Spokane County, WA Environmental Rules: Boat Dock Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Floating docks, boat mooring, buoys
- P in wetlands, habitat and geo-hazard areas
- Meaning of P
- Permitted without county review under this chapter
- Condition on every listed use
- Comply with the chapter and all other county code provisions
- Other permits
- State hydraulic project approval cited as an example
- Criminal penalty
- Up to 90 days jail and up to $1,000 fine, or both
- Administrative appeal
- Written notice within 14 calendar days of the decision
- Enforcement duty
- Director enforces; each day is a separate offense
Summary
Under Spokane County Code § 11.20.030, Table 11.20.030A, floating docks, boat mooring and buoys carry a P: permitted without county review under the Critical Areas chapter. That applies in wetlands, fish and wildlife habitat areas and geologically hazardous areas, plus their buffers. The P holds only if the work also complies with the chapter and every other applicable provision of the Spokane County Code, and a state hydraulic project approval can still be required.
Uses and activities listed in Table 11.20.030A are allowed in wetlands, fish and wildlife habitat areas, geologically hazardous areas and their buffer areas only if: (1) The use or activity is in compliance with the requirements of this chapter and (2) The use or activity is in compliance with all other applicable provisions of the Spokane County Code. ... Table 11.20.030A Allowable Uses and Activities Within Wetlands, Fish and Wildlife Habitats and Geo-Hazard Areas Uses & Activities Permitted Without County Review Wetlands & Buffers Fish and Wildlife Habitats Geo-Hazard Areas ... Floating docks, boat mooring, buoys P P P ... P = Permitted without county review under this chapter ... Note: Other uses and activities not listed may be allowed or denied by the director, subject to the purpose and intent of this chapter. ... This chapter may require review and/or permit in addition to those otherwise required by county ordinances (e.g., a hydraulic project approval from the state department of fish and wildlife).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 63).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 11.20 applies to all unincorporated areas of Spokane County. Section 11.20.030(A) bars any person from altering a wetland, a fish and wildlife habitat area or a geologically hazardous area, or its buffer, except in conformance with the chapter. Table 11.20.030A then lists the uses and activities that are allowed, with three columns: Wetlands & Buffers, Fish and Wildlife Habitats, and Geo-Hazard Areas. The row for "Floating docks, boat mooring, buoys" is marked P in all three columns, and the table key defines P as permitted without county review under this chapter. Two conditions attach to every listed use. The activity must comply with the chapter's own requirements, and it must comply with all other applicable provisions of the Spokane County Code.
The P does not make a dock project paperwork-free. Section 11.20.030(B)(1) states that the chapter can require review or a permit in addition to those otherwise required by county ordinances, and gives a hydraulic project approval from the state department of fish and wildlife as its example. Section 11.20.030(B)(5) adds that the chapter can be used together with the county flood ordinance, the shoreline management program for the county and the county erosion and sediment control ordinance. The table names floating docks, boat mooring and buoys only. Fixed piers and other waterfront structures do not appear in it. For uses not listed, the table note says the director can allow or deny them, subject to the purpose and intent of the chapter.
Nearby rows show where a dock project becomes a real review. Dredging is an L (limited use) in wetlands and fish and wildlife habitats and NA in geo-hazard areas. Excavation, filling and grading over the 50 cubic yard threshold is an L in all three areas. Aquatic vegetation management is an L in wetlands and habitats. An L means the use is allowed only if it meets the chapter's standards and applicable agency review. Compliance rests on the property owner under 11.20.030(E). The county maps of wetlands, habitats and geo-hazard areas, kept by the building and planning department, are not regulatory, and leaving a site off the map does not exempt it, so the director decides disputed boundaries on field evidence. Existing structures are judged for non-conforming status under chapter 14.508 of the county zoning code.
Violations & Fines
Working in a regulated area outside the chapter is a misdemeanor under 11.20.030(J)(3)(b): up to ninety days in county jail, a fine of up to one thousand dollars, or both, with each day a separate offense. The county can instead treat it as a civil violation with monetary penalties set in section 14.406.140 of the zoning code. After a notice of investigation the violator has fourteen days to respond or show proof of compliance. Level I and level II notices of violation follow, and repeat violations on the same property within eighteen months can go straight to level II.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a county permit for a floating dock in Spokane County?
What about a fixed pier or a boat ramp?
Does dredging near my dock need review?
How do I appeal a director's decision under this chapter?
Who is responsible if a dock violates the chapter?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Spokane County
Compare Spokane County to another location·View the Washington environmental rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.