Marine and Dock Permit Checklist

Dock permits are under the jurisdiction of Pinellas County Government, Water and Navigation Control Authority. The city of Clearwater Planning and Development Department must provide pre-approval before you apply to the Pinellas County Water and Navigation Control Authority.

Marine and Dock Permits do not cover boat lifts, which require a building permit and additional documentation.

Marine & Dock Permit Application Checklist

Step 1.Verify That Your Property is in the City of Clearwater

To verify if your property is in the city of Clearwater, visit the Pinellas County Property Appraiser website, enter the address in the Real Property box, and click search. In the search results under Parcel Summary, look under Current Tax District for Clearwater, CW, CWD, or CWDO, all of which indicate your property is located in the city of Clearwater.

Step 2.Upload Drawings and Detailed Plans

Upload these documents to the Planning and Development Department Zoning Portal

Step 3.Wait for Pre-approval from the City of Clearwater

Once you have received pre-approval from the city, visit the Pinellas County Water and Navigation Control Authority for application information.

Step 4.Submit Your Dock Permit

Create an account for the Pinellas County Access Portal. All dock permit applications must be submitted through the Pinellas County Access Portal.

Step 5.Access Your Portal Account

Once logged in, navigate to the Water/Nav tab, then click on "Create an Application." Accept the terms of the General Disclaimer and complete the application.