Florida drawbridge rules come primarily from federal regulations in 33 CFR Part 117, which set the signals, opening schedules, and priority-passage rules for every drawbridge over navigable water in the state. Florida law layers on slow-speed zones within 300 feet of bridge fender systems and prohibits anchoring under bridges except in emergencies. Fixed bridges along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway generally provide around 65 feet of vertical clearance at Mean High Water, but you have to check the chart for the specific span and account for the tide when you’ll be there.
How to Signal a Drawbridge for an Opening
Federal rules give you three ways to request an opening: sound, visual signal, or VHF radio. Any method loud or visible enough to reach the tender is acceptable, but the tender’s reply is what tells you whether to proceed.1eCFR. 33 CFR 117.15 – Signals
Sound Signals
The standard request is one prolonged blast of four to six seconds followed within three seconds by one short blast of about one second. A whistle, horn, or megaphone all count, so long as the tender can hear it.
The tender answers with one of two patterns. One prolonged blast plus one short blast means the draw will open immediately and you’re clear to approach. Five short blasts in rapid succession means the draw cannot open right now, or it’s open and about to close, and you need to hold position. If you get no answer at all, keep repeating the signal until the tender acknowledges. You aren’t supposed to proceed without that acknowledgment.1eCFR. 33 CFR 117.15 – Signals
Visual Signals
When sound doesn’t work, raise and lower a white flag vertically, or raise and lower a white, amber, or green light. The tender acknowledges with a similar vertical motion when the draw can open. A red flag swung horizontally, or a fixed or flashing red light, means the draw cannot open yet.
VHF Radio
Most Florida bridge tenders monitor VHF, and the signage at each bridge identifies the working channel along with the bridge name and hours. Channels 09 and 13 are the most common. Call with your position, whether you’re inbound or outbound, and a request for the next available opening. Keep the transmission on low power so you don’t step on other bridges in the area.
Florida Drawbridge Opening Schedules Vary by Bridge
There is no single statewide schedule. Every drawbridge has its own federally regulated schedule published in 33 CFR Part 117 Subpart B, and the differences are large enough that assumptions from one bridge will strand you at the next. A few examples show the range:2eCFR. 33 CFR Part 117 Subpart B – Florida
- The Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine opens on demand at night. From 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. it opens only on the hour and half-hour, and it won’t open at all at 8 a.m., noon, or 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- The Flagler Memorial Bridge in West Palm Beach opens on the quarter-hour and three-quarter-hour, but during weekday rush hours (7:30–9 a.m. and 4–6 p.m.) opens only on the quarter-hour.
- The Indian Creek/63rd Street Bridge in Miami Beach opens on signal at night, on the hour and half-hour during the day, and is completely closed to vessel traffic from 7:10–9:55 a.m. and 4:05–6:59 p.m. on weekdays.
- The SE Third Avenue Bridge in Fort Lauderdale opens on signal except during weekday closures from 7:30–9 a.m. and 4:30–6 p.m.
Closure windows, restricted intervals, and weekend rules differ from one bridge to the next. Look up the specific bridge in 33 CFR Part 117 Subpart B or read the signage at the bridge itself.
Priority Vessels and When You Can’t Ask for an Opening
Even during a restricted or closed period, three categories of vessel must be passed through at any time: public vessels of the United States, tugs with tows, and vessels in distress.2eCFR. 33 CFR Part 117 Subpart B – Florida If you qualify, signal with five short blasts in rapid succession to request priority passage. That’s the same pattern as a denial, but the tender knows the difference from context.
There’s a rule that catches recreational boaters going the other direction. If your vessel can pass under the closed draw with at least one foot of clearance, you cannot signal for an opening. Federal law forbids requesting an opening you don’t need, and you can’t ask for one just because of an antenna or other non-essential fitting that could be lowered.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 33 USC 499 – Regulations for Drawbridges
Fixed Bridge Clearances and Your Air Draft
Fixed bridges don’t open. Vertical clearance on nautical charts is measured to Mean High Water, which is an average high tide, not the moment you’re passing through.4Office of Coast Survey. NOAA Updates Bridge Clearances Crossing One of the Most Important Waterways in the United States At low tide you’ll have more room than the chart shows; during unusually high tides or storm surge, you could have significantly less.
Most fixed bridges along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway provide roughly 65 feet, though NOAA Coast Pilot data shows individual spans ranging from 64 to 67 feet.5NOAA Nautical Charts. Intracoastal Waterway – Atlantic Ocean Never assume a clearance without checking the current chart for that specific bridge.
Your job is to know your air draft, the height from the waterline to the tallest fixed point on the vessel, including antennas and outriggers. Compare that number to the charted clearance, then adjust for the tide. If your air draft is anywhere near the clearance, use real-time tide data rather than a rough estimate. A strike on a fixed bridge triggers Coast Guard reporting and potential civil liability for repair costs that can run into the millions on a major structure.
Speed Zones and Anchoring Near Bridges
Florida law lets municipalities and counties establish slow-speed, minimum-wake zones by local ordinance within 300 feet of any bridge fender system and within 300 feet of any bridge span with less than 25 feet of vertical clearance or less than 100 feet of horizontal clearance.6Florida Senate. Florida Code 327.46 – Boating-Restricted Areas Many bridges along the ICW and inland channels have these zones posted.
Violating a wake-zone restriction is a noncriminal boating infraction. The baseline civil penalty is $100, and a judge can impose up to $500 if you contest it in court. If the violation leads to an accident, fines climb to $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a second, and $1,500 for a third or later offense.7The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 327.73 – Noncriminal Infractions
Anchoring or mooring under a bridge is prohibited outside of emergencies. Doing so in a way that creates a navigational hazard is treated as unreasonable interference with navigation, and law enforcement can recover the full cost of relocating or removing the vessel from the owner.8The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 327.44 – Interference With Navigation
When Multiple Vessels Approach the Same Bridge
Each vessel signals independently, and the tender acknowledges in turn and manages the order of passage. During a scheduled open period when boats have accumulated, the tender doesn’t need to answer each individual signal because the opening covers everyone.9eCFR. 33 CFR 117.19 – Signalling When Two or More Vessels Are Approaching a Drawbridge
Inland Navigation Rule 9, which governs narrow channels, also applies at bridge approaches. Keep to the starboard side of the channel as much as safely practical. Vessels under 20 meters and sailing vessels must not impede a larger vessel that can only navigate within the narrow channel.10eCFR. 33 CFR 83.09 – Narrow Channels (Rule 9) Where current matters, a power-driven vessel proceeding downbound with a following current has the right-of-way over an upbound vessel and proposes the manner and place of passing; the upbound vessel holds position as needed for safe passage.
Don’t try to overtake another vessel inside the draw opening. The channel narrows sharply at the bridge, and there’s rarely room for two vessels abreast. Wait until you’re clear of the span.
If You Hit a Bridge
A vessel striking a bridge is called an allision, and federal law treats it as a reportable marine casualty. The owner, operator, or person in charge must notify the nearest Coast Guard Sector Office as soon as safety is addressed.11eCFR. 46 CFR Part 4 – Marine Casualties and Investigations Commercial vessels must file Coast Guard Form CG-2692 in writing within five days. Recreational boaters should still report immediately to the Coast Guard and to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, because bridge damage creates hazards for every vessel that follows.
Failing to report, or unreasonably delaying an opening after signaling, can trigger a federal civil penalty of up to $25,000 per violation, with each day of continued violation counting separately.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 33 USC 499 – Regulations for Drawbridges Beyond that penalty, the vessel owner faces civil liability for the repair cost, which typically exceeds any fine.
Checking for Schedule Changes Before You Go
Bridge schedules change. Construction, mechanical failures, and emergency repairs can suspend or alter a normal operating schedule. The Coast Guard publishes these changes in the weekly Local Notice to Mariners, organized by district. Florida falls under the Southeast district (formerly District 7), and you can download the current notice or subscribe to email alerts through the Coast Guard Navigation Center.12United States Coast Guard. Local Notice to Mariners For frequent passages through the same bridges, the email subscription catches changes without any active searching on your part.