Billings, MT Environmental Rules: Boat Dock Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Yes, floodplain permit
- Governing article
- Ch. 6, Art. 6-1600
- Structures covered
- Boat docks, marinas, piers
- Key condition
- Firmly anchored, no habitation
- Zone
- Regulated floodway only
Summary
Billings requires a floodplain permit before building a boat dock, marina, or similar accessory structure anywhere in the regulated floodway.
(b)Uses requiring permits. Uses specifically listed in this section may be allowed by permit within the floodway... (10)Structures accessory or appurtenant to permitted uses such as boat docks, loading and parking areas, marinas, sheds, emergency airstrips...provided that: a.The structures are not intended for human habitation...g.Structures are firmly anchored to prevent flotation;...i.The structures or use cannot be changed or altered without permit approval.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 66 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Under the city's floodplain hazard management code, boat docks and marinas are treated as accessory structures inside the floodway that need a permit, not open-space uses allowed by right. Applicants must show the structure won't be used for habitation, sits as high and far from the channel as practical, is firmly anchored against flotation, and can't be altered later without a new permit. General floodway permit requirements (no-rise in base flood elevation, engineered encroachment analysis) apply on top of these conditions.
Violations & Fines
Building a dock, marina, or similar structure in the floodway without the required permit is an unpermitted floodway obstruction, subject to the code's general enforcement and abatement provisions for illegal floodway construction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a boat dock in Billings without a permit?
What must the permit application show?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Billings
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