Think in four layers.
South Carolina coastal
SCDES Bureau of Coastal Management reviews alterations to coastal waters, tidelands, beaches, and beach/dune critical areas.
Federal water
The Army Corps regulates structures and work in navigable waters and certain impacts to waters and wetlands under federal law.
Local
The city, town, or county may add building, zoning, floodplain, historic, electrical, or other shore-side requirements.
Private
An HOA, architectural review board, regime, or deed restriction can add another layer. It never replaces government permits.
Project type points to the first likely lane.
New private dock
Usually begins in the SCDES minor critical-area permit lane; federal and local review can also apply.
Small dock repair
A previously authorized, generally intact structure may fit maintenance-and-repair acknowledgement when work stays within original dimensions.
Same-size dock reconstruction
Qualifying previously permitted docks may use GP-25-DR; changes in size, location, or configuration can move the project elsewhere.
Boat lift / dock addition
An active permit may be amended; other additions may need a general or individual permit.
Bulkhead / revetment
New non-oceanfront work is generally a minor activity; qualifying same-size reconstruction may use GP-25-ECS.
Living shoreline
SCDES requires an individual critical-area permit and professional drawings; federal authorization may also apply.
Dredging / marina / community dock
These are examples SCDES places in the major-activity lane.
Oceanfront beach / dune work
A separate SCDES Beachfront Management system applies; do not substitute marsh-side dock or wall rules.
What already exists matters.
Repair / reconstruction
- Maintenance-and-repair review can fit work that stays within original dimensions on a previously authorized, generally intact structure
- Defined general permits can provide faster lanes for qualifying same-size reconstruction
- An active permit may sometimes be amended rather than replaced
Individual review
- New private docks, living shorelines, and many non-oceanfront erosion-control projects can fall in the minor lane
- Dredging, marinas, community docks, and boat ramps are examples of major activities
- Changes in size, location, configuration, or impacts can move a project into a different lane
Do the permit thinking in this order.
Define the work
Repair, reconstruction, addition, expansion, new structure, dredging, shoreline stabilization, or another activity.
→Find existing records
An old permit, active permit, Dock Master Plan, or Critical Area Line can change the available lane.
→Identify the SCDES lane
Maintenance, general permit, individual minor, major, amendment, or beachfront process.
→Check federal review
The Army Corps path depends on the work and location; do not infer the permit number from the project name alone.
→Check local + private
Building, zoning, floodplain, electrical, historic, HOA, or deed requirements can still apply.
The main SCDES lanes.
Previously permitted or grandfathered structures that remain generally intact and functional can use this review when repairs stay within original dimensions.
SCDES Maintenance & Repair ↗Defined faster lanes apply only when the activity meets the permit’s conditions. Current homeowner-relevant examples include small additions to existing docks, GP-25-DR dock reconstruction, and GP-25-ECS erosion-control reconstruction.
SCDES General Permits ↗SCDES lists private docks, living shorelines, non-oceanfront erosion-control structures, and many additions to existing docks as minor activities when dredging is not involved. Professional drawings and public notice are part of the process.
SCDES Minor Activities ↗Dredging, marinas, community docks, boat ramps, commercial facilities, and other larger projects are examples of major activities. SCDES encourages a pre-application meeting.
SCDES Major Activities ↗Active permits can sometimes change instead of starting over.
An amendment may be available for changes such as adding dock square footage, a floating dock, or a boat lift. Active permits can also be transferred to a new owner or extended before expiration.
Two records can change the answer early.
A current Critical Area Line can be required for certain projects. A Dock Master Plan can guide dock corridors and which lots may be considered for docks, but it does not guarantee an individual permit.
The Army Corps is the federal layer.
The Charleston District regulates work in navigable waters and certain impacts to waters and wetlands. For many qualifying private, non-commercial South Carolina docks and related structures, the current regional route is SAC-RGP-09. That permit is currently effective through December 14, 2026.
Beach and dune work uses the separate SCDES Beachfront Management framework.
SCDES Beachfront Management ↗Your local permit layer
Which local government handles your property?
Choose the jurisdiction for the parcel. Do not choose only by island name. Parts of James Island and Johns Island can fall under different local governments.
Use the parcel’s jurisdiction, not the mailing address.
A Charleston mailing address does not always mean the property is inside the City of Charleston. The same is true on James Island and Johns Island.
Until the jurisdiction is confirmed, treat the state and federal permit steps below as the baseline and ask the local building or zoning office whether it has an additional review.
Primary sources