Dock, pier and float rules in Bourne, Massachusetts
A new private pier or dock in Bourne needs a Notice of Intent and a hearing before the Conservation Commission, which applies strict standards: seasonal use only (April 1 to November 1), no more than 125 ft beyond mean high water, no wider than 4 ft, and at least 25 ft from property lines. Floats and moorings also need an annual Mooring Permit from the Harbor Master, and the town caps the number of boats moored, with waits of 3 to 5 years in most areas.
| Conservation Commission filing | Notice of Intent for any new pier or any change to its size, shape or function [1] |
| Max pier length | 125 ft beyond mean high water (100 ft beyond the edge of salt marsh) [2] |
| Max pier width | 4 ft, not counting floats [3] |
| Water depth at end of pier | At least 3.5 ft at mean low water, without dredging [4] |
| Setback from property line | 25 ft (unless a shared dock with the abutter) [5] |
| Seasonal use | New or substantially repaired piers are seasonal only, installed April 1 - November 1 [6] |
| Velocity zones | Only small residential seasonal piers, max 600 sq ft seaward of MHW [8] |
| Floats, moorings | Annual Mooring Permit from the Harbor Master [9] |
| Mooring permit fee | $100 non-commercial; $25 to join the wait list [12] |
Conservation Commission permit
Private piers, docks and walkways are regulated by the Conservation Commission under the Bourne Wetlands Regulations (BWR 1.16, revised March 3, 2026). A Notice of Intent is required for any new pier and for any change or repair that alters its dimensions, shape or function. Minor repairs entirely above mean high water may go through a Request for Determination of Applicability [1]. Applications need plans stamped by a registered engineer and a land surveyor, a shellfish survey, and the locations of eelgrass and nearby structures. You must also show you considered alternatives, such as a mooring with dinghy access, a shared dock, a town dock or a smaller structure.
Size and placement standards
- Length: no more than 125 ft beyond mean high water, or 100 ft beyond the seaward edge of a salt marsh [2], and never more than 1/5 of the way across the water body.
- Width: 4 ft maximum, not counting floats [3].
- Depth: at least 3.5 ft at mean low water at the end of the pier, without dredging [4].
- Setbacks: 25 ft from property lines unless the dock is shared with your neighbor; 100 ft from navigation channels and moorings; 250 ft from boat ramps, public landings and public beaches [5].
- Vessel approach paths must be at least 50 ft from salt marsh, and floats must stay 25 ft from eelgrass beds.
Seasonal only
New piers, and replacements, expansions or substantial repairs, must be for seasonal use only [6]. That means installed below mean high water only between April 1 and November 1 and stored out of resource areas the rest of the year [7]. In velocity (V) flood zones, only small residential seasonal piers are allowed, with no more than 600 sq ft seaward of mean high water [8]. No new docks are allowed in an ACEC.
Harbor Master permits
No one may place or keep a vessel, mooring, outhaul, slip or float in Bourne waters without an annual Mooring Permit from the Harbor Master [9]. Temporary floats and rafts need written Harbor Master approval [10]. The town caps the number of boats moored, whether by anchor or by dock [11]. Most wait lists run 3 to 5 years, and owning waterfront property gives you no priority. Fees are $100 a year for a non-commercial permit and $25 to join the wait list [12]. State Chapter 91 and federal permits are shown separately.
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Next steps
- Contact the Conservation office and the Department of Natural Resources/Harbor Master early to discuss whether a pier is feasible at your site (water depth, eelgrass, shellfish, channels, the 25-ft property-line setback).
- Hire a registered engineer and land surveyor to prepare stamped plans, a shellfish/fisheries survey and an alternatives analysis, then file a Notice of Intent with the Conservation Commission.
- Apply to MassDEP for the Chapter 91 license and check whether you need U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approval.
- Apply to the Harbor Master for a Mooring Permit for any float or mooring (or join the wait list), and renew it every year.
Common questions
- Do I need a permit to build a dock in Bourne, Massachusetts?
- Yes. A new private pier or dock needs a Notice of Intent and a hearing before the Conservation Commission. Floats and moorings also need an annual Mooring Permit from the Harbor Master, and state Chapter 91 and federal permits may apply.
- How long can a dock be in Bourne, MA?
- No more than 125 ft beyond mean high water, or 100 ft beyond the edge of a salt marsh, and no wider than 4 ft, not counting floats. It must also be at least 25 ft from property lines unless shared with your neighbor.
- Can I leave my dock in year-round in Bourne, Massachusetts?
- No. New piers, and replacements or substantial repairs, are seasonal only: installed below mean high water only between April 1 and November 1.
- How long is the mooring wait list in Bourne, Massachusetts?
- Most wait lists run 3 to 5 years, and owning waterfront property gives no priority. A non-commercial Mooring Permit is $100 a year, and joining the wait list costs $25.
Massachusetts state rules for docks and piers
A private dock in Massachusetts usually needs several layers of approval beyond local zoning.
Chapter 91 waterways license (MassDEP): any structure, regardless of size, permanent or seasonal, in tidal waters, in a great pond (a pond over 10 acres in its natural state), or in certain navigable rivers needs Chapter 91 authorization (M.G.L. c. 91; 310 CMR 9.00). For small residential docks there are simpler routes:
- a General License certification for pile-supported residential docks, piers, ramps and floats with no fill or dredging, outside ACECs and Designated Port Areas (310 CMR 9.29)
- a Simplified License for residential docks up to 600 sq ft below the high-water line (310 CMR 9.10)
Licenses must be recorded at the Registry of Deeds, and Chapter 91 protects public rights to fish, fowl and navigate.
Conservation Commission: dock work in or near wetlands, banks or land under water needs an Order of Conditions under the Wetlands Protection Act (c. 131, §40).
Harbormaster: bottom-anchored moorings, floats and rafts (no pilings) can be authorized by an annual permit from the local harbormaster instead of a Chapter 91 license (c. 91, §10A). Mooring fees can't discriminate based on residence.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: work in navigable waters may also need federal approval. Small private piers and floats are often covered by the Corps' Massachusetts General Permits, which can involve self-verification or pre-construction notification.
What the bylaw says
- BWR 1.16(1)(d) Submission Requirements for All Piers, Bourne Wetlands Regulations BWR 1.00 (August 31, 2000, Revised March 3, 2026), p. 19
Pursuant to BWR 1.02(2), a Notice of Intent is required for any new pier. A Notice of Intent is also required for any change or repair which alters any dimension, shape or function of an existing pier. Minor repairs involving work entirely above mean high water may be permitted through the filing of a Request for Determination of Applicability.
- BWR 1.16(1)(e)1, Bourne Wetlands Regulations BWR 1.00 (August 31, 2000, Revised March 3, 2026), p. 21
1. The pier length shall not exceed one hundred twenty-five (125) feet in length beyond the mean high-water line. In cases where there is salt marsh, the pier shall not exceed one hundred (100) feet in length beyond the seaward edge of the salt marsh.
- BWR 1.16(1)(e)5, Bourne Wetlands Regulations BWR 1.00 (August 31, 2000, Revised March 3, 2026), p. 21
5. Piers, not including floats, shall be no wider than 4 feet;
- BWR 1.16(1)(e)3, Bourne Wetlands Regulations BWR 1.00 (August 31, 2000, Revised March 3, 2026), p. 21
water depth at the end of the pier shall be a minimum of three and one half (3.5) feet (42 inches) at mean low water in coastal wetland resource areas. Minimum required water depths for construction and use must be met without the benefit of dredging.
- BWR 1.16(1)(e)16, Bourne Wetlands Regulations BWR 1.00 (August 31, 2000, Revised March 3, 2026), p. 21
a. Twenty-five feet of a property line or property line extension, unless the proposed dock is a shared dock between two abutting properties and both property owners are proven to be in agreement.
- BWR 1.16(1)(e)17, Bourne Wetlands Regulations BWR 1.00 (August 31, 2000, Revised March 3, 2026), p. 21
17. New piers, or replacement, expansion or substantial repair of an existing pier, shall be for seasonal use only;
- BWR 1.16(1)(b) Definitions - Seasonal use, Bourne Wetlands Regulations BWR 1.00 (August 31, 2000, Revised March 3, 2026), p. 19
Seasonal use means the dock, ramp, floats, and all supporting materials except approved anchorage systems may only be installed below MHW between April 1 and November 1 of each year and must adhere to storage requirements when not in use.
- BWR 1.16(1)(g)2.a SR V-zone piers, Bourne Wetlands Regulations BWR 1.00 (August 31, 2000, Revised March 3, 2026), p. 22
a. Any new SR V-zone pier shall include no more than 600 sq. ft. of project structure seaward of mean high water (MHW) or seaward of salt marsh edge, or such amount as qualifies under 310 CMR 9.00 et seq. as a small residential dock.
- Waterway Rules and Regulations §2.1 Mooring Permit, Town of Bourne Waterway Rules and Regulations (effective December 6, 2011, amended December 3, 2024), p. 2
2.1 MOORING PERMIT: No person shall anchor, place or maintain in the waterways of Bourne any vessel, mooring, mooring outhaul, slip, or float that is under the jurisdiction of the Harbor Master without first obtaining a Mooring Permit from the Harbor Master. Such a permit shall be renewed annually.
- Waterway Rules and Regulations §3.1 Placement (Floats/Docks), Town of Bourne Waterway Rules and Regulations (effective December 6, 2011, amended December 3, 2024), p. 7
3.1 PLACEMENT: The placement of temporary floats and/or rafts held by anchors or bottom moorings is subject to written approval of the Harbor Master. All floats shall require a mooring permit and must be identified with the mooring permit numbers to the landward and seaward sides of the float.
- Moorings & Dinghy Storage - Why The Wait Lists?, Natural Resources - Moorings & Dinghy Storage (permits, wait lists, mooring area map, applications), p. 1
There is a Town-wide moratorium on the number of boats we allow moored in our waters, whether by anchor or dock, and that is further broken down to a moratorium by individual bays, coves, harbours and areas.
- Moorings & Dinghy Storage - Fees, Natural Resources - Moorings & Dinghy Storage (permits, wait lists, mooring area map, applications), p. 1
Non-Commercial $100 Commercial $200 Application (To Wait List) $25