Bulkhead help around Mobile Bay depends on your shore. Each guide names the permit office, the water and the local rules for a bulkhead, seawall or pier.
Sixteen guides: five on the Mobile County bay shore and upper river, four along Dauphin Island and the Mississippi Sound coast, and seven on the Causeway and the Eastern Shore. Each one says who permits work there, how the water behaves and what to look at on your wall.
Select a label for local resources →Tap a community name on the map or in the list ↗
Open the guide for your area to see its map, where permitting starts and which records to collect for your lot.
16 local guides
Steps to take before you call a contractor
Frontage on the upper Mobile River is split among the City of Mobile, five smaller cities and the county.
Explore Chickasaw Creek, Bayou Sara & the upper riverWhat to gather before a Build Mobile visit
Mobile's bay front takes the open surge, with VE flood zones at 14 to 15 feet along the water and AE zones behind them.
Explore Mobile's bay front, Arlington & BrookleySorting out your Dog River parcel
Census maps put most of Dog River in the City of Mobile.
Explore Dog River, Halls Mill & Rabbit CreekBefore you replace a failing wall
This unincorporated Mobile County shore runs from Dog River past the Theodore Ship Channel to East Fowl River, and the county has no zoning here.
Explore Hollinger's Island, Belle Fontaine & Deer RiverBefore you replace a Fowl River wall
Fowl River splits at Bellingrath Gardens into East Fowl River, which runs to Mobile Bay, and West Fowl River, which runs to the Sound.
Explore Fowl River & Mon Louis IslandFour steps before you hire anyone on Bayou Coden
Coden, Heron Bay and Cedar Point sit in unincorporated Mobile County, which has no zoning but does require permits.
Explore Coden, Heron Bay & Cedar PointWhat to bring to City Hall
Bayou La Batre has its own zoning, flood ordinance and land disturbance permit, so City Hall comes before any contractor.
Explore Bayou La Batre & Portersville BaySteps for a Gulf-front owner on the west end
On the Gulf front of Dauphin Island, Town zoning bans seawalls, retaining walls and riprap between the East Bastion of Fort Gaines and the western tip.
Explore Dauphin Island west end & Gulf frontBefore you apply on the bay side
On Dauphin Island's bay side, from Aloe Bay to the east end, a bulkhead is allowed.
Explore Dauphin Island bay side & Aloe BayFour steps before you call a marine contractor
A Causeway bulkhead sits on dredged fill beside a state highway.
Explore The Causeway & Mobile-Tensaw DeltaSteps for a Spanish Fort bay or bluff lot
Spanish Fort permits shoreline work through its Building Department under Article IX of the zoning ordinance.
Explore Spanish Fort & D'Olive BaySteps for a Daphne bayfront or creek lot
Daphne sends bulkhead, pier and bluff questions to Environmental Programs.
Explore Daphne bayfront & Lake ForestFirst steps for a Fairhope or Montrose lot
Fairhope's zoning ordinance sets no pier or bulkhead standards, so confirm the rules with the city.
Explore Fairhope bayfront, Montrose & Ecor RougeA short checklist for Fly Creek owners
Fly Creek is a short, heavily walled tidal creek with a city marina, a yacht club and a channel that needs regular digging.
Explore Fly Creek & the south Fairhope shoreSteps for a Point Clear owner
Point Clear is unincorporated, so Baldwin County permits piers and bulkheads here, not Fairhope.
Explore Point Clear & Battles WharfSteps for Mullet Point and Barnwell owners
South of Point Clear, nearly every lot has a wall: 91 percent of the Bailey Creek reach was bulkhead in 2009.
Explore Mullet Point, Barnwell & Pelican PointWhich Mobile County office permits your lot, from Mobile to Dauphin Island.
Daphne, Spanish Fort, Fairhope and Baldwin County permits on the Eastern Shore.
Give us the property location and describe what the seawall, bulkhead or dock needs.
Each page draws on Mobile Bay permit offices, local ordinances, public bids, tide gauges and storm reports.
