Seawall & dock help·Gulf Shores
Gulf Shores Seawall & Dock
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Plan your project(251) 850-8500
Offices and records

Who to call about your wall

One page of public offices, license boards and record search tools for Gulf Shores and south Baldwin shoreline work.

Tools & planning

GUIDE 01

Check warning signs

Answer a few questions about what you have seen and learn what to do about it.

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GUIDE 02

Budget calculator

Enter your wall details and any prices you have to sketch a budget.

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GUIDE 03

Project planner

Say what the wall needs and get help with what to do next.

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GUIDE 04

Verify a contractor

Look up licenses and insurance and see what a price really covers.

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GUIDE 05

Neighbor projects

Ask neighbors whether a shared seawall job makes sense.

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GUIDE 06

Height guidance

Read the sources we checked and compare them with your surveyed cap elevation.

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GUIDE 07

Maintenance planning

Talk about routine checks, record keeping and when a provider is free.

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Where to begin

Who we help.

Pick the guide that matches how you are involved with the shoreline.

See every owner and professional guide

Buying a waterfront home

Learn what to ask about the wall before you sign.

Selling a waterfront home

Pull together the wall’s papers so buyers get straight answers.

Real-estate agents

Hand your client a clear seawall picture during a sale.

Home inspectors

Share what you saw and be clear about what your visit covered.

HOAs

Keep shoreline files in one place and bring the board clear choices.

Condo associations

Line up records, access and an expert’s review.

Property managers

Track what each waterfront property needs next.

Marinas & waterfront businesses

Work around slips, utilities, access and daily operations.

Local permit offices

Call the office that covers your parcel first. A bulkhead in the city needs Corps and State Lands approval before the city issues its permit.

Not sure which office applies? Baldwin County shows city limits and permit jurisdiction on its parcel viewer. Baldwin County parcel viewer

Local permit offices
OfficeWhat it handlesPhone
City of Gulf Shores Building Department
Permits inside city limits
(251) 968-1150
Baldwin County Building Department
Unincorporated areas, Magnolia Springs
(251) 972-6837
Baldwin County Planning and Zoning
County land disturbance and zoning
(251) 580-1655
City of Foley Building Department
Riparian structure permits in Foley
(251) 952-4011
Town of Magnolia Springs
Land use certificate before county permit
(251) 965-9888

Sources: Gulf Shores Building Department Baldwin County Building Baldwin County Planning Foley Building Magnolia Springs Town Hall Gulf Shores permit handbook

State and federal agencies

Most bulkhead and dock jobs touch three agencies: the local building office, State Lands and the Corps. ADEM reviews coastal consistency.

State and federal agencies
AgencyWhat it handlesPhone
ADEM Coastal Program
Coastal permits, Gulf-front rules
(251) 304-1176
ADCNR State Lands, Spanish Fort
Submerged land use and consent
(251) 621-1216
Corps of Engineers Mobile District
Federal permits for work in water
(251) 690-2658

Sources: ADEM Coastal Program ADCNR State Lands Corps Mobile District

See the permits page for the order of approvals.

License lookups

Check any contractor's license before you sign. Baldwin County also expects an active state business license for contractors in its jurisdiction. Baldwin County contractor rules

License lookups
BoardWho it licensesPhone
Home Builders Licensure Board
Residential home builders
(800) 304-0853
General Contractors Board
Larger general contracting jobs
(334) 272-5030

Sources: Home Builders Licensure Board General Contractors Board

The contractor check guide walks through each step.

Records and maps

Parcel, deed and permit records answer most ownership and history questions.

Records and maps
ResourceWhat you find
Baldwin County Revenue Commissioner
Parcels, owners, appraisals
Baldwin County Probate Office
Deeds and recorded plats
Baldwin County permit portal
Permits, elevation certificates
City of Gulf Shores
Elevation certificates since 1998

Sources: Baldwin County Revenue Commissioner Baldwin County Probate Office Baldwin County permit history Gulf Shores elevation certificates

Wildlife and habitat

Gulf-front lots may touch beach mouse habitat or sea turtle nesting, and the Weeks Bay reserve has its own limits. USFWS Alabama office

Wildlife and habitat contacts
OfficeWhy callPhone
USFWS Alabama field office, Daphne
Beach mouse and turtle questions
(251) 441-5181
ADCNR Marine Resources, Gulf Shores
Fisheries and shellfish beds
(251) 968-7576

Sources: USFWS Daphne office ADCNR Marine Resources

Flood and insurance

A national flood policy does not insure seawalls or bulkheads. NFIP policy form

Flood and insurance contacts
OfficeWhy callPhone
Gulf Shores Building Department
Flood zone and floodplain questions
(251) 968-1150
Baldwin County Coastal Area Program
Reading FEMA flood maps
(251) 972-6837
Alabama Department of Insurance
Consumer insurance questions
(334) 241-4141

Sources: Gulf Shores floodplain page Baldwin County flood contact Alabama Department of Insurance

Show sourcesHide sources
  1. Permitting FAQs | Baldwin County Building DepartmentSource reviewed 2026-10-31
  2. Building Permits | Gulf Shores, ALSource reviewed 2026-11-01
  3. Contact Us | Baldwin County Building DepartmentSource reviewed 2026-10-31
  4. Contact Us | Baldwin County Planning & ZoningSource reviewed 2026-10-31
  5. Building Department | City of FoleySource reviewed 2026-10-31
  6. Home Page | Magnolia Springs ALSource reviewed 2026-10-31
  7. City of Gulf Shores Building Department, Building Permitting Procedures Handbook (2025)Source reviewed 2026-11-01
  8. Alabama Coastal Area Management Program (ADEM Coastal Program page)Source reviewed 2026-10-31
  9. Contact Us (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources)Source reviewed 2026-10-31
  10. South Atlantic Division > Missions > Regulatory > AlabamaSource reviewed 2026-10-31
  11. Contact Us (Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board)Source reviewed 2026-10-31
  12. Contact (Alabama State Licensing Board for General Contractors)Source reviewed 2026-10-31
  13. Search For Property - AssuranceWeb Property (Baldwin County Revenue Commissioner)Source reviewed 2026-10-31
  14. Recording | Baldwin County Probate OfficeSource reviewed 2026-10-31
  15. Search Permits, Reports, Certificates of Occupancy, & Elevation Certificates | Baldwin County Building DepartmentSource reviewed 2026-10-31
  16. FAQs - Building Department | Gulf Shores, ALSource reviewed 2026-11-01
  17. Building Permits and the Alabama Beach MouseSource reviewed 2026-10-31
  18. Contact Us, Alabama Ecological Services Field OfficeSource reviewed 2026-10-31
  19. Marine Resources Division (ADCNR)Source reviewed 2026-10-31
  20. 44 CFR Part 61, Appendix A(1), Standard Flood Insurance Policy, Dwelling FormSource reviewed 2026-10-31
  21. Floodplain ManagementSource reviewed 2026-11-01
  22. Floodplain Management / Flood Zone Info | Baldwin County Building DepartmentSource reviewed 2026-11-01
  23. Contact Us (Alabama Department of Insurance)Source reviewed 2026-10-31

Get help with your seawall.

Tell us where your property is and what your seawall or dock needs.

Built on Gulf Shores and Baldwin County permit rules, Alabama coastal law, public bids and storm records.

Plan your project(251) 850-8500
Plan your project(251) 850-8500