation. If you need a repair budget or an estimate of remaining life, discuss that before the visit.
Request report pricing. Confirm the scope, price and availability directly with the professional before relying on a visit or report date.
See the InterNACHI waterfront inspection standard for examples of what a visual inspection covers.
Check the right wall measurement.
Thinking about raising or replacing the wall? The height guide explains which survey measurement to use and where to check local requirements.
Common questions
Will my home inspector check the seawall?
Not unless your agreement adds it. Florida’s home inspection standards do not require inspecting seawalls, docks or boat lifts. Book a separate seawall assessment early in the inspection period. Rule 61-30.810, F.A.C.
Who should inspect a Keys seawall before I buy?
Many buyers use a Florida-licensed engineer or a licensed marine contractor. Key Colony Beach’s seawall manual recommends a Florida-registered professional engineer before purchase. Check the license on MyFloridaLicense before you book. KCB Seawall Owner’s Manual Florida Board of Professional Engineers
Could I build a new seawall on open water?
Not in unincorporated Monroe County or Marathon, which both bar new vertical seawalls on open water. A lawfully existing wall can be repaired or replaced, keeping its footprint where practicable. Ask whether the current wall was permitted. Monroe County code 118-12(k)(3) Marathon code 106.36 Monroe County code 118-12(k)(4)
Does flood insurance cover the seawall?
No. The NFIP policy excludes seawalls, bulkheads and docks, with a narrow exception for a wall that supports the insured building’s foundation. Ask for a written answer on any private policy. FEMA NFIP policy FEMA flood policy commentary
Will I need flood insurance anyway?
Probably, if your wind coverage comes from Citizens. Citizens requires flood coverage on wind policies in A, AE and V zones, and it reaches all such policies from January 1, 2027. Citizens flood requirement
The seller has an old seawall report. Is it enough?
Ask who it was written for, when, and what it covered. In Key Colony Beach, also ask whether the city sent a notice under its 2026 seawall ordinance. A report on the wall as it stands today is what your decision needs. KCB Ordinance 2026-509
Canal or open water: what you could rebuild
The same wall means different things on a dredged canal and on open water. Check the frontage before you price the future.
| Question | Dredged canal | Open water |
|---|---|---|
New vertical seawall | County: only to stop severe erosion where plants or riprap will not work Monroe County code 118-12(k)(3) | Not allowed in unincorporated Monroe County or Marathon Marathon code 106.36 |
Replace the existing wall | Allowed if lawfully existing, keeping the footprint where practicable Monroe County code 118-12(k)(4) | Same, except on sea turtle nesting beaches Monroe County code 118-12(k)(4) |
State dock exemption size | Up to 1,000 square feet Section 403.813(1), Fla. Stat. | Up to 500 square feet, because Keys open water is an Outstanding Florida Water Rule 62-302.700, F.A.C. |
“Lawfully existing” matters. If nobody can show the wall was permitted, ask the permit office how it would treat a future replacement. Monroe County code 118-12(k)(4)
For dock or seawall work near the water’s edge, expect the marine sanctuary to ask for a seafloor (benthic) survey. NOAA sanctuary submission guidance
Places with extra buyer homework
- Key Colony Beach notices. The city can send a written seawall notice that starts a 60-day clock for an engineer’s plan. Ask the seller and the Building Department, (305) 289-1212 ext. 3, what is on file. KCB Ordinance 2026-509 KCB Building Department
- Key Colony Beach liens. If an owner neglects upkeep, the city may repair the wall and assess the cost as a lien. Ask your title agent to search for one. KCB Code Sec. 5-62
- Big Pine Key and No Name Key. Since July 2026, parcels in the Species Focus Area go to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for review. The county charges $825 when it refers a permit. Key Deer Assessment Guide, July 2026 Monroe Resolution 277-2025
- Coupon Bight. In this aquatic preserve south of Big Pine Key, no seawalls go waterward of mean high water. Restoring one within a foot of its old line is exempt from a consent application. DEP Coupon Bight page Rule 18-20.004, F.A.C.
- Key West’s historic district. Exterior work there needs a HARC Certificate of Appropriateness with the permit. Ask staff whether waterfront work is included. City of Key West HARC
The Big Pine Key, Key Colony Beach and Old Town Key West guides go deeper.
Flood insurance discounts by Keys community
Your flood premium depends partly on the community. These are FEMA’s Community Rating System classes from October 1, 2026. FEMA CRS list, Oct. 2026
| Community | Class | Discount |
|---|---|---|
Unincorporated Monroe County | 3 | 35% |
Key West | 5 | 25% |
Layton | 5 | 25% |
Key Colony Beach | 6 | 20% |
Marathon | 6 | 20% |
None of that discount reaches the wall, because NFIP policies exclude seawalls and docks. Federal flood policy (Dwelling Form) IV.12 Read the insurance guide before you set a budget.
Show sourcesHide sources
- Monroe County Land Development Code, Chapter 118 - Environmental ProtectionSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- LDR Sec. 106.36 Criteria For Approval (Hardened Shorelines)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- Section 403.813, Florida Statutes (2026)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- Rule 62-302.700, F.A.C. (Special Protection, Outstanding Florida Waters)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- Nearshore Construction PermitsSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Code of Ordinances Ch. 6 Buildings, Art. II, Sec. 6-45 Seawall conditions; compliance requirements; enforcementSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Building Department and Code EnforcementSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Code of Ordinances Ch. 5, Art. III Marine Construction and Improvements, Docking of BoatsSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Key Deer Assessment Guide (July 2026)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- Resolution No. 277-2025 (Building Department permitting fee schedule)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- Coupon Bight Aquatic PreserveSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Rule 18-20.004, F.A.C. (Management Policies, Standards, and Criteria - Aquatic Preserves)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- PermitsSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- CRS Eligible Communities, October 1, 2026 Effective DateSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- 44 CFR Part 61, Appendix A(1): Standard Flood Insurance Policy, Dwelling FormSource reviewed 2026-10-28
Ask about a buyer assessment
Record what needs checking and when. Confirm the assessment, price and date directly with the professional you choose.