Do I need a permit to build a dock in Pennsylvania?

Why a dock needs a permit. Under Pennsylvania's Chapter 105 rules, a "body of water" includes any natural or artificial lake or pond, and a "water obstruction" includes a pier, wharf, wall, fill or other structure in, along, across or projecting into it. For ponds and lakes, a structure counts if, at normal pool level, it is in the water or touching the water's edge. The rules cover temporary structures as well as permanent ones. DEP says any change to a pond's cross-section that is not maintenance, such as a new dock, pier or island or making the pond bigger, needs a water obstruction and encroachment permit.

Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source: 25 Pa. Code § 105.1, Definitions This may be outdated

Small docks: General Permit 2. General Permit 2 (GP-2) covers the installation, modification and maintenance of small docks of 750 square feet or less and boat launching ramps; other size restrictions may apply. The registration fee in the regulation is $175. Many small projects in or along Pennsylvania waters qualify for one of DEP's Chapter 105 general permits (GPs), registered with DEP or with a county conservation district that has Chapter 105 delegation. DEP or the district can only authorize a project that meets every term and condition of the general permit, so check the terms before you register. DEP prefers online registration through ePermitting, and conservation districts may charge their own review fee on top of the registration fee. Read the GP-2 terms before you register, and register before you build.

Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source: Chapter 105 General Permits This may be outdated

Repairing or replacing a dock you already have. General Permit 11 (GP-11) covers maintenance, testing, repair, rehabilitation or replacement of existing, currently serviceable water obstructions and encroachments, allowing only minor changes with minimal environmental impact. The registration fee in the regulation is $750 plus disturbance review fees where they apply.

Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source: Chapter 105 General Permits; fees from 25 Pa. Code § 105.13(c)(2) This may be outdated

Bigger docks, boathouses and anything with fill. Chapter 105 work that doesn't qualify for a waiver or a general permit needs an individual water obstruction and encroachment permit through DEP's Joint Permit Application, reviewed by DEP's regional office or a delegated conservation district. DEP recommends a pre-application meeting. In most cases the same application also covers the federal Army Corps authorization. Small dam across a stream: DEP fees from $1,750 plus disturbance fees; confirm with DEP. Fill or dredging in waters or wetlands may also need federal (Army Corps) authorization, usually via DEP.

Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Sources: Apply for a Water Obstruction and Encroachment Joint Permit (Chapter 105); Introduction to Ponds and Chapter 105 (FAQ: non-jurisdictional dam across a stream); Pennsylvania State Programmatic General Permit-7 (PASPGP-7), Part I and Part VI (dated April 27, 2026) This may be outdated

Who owns the water comes first. On a community lake, the association's rules and approval come first, and they don't replace state permits. On a lake owned by a utility or company, ask the owner about its shoreline rules before you apply. On an Army Corps lake: At lakes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages, private docks and other private shoreline uses are allowed only in areas the lake's Shoreline Management Plan designates, and not at all on lakes where construction began after December 13, 1974 or where no private uses existed by then (older permitted facilities can continue). On a state park or Fish and Boat Commission lake, the managing agency decides first. On a natural lake or river the state owns: On a stream, river or lake that has been legally determined to be a navigable water of the Commonwealth, where the state owns the bed, a dock or other permitted structure also needs a Submerged Lands License Agreement with DEP. DEP publishes the lists of covered waters. The regulation sets a $250 annual charge for a private recreational dock owned and used only by the adjacent riparian owners, and no charge when the dock is built under a general permit; DEP makes the final determination.

Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Sources: 36 CFR § 327.30, Shoreline Management on Civil Works Projects; Submerged Lands License Agreement This may be outdated

Your township, too. Your county, township or municipal government may have its own rules, codes or permits for pond construction or maintenance, so check with every level of local government before you start, especially for a new pond.

Checked Oct 4, 2026 · Source: Pond Agencies and Permits in Pennsylvania: Local Government (updated May 19, 2025) This may be outdated

What to have ready: the dock's size in square feet and a simple plan; photos of the shoreline; who owns the lakebed and any owner or association approval; and, for anything beyond a small dock, a site plan and location map.