Lake Lanier dock permit: Corps of Engineers rules and how to apply

On Lake Lanier, GA water, the lake operator is the real permit gate. Here is who issues it, the rules, the fees and the official sources — before you build or buy.

How to get the permit

• The Lake Lanier Project Management Office issues dock, riprap and small silt-removal permits. Shoreline Management Help Desk 770-904-3262; walk-in Wednesday and Friday, 8:30 to 4:00 (closed noon to 1:00).
• Start with a site appointment with an area ranger. Bring your deed or notarized closing statement and a current plat.
• You need at least 82 ft of private land adjoining public property. One permit per household.
• Section 404 and 408 permits go to the Corps Savannah District Regulatory Office.
• The 2004 Shoreline Management Plan caps Lake Lanier at 10,615 docks. Ask the office whether new permits are being accepted before you design.

Size and placement rules

• Dock up to 32 x 32 ft; smallest 18 x 24 ft. Platforms up to 192 sq ft. Slip area up to 20 ft wide x 28 ft long.
• Walkways 4 to 6 ft wide, up to 40 ft long.
• At least 50 ft between structures at full pool, at least 6 ft of water under the dock, and the center third of a cove kept open.
• Permits run up to five years.

Fees

• Per the Corps fee sheet (revised 12/2012): new permit or change of ownership $365 · reissue $140 · modification $90 · floating facility $35 · each utility line $35 · water pump $35 · steps or walkway $50. Confirm the current fee with the office.

Buying or selling a lake house

• The permit is void when the property sells. The new owner must notify the Operations Manager's office and apply for a new permit.

Other layers that can apply

• Town or county — zoning, shoreland and building permits.
• State — see the state page for your lake.
• Federal — Army Corps Section 10 / Section 404 where the work triggers them.

Official sources

Lake Lanier Shoreline Management (USACE) · 2004 Final Shoreline Management Plan · Fee sheet, Exhibit 09 (rev. 12/2012) · 36 CFR 327.30 · Last verified 2026-10-29

Questions? Call 207-600-2705.

Preliminary regulatory path. Ask Dock.AI is an information tool, not a permitting authority. Rules change and every waterbody has its own owner and wrinkles. Confirm your project with the listed authority before you build. You pull your own permit; we show you the path. Ask Dock.AI is powered by Alummikon — engineered aluminum docks, stairs and waterfront access, built in Maine.