Kirkland, WA Environmental Rules: Boat Dock Permits (2026)

Any pier, dock, moorage buoy, boat lift or boat canopy serving a single-family waterfront lot on Lake Washington is regulated under KZC 83.270, part of Kirkland's Shoreline Master Program adopted under Chapter 90.58 RCW. Only one pier or dock is allowed per subject property, and use is restricted to residents and guests of the waterfront lot; moorage space cannot be leased, rented, or sold unless separately approved as a marina under KZC 83.290. A joint-use pier is required when a lot is subdivided to create additional waterfront lots or when new residential development creates two or more dwelling units with waterfront access.

Dimensional limits are specific: a pier or dock cannot project beyond the lakeward extent of neighboring piers, or 150 feet overall, whichever is less (a shoreline variance under Chapter 141 KZC is required to exceed 150 feet). Surface coverage is capped at 480 square feet for a single owner, 700 square feet for a two-owner joint-use facility, and 1,000 square feet for three or more owners. Walkways are limited to 4 feet wide (6 feet for the outer 26-foot section if there are no ells or fingers), ells to 6 feet wide, and fingers to 2 feet wide. Setbacks require 5 feet from side property lines for a moorage pile and 10 feet for other structures, and 25 feet from another moorage structure or a public park. Covered moorage, boathouses, skirting, aircraft moorage, and residential boat launches are all prohibited. Each property is limited to two moorage piles (four for joint-use facilities), and piles cannot be treated with pentachlorophenol, creosote, or chromated copper arsenate. Piers must display the street address in letters at least 4 inches high, carry reflectors for nighttime visibility, and include a covered, secured waste receptacle upland of the ordinary high water mark.