Huntington, NY Environmental Rules: Boat Dock Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required for
- Docks, piers, bulkheads, seawalls, jetties
- Issuing agency
- Department of Maritime Services
- New-construction review
- Conservation Board, then Town Board hearing
- Hearing notice
- 10 days published, owners within 500 feet
- Permit term
- Runs concurrent with NYS DEC permit
- First-offense fine
- $250 to $5,000, up to 15 days jail
- Citation
- Huntington Code § 137-34
Summary
No dock, pier, bulkhead, seawall, jetty or other marine structure may be built or reconstructed over town-owned underwater land or private waterfront land in Huntington without a Marine Conservation and Regulation of Marine Structures permit from the Department of Maritime Services under Town Code § 137-34. Applications for new construction trigger a public hearing before the Town Board.
No dam, impounding structure or other marine structure, including but not limited to an artificial obstruction, temporary or permanent, nor any dock, pier, bulkhead, seawall, jetty or other structure, temporary or permanent, floating or fast, used as a landing place on waters or pile, or dolphin, shall be erected or reconstructed by any person in or across lands underwater owned by the town or on private lands, nor shall any person place a privately maintained navigational aid in any watercourse without a permit issued pursuant to Subsection B hereof, provided, however that a permit shall not be required in the case of routine maintenance as defined by this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4940543; v75 updated 2026-06-09; through 06-09-2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 137-34(A) sweeps broadly: dams, impounding structures, artificial obstructions, docks, piers, wharves, bulkheads, seawalls, jetties, and privately maintained navigational aids all need a permit before erection or reconstruction on lands underwater owned by the Town or on private waterfront lands, with only routine maintenance exempted. 2(m), and an LWRP consistency form if the site sits in a Local Waterfront Revitalization Area. Category I applications, meaning new construction or substantial reconstruction, go to the Town of Huntington Conservation Board (and the village clerk if the site lies within an incorporated village) for review, then to a Town Board public hearing on at least 10 days' published notice, with mailed notice to every owner within 500 feet.
Category II applications, covering minor reconstruction or landward work, skip the public hearing and are reviewed directly by the Department of Maritime Services. Permits run concurrently with any New York State DEC permit, and a denied applicant may appeal to the Town Board or Board of Trustees.
Violations & Fines
Under § 137-67(B)(3), violating this article, aside from Article VIII mooring rules, is punishable by a fine of $250 to $5,000, or up to 15 days imprisonment, or both, for a first offense, rising to $1,500 to $10,000, or up to 15 days imprisonment, or both, for a second or subsequent offense within five years, with each day of continuation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Town permit if I already have a DEC permit for my dock?
Does building a new dock require a public hearing?
What happens if I build a dock without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Huntington
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Boat Dock Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Suffolk County handle boat dock permits.