Fond du Lac County, WI Environmental Rules: Boat Dock Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit-exempt use
- Piers/docks/walkways built on pilings
- Condition
- Only limited excavating and filling allowed
- General rule
- Permit required for new shoreland development
- District
- Shoreland-wetland district (unincorporated)
- Enforcement
- Zoning administrator; forfeitures and injunctions
Summary
Building or maintaining a pier, dock, or walkway on pilings within the shoreland-wetland district of unincorporated Fond du Lac County doesn't require a county land use permit under Code § 44-53(2)e, so long as the work involves only limited excavating and filling.
(2)Uses which do not require the issuance of a permit and which may include limited filling, flooding, draining, dredging, ditching, tiling, or excavating but only to the extent specifically provided below: ... e.The construction or maintenance of piers, docks or walkways built on pilings, including limited excavating and filling necessary for such construction and maintenance; ... (a)When required. Except where another section of this chapter specifically exempts certain types of development from this requirement, a permit shall be obtained from the zoning administrator or board of adjustment/committee before any new development.
Full Breakdown
" Other uses on the same permit-exempt list include pasturing livestock, cultivating agricultural crops, maintaining fences, and repairing existing town and county highways; anything involving more than limited filling, flooding, draining, dredging, ditching, tiling, or excavating falls outside the exemption and needs the § 44-352 permit process, or, if not listed anywhere in § 44-53, is flatly prohibited under § 44-54 unless the property is rezoned. Dock construction on pilings in the shoreland-wetland district is also still subject to Wis. chs. 30 and 31, the state waterway permit statutes this same permitted-uses section cross-references, so a builder clears the county's own permit requirement but may still owe the state Department of Natural Resources its own approval for work below the ordinary high-water mark.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding the limited excavating and filling § 44-53(2)e allows, or building a dock or other structure outside the shoreland-wetland district's permitted-uses list, is enforced by the zoning administrator, who under § 44-351(9) sets "appropriate penalties for violations of various provisions of the chapter, including forfeitures," with compliance also enforceable by injunction under Wis. Stats. § 59.69(11) to prevent or abate a violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a county permit to build a dock on my Fond du Lac County shoreland property?
What development in shoreland areas does require a county permit?
Does a permit-exempt dock still need state approval?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fond du Lac County
Compare Fond du Lac County to another location·View the Wisconsin environmental rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.