Rock Island County, IL Environmental Rules: Boat Dock Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max dock length into water
- 50 ft, max 1/4 of waterway width
- Max dock width
- 10 feet
- Property-line clearance
- 10 feet minimum from projected line
- Buoyancy rule
- No empty/toxic-residue metal drums
- Underlying state permit
- IDNR/OWR Statewide Permit No. 5
Summary
Rock Island County lets minor boat docks in the floodway meet its flood-height standard without a full engineering study if they satisfy the state's Statewide Permit Number 5 conditions written into § 154.615(A)(4). Docks must stay small, properly anchored, and clear of neighboring property lines and IDNR navigation limits.
(4) Minor boat docks meeting the following conditions of IDNR/OWR Statewide Permit Number 5: (a) The boat dock must not extend more than 50 feet into a waterway and no more than one-fourth of the width of the waterway and shall not extend beyond the navigational limited established by the IDNR and Corps of Engineers; (b) The width of the boat dock shall not be more than ten feet; (c) For L-shaped or T-shaped docks, the length of that portion parallel to the shoreline must not exceed 50% of the landowner's shoreline frontage, nor 50 feet; (d) Docks must be aligned so as not to cross the projection of property lines into the waterway or come within ten feet of the projected property line; ... (f) The boat dock must be securely anchored to prevent detachment during times of high wind or water; (g) Metal drums or containers may not be used as buoyancy units unless they are filled with floatation foam. Containers which previously stored pesticides, herbicides, or any other toxic chemicals are not permissible;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-1: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 2024-12-A, passed 12-17-2024; and State legislation current through 2024 Illinois Legislative Service, Pamphlet #6).
Full Breakdown
615(A) lists specific activities, including minor boat docks, deemed to automatically meet that standard when they follow IDNR/OWR Statewide Permit Number 5. 615(A)(4), a qualifying dock cannot extend more than 50 feet into a waterway, cannot exceed one-fourth of the waterway's width, and cannot cross the navigational limit set by IDNR and the Army Corps of Engineers. Dock width is capped at ten feet, and for L-shaped or T-shaped docks the portion running parallel to shore cannot exceed 50% of the landowner's shoreline frontage or 50 feet.
Docks must be aligned so they don't cross the projected line of a neighboring property or come within ten feet of it, dock posts need reflective markers, and the structure must be securely anchored against high wind or water. Buoyancy devices cannot be empty metal drums, foam filling is required, and any container that ever held pesticides, herbicides, or other toxic chemicals is barred outright. 614(C).
Violations & Fines
Building a dock without the required development permit, or one that doesn't meet the Permit Number 5 conditions in § 154.615(A)(4), is enforced under § 154.999(B): written notice, a ten-day correction window, then a Circuit Court injunction or Municipal Code Enforcement System referral, on top of the general $25-$200 per-offense forfeiture in § 154.999(A).
Frequently Asked Questions
How far can a dock extend into the water?
Can old metal drums be used to float a dock?
Does meeting Permit Number 5 mean I skip the county permit entirely?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rock Island County
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