Table Rock Lake Dock Guide: Corps Permits (2026)

Updated October 22, 2026. This guide is general information, not legal or engineering advice. Rules change, so confirm with the agency listed before you start work.

Quick reference

Item	What the sources say
Who manages the shoreline	U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Little Rock District, Table Rock Lake Project Office
Project Office	4600 State Highway 165, Branson, MO, just south of Table Rock Dam
Dock permit	Shoreline Use Permit, $30, valid five years, nontransferable and nonrefundable
Vegetation permit	$10, valid five years
Where private docks can go	Only shoreline allocated as Limited Development Area
Dock size under the 2020 plan	1 to 20 slips; private docks one or two slips; two slips per household
Slip size limit	12 feet wide, 30 feet long
Spacing	At least 100 feet from an adjacent dock or land structure
Cove rule	No more than one-third of the cove's width
Water depth	At least 8 feet at the 915-foot contour for all slips
Conservation pool / flood pool	915 feet / 931 feet (USGS)
Flowage easement	Generally up to elevation 936
Lake size	43,100 acres, 745 miles of shoreline, 79 miles long

Who controls docks on Table Rock Lake?

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Table Rock Dam on the White River was completed in 1958, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, and the lake serves flood control, hydropower, water supply and recreation. The Corps' Little Rock District lists the lake at 43,100 acres with 745 miles of shoreline. It manages that shoreline under a Shoreline Management Plan, and its Table Rock page states that owning land next to the lake doesn't give anyone exclusive rights to the lake or the public land around it. The full rules are in Title 36, Chapter III, Part 327 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

What permits does a private dock need?

The Corps requires an application to the Project Office before building boat mooring facilities, altering government land or modifying lakeshore vegetation. Private floating facilities need written authorization. The Corps lists these terms:

Boat dock Shoreline Use Permit: $30
Vegetative management permit: $10
Real estate fees may also apply
Both permits are valid for five years and are nontransferable and nonrefundable
Noncompliance can lead to the permit being revoked and the dock having to be removed

The Corps says its dock rules appear on pages 12 to 29 of the Shoreline Management Plan and its vegetation rules on pages 29 to 31.

What changed in the 2020 Shoreline Management Plan?

KY3 reported in September 2020 that the Corps had finished a new plan after about six years of work with a local oversight committee. The change most relevant to owners was dock size: docks may now range from 1 to 20 slips, where the old range was 12 to 20. The Corps declined to allow waivers for mowing Corps-owned land outside areas the plan permits.

What does the 2020 plan say about dock size and layout?

The plan itself sets these limits for new docks:

New permits cover docks of 1 to 20 slips. Private docks, with a single owner, may have one or two slips. Community docks, with several owners, may have up to 20.
The maximum slip ownership on the lake is two slips per household, and all boats must be moored inside a slip, apart from personal watercraft storage covered in the plan.
Component sizes: main walkway 4 to 6 feet wide, fingers 3 to 4 feet wide, slips up to 12 feet wide and 30 feet long, and access ramp 4 to 6 feet wide and 20 to 60 feet long.
The whole dock must be inside a Limited Development Area, at least 100 feet from the nearest point of an adjacent facility or land structure, and no more than one-third of the way across a cove.
Slips need at least eight feet of water at the 915-foot contour, the access ramp must be perpendicular to the shoreline, and docks can't be moored at an angle.
New docks with enclosed sides are prohibited. Roofs may be gabled or single-pitched, with no recreational features on top.
PWC lifts may go in boat slips or along the shore side of the dock, and only current slip owners in that dock may place, own or use them.
One swim deck per dock, extending no more than 10 feet from the lake side of a perpendicular dock and no wider than the dock. Diving boards, water slides and elevated platforms are prohibited.

Where on the lake can a dock be permitted?

Federal rules in 36 CFR 327.30 sort Corps shoreline into four allocations. Private floating facilities may be permitted only in Limited Development Areas. Public Recreation Areas, Protected Shoreline Areas and Prohibited Access Areas don't receive private dock permits. The Corps publishes a shoreline zoning allocation map for Table Rock Lake, so check your frontage on it first.

What do the federal rules say about flotation and wiring?

Floats must be made of material manufactured for marine use and warranted against sinking, waterlogging and similar failures for at least eight years.
Floats must be fire resistant, and floats within 40 feet of a fuel line must be impervious to water and fuel.
New or recycled plastic or metal drums can't be used as float casings.
Electrical installations must be weatherproof and meet current electrical codes, with quick-disconnect fittings mounted above flood pool, and new lines must be run underground.

What else needs Corps approval?

Structures that a Shoreline Use Permit doesn't cover, such as masonry walkways, boat ramps, parking areas, roads, and water or power lines, need a real estate instrument. The Corps reviews written requests case by case. On private land under the Corps' flowage easement, which generally reaches elevation 936, changing land contours, building habitable structures, installing waste disposal systems and adding attached decks are prohibited without approval, and any construction needs the Corps' approval first.

Planning tips

Check the shoreline allocation map before you buy a lot for its dock potential.
If you're buying a home with a dock, ask the Project Office about the permit early, since permits don't transfer.
Plan anchoring and the walkway for water well above the 915-foot conservation pool.
Ask the builder what flotation they use and get its warranty in writing.
Use a licensed electrician for dock power and lifts.

Common questions

How much is a dock permit on Table Rock Lake?

The Corps lists the boat dock Shoreline Use Permit at $30, valid for five years. Real estate fees may also apply.

Can I transfer my dock permit when I sell?

The Corps describes Shoreline Use Permits as nontransferable. The new owner should contact the Table Rock Lake Project Office.

How high can Table Rock Lake rise?

The U.S. Geological Survey lists the conservation pool at 915 feet and the flood pool at 931 feet.

Table Rock Lake dock guide (2026)