TVA dock permit (Section 26a): the rules before you build

On TVA Section 26a 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

• TVA approval is required before any construction on TVA reservoir shoreline: docks, piers, boathouses, steps, fences and similar facilities.
• Apply through TVA's online application system or by mail. Contact TVA Public Land Information: 1-800-882-5263, [email protected].
• An approval expires if construction has not started within 18 months.

Size and placement rules

• Dock footprint up to 1,000 sq ft (up to 1,800 sq ft in qualifying pre-November 1, 1999 developments). The access walkway does not count.
• Reach: no more than 150 ft from shore or one-third of the way to the opposite shore, whichever is less.
• One direct walkway, no more than 6 ft wide.
• Fixed decks must sit at least 18 in above full summer pool on Pickwick, Wilson, Wheeler, Guntersville and Nickajack, and 24 in on other reservoirs.
• In subdivisions recorded after November 1, 1999: at least 50 ft from neighboring docks.
• Enclosed storage up to 32 sq ft. No living or sleeping space. One story; a second level may be an open deck only.
• Kentucky Reservoir: no roofs on fixed boat slips.

Fees

• TVA charges a fee based on its administrative cost (18 CFR Part 1310). No dollar amount is published.

Buying or selling a lake house

• When the property sells, the new owner must notify TVA within 60 days. TVA reissues the approval if the facility is in good repair and meets the standards in place when it was first approved (18 CFR 1304.10).

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

18 CFR Part 1304 (eCFR) · 18 CFR 1304.204 — docks, piers, boathouses · 18 CFR Part 1310 — fees · 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.