Dania Beach Seawall Height Requirement and Raise Deadlines

Dania Beach Land Development Code Section 240-30 sets a minimum of 5 feet NAVD88 for tidal flood barriers. Applications for new or substantially repaired barriers submitted before January 1, 2035 may be permitted at 4 feet NAVD88 if designed to accommodate 5 feet by January 1, 2050. The section was added by Ordinance 2021-027 on October 26, 2021 (LDC Sec. 240-30).

Updated October 26, 2026 · Sources linked throughout and listed below · General information, not legal or engineering advice

Two places in the code

Section 240-30 sits in the Land Development Code's article on docks and mooring structures, and it points to Chapter 12, Article XVII, which regulates seawalls (LDC Sec. 240-30). The height number and the 2035 and 2050 dates come straight from Section 240-30. We have not reviewed the full text of Article XVII, so this page does not claim city-specific details from it.

The deadlines that are verified

  • January 1, 2035. The last day an application for a new or substantially repaired barrier can qualify for the 4 foot NAVD88 allowance.
  • January 1, 2050. The date a 4 foot barrier must be able to reach 5 feet.

Neither date forces an existing, working wall to be raised on its own. They apply when you build or substantially repair.

What about a citation deadline?

Dania Beach adopted the county-mandated standard, and the county's model, Broward County Code Section 39-407, makes a wall that lets tidal water onto a neighbor or the right-of-way citable, with 60 days to show progress and 365 days to finish (Broward County Code, Ch. 39, Art. XXV). The regional notice the city published also says the rule treats tidal flooding as a public nuisance (City of Dania Beach). Because we have not verified the exact enforcement wording in Article XVII, treat the county timeline as the benchmark and ask the city's Building Division how it applies to your notice.

How low is your land?

The regional notice Dania Beach published says land elevations along tidal waterways run from about 6 to 8 feet NAVD88 in northern Broward to about 1 to 4 feet NAVD88 in the southern part of the county, where Dania Beach sits. It gives the math for how much barrier you will see: subtract your land elevation from 5 feet NAVD88. Land at 4 feet means about 1 foot of visible barrier, and a shoreline already at 5 feet or higher needs no additional barrier under the policy (City of Dania Beach).

The same notice suggests asking your city's floodplain manager for an elevation certificate as a first step, and it puts the typical lifespan of a seawall at 30 to 50 years depending on materials.

Why your neighbors matter on Dania's canals

The city's notice makes a point owners on shared canals feel directly: individual seawall investments do not deliver the expected protection when nearby walls still let water through. That is why tying into adjacent walls, and talking to neighbors before a rebuild, is worth the effort.

Planning work? See Dania Beach seawall permits.

Planning seawall work in Dania Beach?

Call (754) 484-1777 or request a free quote at ftlseawallrepair.com. We connect Dania Beach waterfront owners with licensed, insured local seawall contractors who handle the engineering, permits and inspections. We do not perform the work ourselves.

Call (754) 484-1777

Dania Beach seawall questions

What seawall height does Dania Beach require?

LDC Section 240-30 requires tidal flood barriers to have a minimum elevation of 5 feet NAVD88, with 4 feet allowed for applications submitted before January 1, 2035 if the barrier is designed to reach 5 feet by January 1, 2050.

Is there a deadline to raise my seawall in Dania Beach?

Not a single citywide date. The 2035 and 2050 dates apply when you build or substantially repair. If a wall lets tidal water onto a neighbor or the street, the county model allows a citation with 60 days to show progress and 365 days to finish; ask the city how it applies its own Article XVII.

How do I find my land elevation in Dania Beach?

The regional notice published by the city suggests asking your city's floodplain manager for an elevation certificate. A survey in feet NAVD88 gives the exact number for your wall.