Dock builders for Lake Hartwell's South Carolina shore

How it works

1. Call or send a request

   Tell us where your lot is and what you want done at the water.

2. We connect you

   Your call goes to an independent dock or marine contractor that works Lake Hartwell.

3. They call you back

   They visit, explain the Corps paperwork, and quote you directly.

Who is this site for?

Owners of lakefront lots around Lake Hartwell, mostly on the South Carolina side in Anderson and Oconee counties: the coves off Anderson, the Seneca River arm near Seneca and Clemson, the Townville shoreline, and Fair Play near the I-85 crossing. We also take calls from Hartwell, Georgia. If you own a home or a lot next to Corps land and want a dock, a lift, a repair or a fresh deck, we'll connect you with someone who builds on this lake.

Why is a Hartwell dock different from a dock on a private lake?

Because you don't own the shoreline. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built Lake Hartwell between 1955 and 1963 and still manages its roughly 56,000 acres of water and 962 miles of shoreline. A strip of public land usually sits between private lots and the water, so every private dock is a facility on federal property that needs a Corps Shoreline Use Permit. Before a builder can start, the Corps has to agree that your stretch of shore can hold a dock at all.

Can my lot have a dock?

Only if the shoreline in front of it is zoned for one. The Corps' Shoreline Management Plan sorts the shoreline into four categories, and its 2020 environmental assessment put the split at roughly:

Allocation	Share of shoreline	Private docks?
Limited Development Area	About 50%	Yes, with a permit
Protected Shoreline Area	About 26%	No
Public Recreation Area	About 24%	No
Prohibited Access Area	Under 1%	No

The same assessment says permitted facilities, docks included, need a minimum of 75 feet of shared boundary line between your lot and the public land. If you're shopping for a lot, the Corps' Hartwell office encourages buyers to call before they purchase, so you know whether a dock is even possible.

What kinds of dock work do Hartwell owners call about?

• New floating docks sized to the boat, the cove and the Corps' design rules.
• Boat and PWC lifts added to an existing slip or built into a new dock.
• Repairs to sinking floats, bent frames, loose anchor cables and worn walkways.
• Relocation when a dock has to move, be reset after low water, or come out entirely.
• Decking replacement on docks whose frames and floats still have life left.

Why are almost all Hartwell docks floating?

The lake moves. Full summer pool is 660 feet above sea level, the lake is managed lower in winter, and in dry years it can drop well below that. A floating dock rides those changes on its floats while a hinged walkway takes up the slope to shore. The Corps' own rules are written around floating facilities: its permit conditions spell out what flotation must be made of and how long it must be warranted against sinking.

What does the Corps require of a new dock?

• Floats made of materials manufactured for marine use, warranted for at least 8 years against sinking. Plastic or metal drums are not allowed.
• Approved colors for docks and roofs are dark brown, green and black; all-aluminum docks are exempt.
• No roof of any kind on a second-story deck, and no jump gates.
• No sinks, showers, refrigerators, stoves or hot tubs. Security cameras are allowed.
• Any electric service certified by a South Carolina-licensed electrician; DC solar is exempt from that certification.
• Construction finished within one year of the permit date.
• The administrative fee paid up front. The South Atlantic Division's fee schedule, effective January 1, 2020, lists $835 for a new five-year dock permit or a new owner of an existing dock, and the same for a reissue to the same owner. That total includes the $35 boat dock permit fee.

Those are a summary, not the full plan. Our Lake Hartwell dock permit guide lists the sources, and the Hartwell Project Office has the final word on your lot.

Warning signs your dock needs attention

• One corner or side sits noticeably lower than the rest
• Floats that are cracked, waterlogged or shedding foam into the cove
• A walkway that binds, twists or lifts off its shore anchor when the lake drops
• Slack, frayed or rusted anchor cables
• Soft, split or loose deck boards
• A lift that drifts down, groans or won't level the boat
• Tripped breakers or exposed wiring at the dock

Buying a lakefront home with a dock?

Plan for the permit, not just the dock. The Corps' permit conditions say a permit is nontransferable and becomes void when the property is sold. The new owner applies in their own name, and if the dock has power, the wiring must be certified again at transfer. Older docks can also run into newer standards on color, roofs and lighting when ownership changes, so have a builder look the dock over before closing.

Are you a dock company?

No. Lake Hartwell Dock Builders is a referral service. We connect you with an independent builder who works on the lake, and that company prices, builds and stands behind the job. We aren't part of the Corps of Engineers and can't issue or speed up permits. Read our tips for hiring a dock builder and the Lake Hartwell dock permit guide before you sign anything.

Areas we cover

• Anderson
• Seneca
• Fair Play
• Hartwell

Planning ahead? Read our Lake Hartwell dock permit guide.