Planning guides
Guides to dock permits, South Carolina dock size rules, tides and dock height, and rebuilding after a storm on Hilton Head Island.
Each guide covers one part of planning a dock on Hilton Head's tidal water and lists the sources behind its facts.
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Dock permits on Hilton Head Island, step by step
A private dock in tidal water needs a state critical area permit, a local building permit, and sometimes federal and community approval. This guide sorts out who does what and in what order.
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Tides and dock height on Hilton Head Island
NOAA's tide datums for Broad Creek and Port Royal Plantation tell you where high and low water sit. This guide shows how those numbers set walkway height, ramp slope, and whether your boat floats at low tide.
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Hiring a dock contractor in South Carolina
South Carolina licenses dock work under its Marine classification and caps each contractor's job size by license group. This guide covers what to check with SC LLR and the Town, and what to ask before you sign.
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Repairing or rebuilding a dock after a storm
South Carolina gives owners three paths after storm damage: basic repair, a general permit for intact docks, and a five-year window to rebuild a destroyed dock. This guide covers each one.
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How big can your dock be? South Carolina's R.30-12
Creek width sets the area of a private dock in South Carolina. This guide covers the R.30-12 limits on area, frontage, setbacks, walkways, lifts, and roofs, and what the October 2026 pause means.
Planning a dock or boat lift?
Describe the property and what you have in mind. The request goes to an independent local dock contractor.
Areas covered: Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, Beaufort, Daufuskie Island, Okatie, Shelter Cove, Sea Pines, Palmetto Dunes, Shipyard Plantation, Windmill Harbour, Wexford Plantation, Long Cove.