Marysville, WA Environmental Rules: Boat Dock Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max height
- 20 ft from ordinary high water
- Max roof area
- 1,000 sq ft
- Max lot width covered
- 50 percent
- Covered structure setback
- 5 ft from side lot line
- Governing law
- Local ordinance + state SMA permit
Summary
Marysville caps private, noncommercial docks and boathouses at 20 feet high, 1,000 square feet of roof, and half the lot's shoreline width, with a five-foot side setback on covered structures.
Dock and Boathouse, Private, Noncommercial.
(a) The height of any covered overwater structure shall not exceed 20 feet as measured from the line of ordinary high water;
(b) The total roof area of covered, overwater structures shall not exceed 1,000 square feet;
(c) The entirety of such structures shall have not greater than 50 percent of the width of the lot at the natural shoreline upon which it is located;
(d) No overwater structure shall extend beyond the average length of all preexisting over-water structures along the same shoreline and within 300 feet of the parcel on which proposed. Where no such preexisting structures exist within 300 feet, the pier length shall not exceed 50 feet;
(e) Structures permitted hereunder shall not be used as a dwelling; and
(f) Covered structures are subject to a minimum setback of five feet from any side lot line or extension thereof. No setback from adjacent properties is required for any uncovered structure, and no setback from water is required for any structure permitted hereunder.
(17) Boat Launch, Noncommercial or Private.
(a) The city may regulate, among other factors, required launching depth, and length of docks and piers;
(b) Safety buoys shall be installed and maintained separating boating activities from other water-oriented recreation and uses where this is reasonably required for public safety, welfare and health; and
(c)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4922912; v1 updated 2026-06-08; through 06-08-2026).
Full Breakdown
In zones where docks are a permitted use, Marysville Municipal Code § 22C.020.070(16) sets the operative limits: covered overwater structures may not exceed 20 feet in height measured from ordinary high water, roof area is capped at 1,000 square feet, and the structure cannot exceed 50 percent of the lot's width at the natural shoreline. Pier length is tied to neighboring docks, no structure may extend beyond the average length of preexisting overwater structures within 300 feet, or 50 feet if none exist nearby. Docks cannot be used as dwellings, and covered structures need a 5-foot setback from side lot lines (uncovered structures need none). Development is also subject to the city's shoreline master program, which is a locally adopted, state-approved program under the Shoreline Management Act (RCW ch. 90.58), so a shoreline permit is required in addition to meeting these dimensional standards.
Violations & Fines
Building beyond these limits without shoreline permit approval risks a stop-work order and code enforcement action under the city's shoreline master program; oversized or unpermitted structures can be ordered removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a dock in Marysville?
Can I build a dock longer than my neighbors'?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Marysville
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Boat Dock Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle boat dock permits.