Gulf-front seawalls and armoring.
The state draws the line first.

Where the Coastal Construction Line runs

The state rules call this line the CCL. It is a permit line, not a setback. Between mean high tide (the average high-water line) and the line, ADEM bars removing dune sand or vegetation, building any new structure or substantially improving an existing one. ADEM rule 335-8-2-.08(1)

In Baldwin County the line is fixed by state plane coordinates near numbered monuments. Official submissions need a registered surveyor's coordinates. ADEM rule 335-8-1-.02(p) A permit is needed for any new structure or major improvement on a parcel the line crosses. ADEM rule 335-8-2-.08(3)

Local rules go further

Orange Beach bars any new structure between the line and a point 1,500 feet seaward of the Gulf shoreline. Permitted dune walkovers, sand fencing and certain piers are the exceptions. Orange Beach Code 30-189 Gulf Shores forbids any structure, including a bulkhead or wall, in the Gulfside Yard between mean high tide and the line, except sand fencing and dune walkovers. Gulf Shores Zoning 6-3D Terms such as mean high tide are defined in the seawall glossary.

Who permits Gulf-front work

ADEM delegates the permitting and enforcement of its beach and dune rule to Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, Dauphin Island and the Baldwin County Commission. Start at the local building office, not in Mobile. ADEM Coastal Program

Orange Beach Coastal Resources is at 4697 Walker Avenue, (251) 981-1063. Gulf Shores asks for a stamped survey showing the line. The Baldwin County program is at (251) 972-6837, and its 30-day notice is public.

Neighborhood pages: Gulf-front Orange Beach, West Beach in Gulf Shores and Fort Morgan. Piers on parcels that front the Gulf cannot use the Corps general permit for piers and need individual review. ADEM conditions, 2026 general permits

What test must a Gulf-front wall pass?

All three local programs repeat ADEM's rule. Orange Beach adds more. It allows a wall on Gulf beaches or dunes only if all of these are true. Orange Beach Code 30-189(7)

• The wall is landward of the line and mean high tide.
• It is needed to protect an existing habitable structure or a use of regional benefit.
• No non-structural option exists, such as dune restoration, nourishment or retreat.
• Public beach access is not blocked.
• Neighbors, near or far, are not harmed.

The application needs a surveyor's topographic survey with one-foot contours, a professional engineer's letter, an alternatives analysis and an impact analysis for adjacent properties. Orange Beach Code 30-189(7) Gulf Shores applies the same test in its code. Gulf Shores Code 7-122

Orange Beach's zoning also lists design criteria. Walls must sit as close as practical to the building and run the full lot width, with return walls into the upland. They must include drainage with a filter and weepholes, and use a tied-back anchor system. Orange Beach Zoning 10.0305(k)

What is the wave run-up elevation rule?

Orange Beach is the only Baldwin jurisdiction researched with a top-of-wall rule, and it is a performance standard, not a number. The zoning text says the elevation of a protective shoreline structure "shall correspond to the projected wave run-up." The run-up is based on water depth, tide, sea bottom slope, wind and current analysis, and the structure's design. Orange Beach Zoning 10.0305(k)(4)

It gives no feet and no datum. The engineer's analysis sets the height, and the city, ADEM and the Corps review it. The surveyor should state the datum on every drawing. Orange Beach asks for NAVD 88 on site plans, but its 2005 coastal ordinance still names NGVD for Gulf-front surveys. Orange Beach submittals

The flood elevation rules differ. Orange Beach requires the bottom of the lowest horizontal member in V and Coastal A zones to be no lower than three feet above base flood elevation. Orange Beach Code 42-190 Baldwin County requires one foot above. Baldwin County Floodplain Ordinance See seawall height requirements.

What do Gulf-front permits cost?

ADEM's beach and dune fees changed on October 15, 2026. Older forms still print old numbers. ADEM Form 328 shows $700 for a seawall and $450 for a home. ADEM Form 328 Use the current figures.

ADEM charges the highest applicable fee. ADEM rule 335-1-6 Local delegated programs set their own fees on top. Variances require a takings argument. ADEM rule 335-8-1-.13

What are the rules for dune walkovers?

A dune walkover is a raised walkway no more than six feet wide, with no roof or walls, at least one foot above the dune. ADEM rule 335-8-1-.02(z) Baldwin County allows one walkover per parcel, starting within 36 inches of finished grade and not attached to the house. Rails stay under 38 inches above the walkway, lights are not allowed, and building stops during sea turtle nesting season. Baldwin County walkover rules

Orange Beach also bars lights on walkovers and beach access points. Orange Beach lighting ordinance The permit fee is $50 in Orange Beach and $50 for a residential walkover in Gulf Shores. Orange Beach fee schedule Gulf Shores Code 7-4

How do beach mice and sea turtles limit work?

The Alabama beach mouse has federal critical habitat in five Baldwin County units: Fort Morgan, Little Point Clear, Gulf Highlands, Pine Beach and Gulf State Park. 50 CFR 17.95(a) The Fish and Wildlife Service says projects in known beach mouse areas must meet its requirements before a building permit is issued. If habitat is present it recommends an Incidental Take Permit, with a $100 processing fee. USFWS Alabama beach mouse page

Repairs inside the original footprint of an existing home usually do not need that permit. Adding a pool, enlarging the footprint or changing parking calls for a call to the Daphne office, (251) 441-5181. USFWS Alabama beach mouse page USFWS Daphne office

• Sea turtle season. Gulf-front and first-tier lots may affect nesting from May through October. USFWS Alabama field office
• Construction lighting. In Orange Beach, temporary construction lighting in nesting season is limited to 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and must sit under eight feet. Orange Beach lighting ordinance
• Slow reviews. When listed species may be affected, the Corps cannot let work start on the 45-day default. NWP General Condition 32

What applies to condos and multi-unit buildings?

A hotel, condominium or multi-unit project on a line parcel must also submit an Environmental Impact and Natural Hazards Study. The study includes a wave height study, velocity zone delineation and storm damage analysis. ADEM rule 335-8-2-.08(3)(d) The Gulf Shores newspaper notice for commercial and multifamily projects is $14,000. Gulf Shores fees See condo seawall repair and HOA seawall repair.

Can I repair an existing wall near the line?

ADEM requires a permit or other authorization before any new structure or major improvement on a parcel crossed by or seaward of the line. That covers homes, gazebos, dune walkovers and hardened erosion control structures. ADEM Coastal Program A repair or rebuild costing 50 percent or more of a structure's value counts as a substantial improvement. ADEM rule 335-8-1-.02

A wall that already exists is a different question from a new one. Ask the local office whether your wall was permitted, whether repairs stay under the 50 percent line and whether any variance is needed. Keep the original permit number. Gulf Shores also sets lighting limits in its Marine Turtle Conservation Zone, with a nesting season that runs May 1 through November 30. Gulf Shores Zoning 6-12G

What can I do instead of a wall?

ADEM wants these considered first. ADEM rule 335-8-2-.06(1)(d)

• Dune restoration and sand fencing.
• Beach nourishment, where available.
• Raising or relocating the building.
• Retreat from the shoreline.

Strengthening the structure behind the line is a separate question from a wall in front of it. Ask an engineer. See living shorelines for soft options on the bay side, and repair or replace for walls that already exist.

What should I do before pricing a wall?

1. Confirm whether your lot is crossed by or seaward of the line, using a surveyor's coordinates.
2. Ask an engineer whether an existing or permitted building needs protection and whether retreat or dune work would do.
3. Call the local office: Orange Beach Coastal Resources, Gulf Shores Building or the county Coastal Area Program.
4. Check beach mouse and sea turtle limits with the Fish and Wildlife Service.
5. Schedule around nesting season.

When you are ready, describe the shoreline and we will help you plan the next step in the project planner.

Gulf-front area guides

Three area guides cover Gulf-front lots, each with its own permit office and local rule.

• Gulf-front Orange Beach: Gulf-front walls only landward of the Coastal Construction Line, to protect an existing structure.
• Little Lagoon & West Beach, Gulf Shores: The city wants Corps and State Lands approval before it issues a bulkhead building permit.
• Fort Morgan Peninsula: A Coastal Construction Line permit needs a 30-day public notice and about six to eight weeks.

Each area guide cites the record behind its summary.

Gulf-front seawall questions

Can I build a new seawall on the Gulf in Orange Beach?

Almost never. A wall is allowed only landward of the line, to protect an existing or permitted building, and only if retreat and dune work will not work. Orange Beach Code 30-189(7)

How much does the ADEM fee cost for Gulf-front armoring?

ADEM charges $2,545 for a hardened erosion control structure or riprap. ADEM Fee Schedule B Orange Beach adds $700 for a wall. Orange Beach Code 30-190

Who permits dune work in Fort Morgan?

The Baldwin County Coastal Area Program, using ADEM rules and county beach and dune regulations. Baldwin County Coastal Area Program

How tall can a Gulf-front wall be?

Orange Beach ties the height to projected wave run-up and gives no number. Orange Beach Zoning 10.0305(k)(4)

When can I build a dune walkover?

Not during sea turtle nesting season in Baldwin County, May 1 through November 1, and it needs a Fish and Wildlife permit. Baldwin County walkover rules

Do beach mice affect my repairs?

Repairs inside the original footprint of an existing home usually do not need an Incidental Take Permit. USFWS Alabama beach mouse page

Which fee form is current?

ADEM Form 328 still prints $700 for a seawall, but the schedule effective October 15, 2026 lists $2,545. ADEM Form 328 ADEM Fee Schedule B