If you’re planning a dredging project in Florida, the rules have changed again. As of 2025, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is back in the driver’s seat for federal dredge-and-fill permits, and Florida DEP continues to run the state programs that often pair with them. Get these pieces right, and your schedule holds. Miss one, and you can lose a season. Let’s explore the 2025 update of permit requirements for marine dredging in Florida.
In this guide, we disentangle dredging investments in terms of project type, cost drivers, permitting fees, funding strategies, and often lurking challenges to anticipate.
What Has Changed Since Last Year
In February 2024, a federal court vacated EPA’s approval of Florida’s assumption of Clean Water Act Section 404. That sent 404 permitting back to USACE, Jacksonville District, for most waters in the state. USACE confirmed it is accepting and processing 404 applications again. Practically, that means your federal permit goes through USACE, not DEP.
There’s another tweak that matters for documentation: USACE’s new NEPA implementing procedures for Regulatory became effective July 3, 2025, replacing the old Appendix B. Expect updated environmental review formatting and references in your submittals after that date.
The Core Permits You’ll Likely Need
Most Florida dredging projects touch both federal and state programs. Here are the essentials you should plan around and how they fit together on a typical Coastal Dredging job.
1. Federal: Clean Water Act Section 404 (USACE)
Any discharge of dredged or fill material to waters of the United States requires a 404 authorization. In Florida, apply through USACE’s Regulatory Request System (RRS) and work with the Jacksonville District. RRS standardizes submittals, supports individual and general permits, and has become the default intake portal.
Section 404 interacts with other federal reviews. USACE coordinates Endangered Species Act and Essential Fish Habitat consultations, and will fold those outcomes into your permit conditions. For nearshore or estuarine work, expect “Standard Manatee Conditions for In-Water Work,” vessel speed control, trained observers, and work shutdown triggers when manatees are close. Build those constraints into your schedule.
2. State: Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) (Florida DEP or Water Management Districts)
Florida’s ERP program regulates dredging and filling in all wetlands and other surface waters, plus stormwater quantity and quality from upland construction tied to the work. ERP is separate from federal 404 and still required unless an exemption applies. For e-permitting and forms, use the DEP Business Portal or the relevant Water Management District portal.
3. State: Joint Coastal Permit (JCP) for beach, inlet, and port work
If your activity extends seaward of the mean high-water line and materially affects the coastal system (navigation inlets, beach nourishment, and port dredging), a Joint Coastal Permit is required. The Beaches, Inlets, and Ports Program processes these, often alongside ERPs for deepwater port and inlet navigation projects. Expect one joint application package that also addresses authorization to use state sovereign submerged lands when needed.
4. State: Sovereign Submerged Lands (SSL) authorization
Working on lands waterward of the mean high-water line often triggers a proprietary approval from the state, separate from the ERP’s regulatory approval. Depending on your use, that may be a lease, easement, letter of consent, or consent-by-rule under Chapter 18-21, F.A.C. DEP ties these SSL decisions to your ERP review so you get both authorizations in sync. Fees and riparian setbacks can apply, so confirm ownership and survey lines early.
5. Federal–State: Section 401 Water Quality Certification (WQC)
USACE cannot issue a 404 permit unless Florida certifies the project will meet state water quality standards. DEP implements the 2023 Water Quality Certification Improvement Rule procedures, which are now in effect. In practice, your ERP submittal is the vehicle for 401 in Florida, and DEP issues the certification or conditions it.
6. PDES Dewatering Coverage
If you’ll dewater and discharge to state surface waters, Florida’s Generic Permit for Discharge of Ground Water from Dewatering Operations under Rule 62-621.300(2), F.A.C. usually applies. File a Notice of Intent at least 14 days before discharge, follow effluent and monitoring limits, then file a Notice of Termination when you’re done. If your site has contamination or you plan to reuse/infiltration instead of surface discharge, talk to DEP early because the pathway can change.
7. Ocean disposal under the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA)
If dredged material will be transported for ocean disposal, USACE issues a Section 103 MPRSA authorization, with EPA Region 4 concurrence and site-specific requirements from each Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site (ODMDS) management plan. Florida projects regularly rely on ODMDSs in Jacksonville, Port Everglades, Miami, Fernandina Beach, and others. In 2025, USACE and EPA continue to update Site Management and Monitoring Plans; your permit conditions will integrate those requirements.
Key Technical Conditions You Should Plan Around
Before starting any dredging project, it’s crucial to understand the technical conditions regulators impose to protect Florida’s waterways and coastal habitats. They include:
Turbidity And Water Quality
ERP and JCP authorizations include turbidity monitoring and control. Florida’s surface water quality standards under Chapter 62-302, F.A.C., drive the limits and monitoring frequency, and DEP has issued guidance for coral-protection waters where tighter permit limits may apply. Confirm monitoring stations, background sampling, compliance points, and corrective actions in your contractor QC plan.
Protected Species
Expect manatee conditions statewide and sea turtle measures in coastal waters. Conditions typically include daylight-only work, slow speeds, dedicated observers, safe zone buffers, and shutdown triggers. These are not optional; violations can halt work and carry penalties.
Coastal System Performance
For JCP projects at inlets and beaches, the state will scrutinize sediment budgets, bypassing plans, nearshore hardbottom, and downdrift impacts. The BIPP program keeps long-term records and maps of permitted nourishment areas; use those data to align your design and monitoring.
Disposal Site Rules
For ocean placement, ODMDS permits set pre- and post-disposal bathymetry, disposal tracking, load-by-load positioning, and reporting. EPA Region 4 and USACE oversight is active, and 103 concurrences can limit what sediments are eligible without additional testing. Build lab schedules and barge electronics into your procurement.
Need an experienced partner for permitting and execution? Coastal Dredging coordinates federal and state reviews daily across Florida’s ports, inlets, marinas, and waterways. Share your footprint and timeline, and we’ll map the fastest compliant path from application to demobilization.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need both state and federal permits for dredging in Florida?
Yes, most dredging projects require permits from both the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
How long does it take to get a dredging permit in Florida?
Timelines vary, but most permits take several months due to environmental reviews and public comment periods.
Can dredging permits in Florida be denied?
Yes, permits may be denied if a project risks harming protected habitats, water quality, or endangered species.
