Fla. Stat. 253.0347
Lease of sovereignty submerged lands for private residential docks and piers
(1)
The maximum initial term of a standard lease of sovereignty submerged lands for a private residential single-family dock or pier, private residential multifamily dock or pier, or private residential multislip dock is 10 years. A lease is renewable for successive terms of up to 10 years if the parties agree and the lessee complies with all terms of the lease and all applicable laws and rules.(2)(a)
A standard lease contract for sovereignty submerged lands for a private residential single-family dock or pier, private residential multifamily dock or pier, or private residential multislip dock must specify the amount of lease fees as established by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.If private residential multifamily docks or piers, private residential multislip docks, and other private residential structures pertaining to the same upland parcel include a total of no more than one wet slip for each approved upland residential unit, the lessee is not required to pay a lease fee on a preempted area of 10 square feet or less of sovereignty submerged lands for each linear foot of shoreline in which the lessee has a sufficient upland interest as determined by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.A lessee of sovereignty submerged lands for a private residential single-family dock or pier, private residential multifamily dock or pier, or private residential multislip dock is not required to pay a lease fee on revenue derived from the transfer of fee simple or beneficial ownership of private residential property that is entitled to a homestead exemption pursuant to s. 196.031 at the time of transfer.A lessee of sovereignty submerged lands for a private residential single-family dock or pier, private residential multifamily dock or pier, or private residential multislip dock must pay a lease fee on any income derived from a wet slip, dock, or pier in the preempted area under lease in an amount determined by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.A lessee of sovereignty submerged lands for a private residential single-family dock designed to moor up to four boats is not required to pay lease fees for a preempted area equal to or less than 10 times the riparian shoreline along sovereignty submerged land on the affected water body or the square footage authorized for a private residential single-family dock under rules adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund for the management of sovereignty submerged lands, whichever is greater.A lessee of sovereignty submerged lands for a private residential multifamily dock designed to moor boats up to the number of units within the multifamily development is not required to pay lease fees for a preempted area equal to or less than 10 times the riparian shoreline along sovereignty submerged land on the affected water body times the number of units with docks in the private multifamily development. Private residential multifamily docks grandfathered-in to use sovereignty submerged lands by January 1, 1998, pursuant to former rule 18-21.00405, Florida Administrative Code, as it existed in rule on March 15, 1990, may moor a number of boats that exceeds the number of units within the private multifamily development as previously authorized under such rule.(2)(a)
A standard lease contract for sovereignty submerged lands for a private residential single-family dock or pier, private residential multifamily dock or pier, or private residential multislip dock must specify the amount of lease fees as established by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.(b)
If private residential multifamily docks or piers, private residential multislip docks, and other private residential structures pertaining to the same upland parcel include a total of no more than one wet slip for each approved upland residential unit, the lessee is not required to pay a lease fee on a preempted area of 10 square feet or less of sovereignty submerged lands for each linear foot of shoreline in which the lessee has a sufficient upland interest as determined by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.(c)
A lessee of sovereignty submerged lands for a private residential single-family dock or pier, private residential multifamily dock or pier, or private residential multislip dock is not required to pay a lease fee on revenue derived from the transfer of fee simple or beneficial ownership of private residential property that is entitled to a homestead exemption pursuant to s. 196.031 at the time of transfer.(d)
A lessee of sovereignty submerged lands for a private residential single-family dock or pier, private residential multifamily dock or pier, or private residential multislip dock must pay a lease fee on any income derived from a wet slip, dock, or pier in the preempted area under lease in an amount determined by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.(e)
A lessee of sovereignty submerged lands for a private residential single-family dock designed to moor up to four boats is not required to pay lease fees for a preempted area equal to or less than 10 times the riparian shoreline along sovereignty submerged land on the affected water body or the square footage authorized for a private residential single-family dock under rules adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund for the management of sovereignty submerged lands, whichever is greater.(f)
A lessee of sovereignty submerged lands for a private residential multifamily dock designed to moor boats up to the number of units within the multifamily development is not required to pay lease fees for a preempted area equal to or less than 10 times the riparian shoreline along sovereignty submerged land on the affected water body times the number of units with docks in the private multifamily development. Private residential multifamily docks grandfathered-in to use sovereignty submerged lands by January 1, 1998, pursuant to former rule 18-21.00405, Florida Administrative Code, as it existed in rule on March 15, 1990, may moor a number of boats that exceeds the number of units within the private multifamily development as previously authorized under such rule.(3)
The Department of Environmental Protection shall inspect each private residential single-family dock or pier, private residential multifamily dock or pier, private residential multislip dock, or other private residential structure under lease at least once every 10 years to determine compliance with the terms and conditions of the lease.(4)
This section does not prohibit the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund or the Department of Environmental Protection from imposing additional application fees, regulatory permitting fees, or other lease requirements as otherwise authorized by law.
Source:
Section 253.0347 — Lease of sovereignty submerged lands for private residential docks and piers, https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/0253.0347 (accessed Aug. 7, 2025).