Redwood City, CA Environmental Rules: Boat Dock Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Structure permission authority
- Board of Port Commissioners
- Buoy/marker permission authority
- Port Manager
- Government exception
- City, Port, Coast Guard, Army Corps placements
- First-violation fine
- Up to $100
- Escalated repeat fine
- Up to $500 per additional violation/year
- Unauthorized items
- Removable by City or Port
Summary
Redwood City Code Section 44.16 bars building any wharf, pier, landing, bulkhead or other permanent structure in the City harbor without written permission from the Board of Port Commissioners. Placing any buoy, marker or obstruction, temporary or permanent, also needs the Port Manager's written approval unless placed by a government agency.
Sec. 44.16. - PERMISSION REQUIRED TO BUILD WHARF, ETC.: No wharf, pier, landing, bulkhead or any other structure of a permanent nature may be built or constructed in the harbor without written permission of the Board of Port Commissioners; nor shall any buoy, marker or obstruction of any kind, whether temporary or permanent, be placed in the harbor without written permission of the Port Manager except for such buoys, markers or obstructions that may be placed by or under direction of the City of Redwood City or the Port of Redwood City, the United States Coast Guard or the United States Corps of Engineers. Buoy marker or obstruction of any kind, whether temporary or permanent, placed in the harbor without authorization pursuant to this section may be removed by the City or the Port.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Zoning Code: Supplement 29 | City Code: Supplement 61 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 44, the Harbor Administration chapter, gives the Board of Port Commissioners authority over permanent construction in the Redwood City harbor. 16 states that no wharf, pier, landing, bulkhead or other permanent structure may be built or constructed in the harbor without the Board's written permission, and separately requires the Port Manager's written permission before placing any buoy, marker or obstruction of any kind, temporary or permanent, in the harbor. S. S. Army Corps of Engineers. Any buoy, marker or obstruction placed without the required authorization may be removed by the City or the Port.
11, displayed visibly on the boat, and permits are limited to noncommercial recreational boats absent special Board permission for commercial use (Sec. 13). Boats without a valid permit can be impounded 72 hours after a written Warning Impound Notice is delivered or posted, with the owner liable for towing and storage charges before release. All boats entering the harbor are also subject generally to the Port's orders and must anchor or moor only in Port-designated areas (Sec. 10). Enforcement guidelines for the chapter are prepared and adopted by the City's Police Department (Sec. 28).
Violations & Fines
Building a wharf, pier, landing, bulkhead or other permanent harbor structure without the Board of Port Commissioners' written permission, or placing an unauthorized buoy, marker or obstruction without the Port Manager's written permission, is punishable under Section 44.27's general penalty schedule: a fine up to $100 for a first violation, up to $200 for a second violation of the same provision within a year, and up to $500 for each additional violation within that year, with every day the violation continues counted as a separate offense. Unauthorized structures, buoys, markers or obstructions may also be summarily removed by the City or the Port.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a private dock in the Redwood City harbor without approval?
Do I need a permit just to place a mooring buoy in the harbor?
What happens to a dock or buoy placed without City permission?
Is mooring my boat in the harbor separate from the wharf-building permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Redwood City
California rules heatmap·Compare Redwood City to another location·View the California environmental rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.