Homes with boat docks on Merritt Island.
The dock is part of the house. Here's what the state allows and what to look at before you buy one.
What the state allows
Florida exempts many residential docks from a state permit if they stay within size limits: up to 1,000 square feet in a canal, or 500 square feet in waters designated Outstanding Florida Waters. A general permit covers docks up to 2,000 square feet and two boats.
The online self-certification the state offers doesn't apply inside an Aquatic Preserve, and much of the island's east-side water, including the Banana River south of SR 528, Newfound Harbor and Sykes Creek, is inside the Banana River Aquatic Preserve. A lift roof can overhang the lift by no more than one foot, and boats need one foot of water over seagrass at low tide.
Manatee zones
The Barge Canal and Sykes Creek are slow speed all year under state and federal rules. Part of the Banana River just south of the NASA Parkway is closed to motorboats from April 1 to November 14.
If you plan to run the boat every weekend, look at the route from the dock to open water, not just the dock.
What we look at on a dock home
The seawall first: cracks, leaning panels, soil sinking behind the cap. Then the dock boards and pilings, the lift motor and cables, and whether the dock and lift were permitted. We found no Brevard-specific seawall inspection standard, so hire a marine contractor to look at it.
Ask the seller for the lift's age and any permits. A missing permit on a dock is easier to deal with before closing than after.
Questions we get.
Do I need a permit to build a dock on Merritt Island?
Many small residential docks are exempt from a state permit (up to 1,000 sq ft in a canal, 500 sq ft in Outstanding Florida Waters), but the online self-certification does not apply inside an Aquatic Preserve, and Brevard County has its own rules. Check before you build.
Want a list of dock homes that fit your boat?
Call or text Dana & Randy with the boat length and height.