At a glance
- Who
- Owners of beachfront or near-beach lots on Florida's sandy coasts
- What
- Construction or excavation seaward of the line needs a Florida DEP permit unless exempt
- When
- Before you design any addition or major change near the beach or dune
- Where
- Florida DEP, Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection
- Why
- Skipping a required state permit can stop a project that already has local approval
What the line is
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) says the Coastal Construction Control Line marks the part of the beach and dune system subject to severe changes from a 100-year storm. It sets the landward limit of DEP's CCCL Program along sandy beaches on the Gulf, the Atlantic and the Straits of Florida. The program is run by DEP's Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection. Details are on the DEP CCCL page.
DEP also says the line "is not a seaward limit for construction of upland structures." It marks where state permit review starts, not where building stops.
When a permit is required
DEP's application page says: "Unless otherwise exempt, a permit is required from DEP" for construction and excavation seaward of the line. Florida Statute 161.053 says lines are set by county, and once a line's rule is filed, no one may build a structure seaward of it, excavate, or alter ground elevations, except as the statute allows. A county or city may use its own coastal construction code in place of the statute only if DEP approves it.
Building near the beach?
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Prefer to talk now? Call or text (941) 284-2218.
What may be exempt
Florida Administrative Code Rule 62B-33.004 covers exemptions. Our plain reading of the parts we read:
- Structures already under construction before a line was set in that county are generally exempt.
- Maintenance or repair of listed items is exempt if the item sits at least 30 feet landward of the frontal dune, escarpment or armoring, and the work does not expand or enlarge the existing structure.
- Major structures, and additions built above existing patio slabs, decks or similar unenclosed areas, are treated as new structures.
So swapping a damaged item in the same footprint is not the same as enclosing a patio. Because the rule has more conditions than we list here, confirm any plan with DEP.
How to check your lot
Our reading of the sources: the practical question is whether your parcel sits seaward of an established line. A local building permit does not show that. DEP's application page lists 850-245-2118 as a contact phone, and the state also offers a parcel map tool. Confirm with DEP before assuming no state review applies.
We could not confirm whether a line has been set along the beaches of Anna Maria, Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach or Longboat Key, or which county sets it. Ask DEP, with your address in hand.
How it fits with flood rules
The CCCL is separate from the flood-zone rules. A beach-side home may face both. For the flood side, read our guide to the FEMA 50 percent rule, and for local offices see Anna Maria Island permits and Longboat Key permits.
Planning around it
- Ask DEP about your parcel first, before you pay for drawings.
- Keep any work within the existing footprint when you can, and say so in your scope.
- Keep copies of every approval. Lenders, insurers and buyers may ask for them later.
Rules change, so ask DEP for the current text of the rule chapter, not only the page we read.
How Hildebrand handles this kind of work
Hildebrand Construction & Remodeling is a Florida Certified Building Contractor (license CBC1257253) in Palmetto. When a coastal lot raises the question, we tell you what to ask the state before we price the job, and we pull every required local permit and meet Florida Building Code inspections. See our home additions and outdoor living areas work, and our process.
The visit and written estimate are free, and every job is quoted after an on-site visit.
Questions homeowners ask
What does CCCL stand for?
Coastal Construction Control Line. Florida DEP uses it to mark the part of the beach and dune system affected by a 100-year storm.
Is the CCCL the limit of where I can build?
No. DEP says the line is not a seaward limit for construction of upland structures. It sets where state permit review applies.
Does my county building permit cover the CCCL?
No. Our reading is that a local building permit does not show whether your parcel is seaward of the line. Confirm with DEP.
Can I repair a structure near the dune without a DEP permit?
Some maintenance and repair is exempt if it sits at least 30 feet landward of the frontal dune, escarpment or armoring and does not expand the structure. Confirm with DEP.
Is a patio addition a new structure?
Under Rule 62B-33.004, additions above existing patio slabs, decks or similar unenclosed areas are considered new structures.
Ask us before you build near the Gulf
Free in-home consultation and written estimate from a Florida licensed general contractor serving Manatee County and Sarasota County.