Keys Seawall Inspections for Real-Estate Agents
A Keys seawall question has to fit inside your client’s contract clock. Start with the deadline, the right permit office and one clear question for the specialist.
Book the seawall check before the clock runs out
The home inspector will not settle it. Florida’s standards do not require inspecting seawalls, break-walls, boat lifts or docks. Rule 61-30.810, F.A.C.
Both Florida Realtors/Florida Bar residential contracts give 15 days to inspect when the blank is empty. On the standard contract, an item not inspected and reported in writing in time is waived. AS IS contract ¶12 Standard contract ¶9, ¶12
- Confirm the inspection deadline and closing date in writing.
- Find out who controls access: the seller, a property manager, an association or a neighbor.
- Ask whether a boat, lift or mangroves hide the wall face.
- Get the visit date and the report date before you commit.
Under the standard contract, the inspector can be a licensed home inspector or someone licensed in Florida to repair and maintain the item. Standard contract ¶9, ¶12
Send the specialist a one-page brief
A short brief saves a wasted drive down the Overseas Highway. Include:
- Address, parcel number and the wall segment: canal, basin, bay or ocean side.
- Which government permits the lot. Key Haven, Rockland Key and south Stock Island have Key West addresses but are county. City of Key West floodplain page
- Marathon runs from the Seven Mile Bridge to Tom’s Harbor Bridge, but Key Colony Beach is its own city. Marathon Charter Sec. 10
- The contract form. The AS IS form never mentions seawalls or docks; the standard form names seawalls and dockage. AS IS contract ¶12 Standard contract ¶9, ¶12
- The seller’s disclosure answer on whether the seawall and dockage are structurally sound. Florida disclosure law and form
- Lift and davit details. Key Colony Beach requires engineer certification for lifts attached to a seawall cap. KCB Code Sec. 5-43
Second-home sellers are often off island. Line up the gate code, dock access and a local contact before the visit.
Help your client use the findings
Read the report in three parts: what was observed, what is still unknown and which further tests are advised. A condition report, an engineered design and a contractor’s quote answer different questions.
- On the standard contract, seawalls and dockage stay in Working Condition until closing, with a 1.5% repair limit and a separate 1.5% permit limit. Standard contract ¶9, ¶12
- If repairs exceed the limit and the parties do not agree within 5 days, either may cancel. Standard contract ¶9, ¶12
- Conflicting reports go to a third inspector chosen and paid for jointly. Standard contract ¶9, ¶12
- A flood policy is not a repair plan. NFIP policies exclude seawalls. FEMA NFIP policy
The specialist explains the wall. Your client’s attorney and lender handle credits and exits. For next steps, share the permit guide and the repair-or-replace guide.
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
Does the home inspection cover the seawall?
Not by default. Florida’s standards let inspectors leave out seawalls, docks and lifts unless the agreement adds them. Book a separate seawall visit. Rule 61-30.810, F.A.C.
Which office has the permit history?
The one for the parcel, not the postal city. Key West, Marathon, Key Colony Beach and Layton issue their own permits, and Monroe County covers the rest. Some Key West addresses are county parcels. City of Key West floodplain page
Can the seller replace the wall before closing?
Usually not within a normal contract period. County and city offices want state and federal approvals first, and the marine sanctuary asks for construction applications 90 days ahead. Negotiate on the assessment and scope instead. Monroe County code 118-12(k)(9) NOAA sanctuary permits
The seller’s report predates Irma. Is it useful?
As history, yes. Irma made landfall near Cudjoe Key in 2017 and pushed 5 to 8 feet of water over parts of the Lower Keys. Your client needs a report on the wall as it stands now. Hurricane Center Irma report Hurricane Center Irma report
What should I ask a Key Colony Beach seller?
Ask whether the city sent a seawall notice under Ordinance 2026-509, and what has been done since. For rentals, an ignored notice can cost the vacation rental license. KCB Code Sec. 6-45
Who can do the seawall inspection?
Under the standard contract, a licensed home inspector or a person licensed in Florida to repair and maintain the item. Many clients hire a Florida-licensed engineer or a marine contractor. Check the license before booking. Standard contract ¶9, ¶12 Florida Board of Professional Engineers
Where each Keys permit file lives
Pull permit history from the office that issued it.
| Jurisdiction | Office and phone | Online |
|---|---|---|
Key West | 1300 White Street, (305) 809-3956 Key West Building Department | eTRAKiT City of Key West eTRAKiT |
Marathon | 9805 Overseas Highway, (305) 289-5052 Marathon Building Department | Viewpoint City of Marathon Viewpoint |
Key Colony Beach | 600 West Ocean Drive, (305) 289-1212 ext. 3 KCB Building Department | Citizenserve KCB Building Department |
Layton | City Hall, (305) 664-4667 City of Layton | Building services are contracted out; call City Hall City of Layton staff page |
Unincorporated Monroe County | (305) 294-4641 Monroe County OPAL help | OPAL; files before October 1, 2022 are paper Monroe County OPAL |
Stock Island, Key Haven and Rockland Key are county files even with a Key West address. City of Key West floodplain page The county’s Stock Island office is at 5503 College Road, (305) 295-3990. Monroe County building offices
Write down where you searched, the parcel number and the date. An empty result for an older county file is a question for the office, not an answer.
Key Colony Beach listings after the 2026 ordinance
Almost every waterfront lot in Key Colony Beach has a seawall, and the city now enforces their condition. KCB Seawall Owner’s Manual KCB Ordinance 2026-509
- Ask the seller whether a notice followed the December 2025 citywide inspections. KCB inspection letter, Dec. 2025
- If one did, find where the owner stands: safety measures within 15 days, an engineer’s plan within 60, permit applications within 120, repairs within 12 months of approval. KCB Ordinance 2026-509
- For rentals, flag the license risk. Noncompliance is grounds for revoking the vacation rental license. KCB Code Sec. 6-45
- Ask whether repairs need a barge. The city requires a $50,000 bond before water-borne equipment enters. KCB Code Sec. 5-61
Why Keys seawall work outlasts a contract period
A finished repair before closing is hard to promise in the Keys. The approvals stack up first.
- Monroe County issues the permit but holds work until a Notice to Proceed, after state and federal approvals are filed. Monroe County NTP handout
- The marine sanctuary wants construction applications at least 90 days ahead, and it will not queue an incomplete file. NOAA sanctuary permits NOAA sanctuary submission guidance
- Sanctuary seagrass surveys run June 1 through September 30. A survey outside that window may be rejected. Sanctuary survey protocol, 2022
- The Corps’ Keys general permit, SAJ-82, expired June 24, 2026. Army Corps permit SAJ-82
Negotiate on a dated assessment and a written scope. Leave the build schedule to the buyer and their professionals.
Show sourcesHide sources
- Building Department - About UsSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Expedited Building Permit Policy & Procedures (Effective 1/01/2025)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- BuildingSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Permit and Inspection InformationSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Building Department and Code EnforcementSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Contact UsSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- City StaffSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Online Permitting ServicesSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Floodplain Management (FEMA)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- Building and PermittingSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- City of Key Colony Beach Seawall Owner's ManualSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Code of Ordinances Ch. 6 Buildings, Art. II, Sec. 6-45 Seawall conditions; compliance requirements; enforcementSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Waterway Safety and Marine Structure Inspections (letter to residents)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- Code of Ordinances Ch. 5, Art. III Marine Construction and Improvements, Docking of BoatsSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Notice To Proceed Instructional Handout (Internet Archive copy)Source reviewed 2026-11-05
- PermitsSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Nearshore Construction PermitsSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Resource Assessment Survey Protocols for Nearshore Construction ProjectsSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Regional General Permit SAJ-82Source reviewed 2026-10-28
Request report pricing
Record what needs checking and when. Confirm the assessment, price and date directly with the professional you choose.