CAMA Permits for Coastal NC Docks — The Complete Guide

The Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA), passed by the NC General Assembly in 1974, regulates construction in the 20 coastal counties of North Carolina. The NC Division of Coastal Management (DCM), under the Department of Environmental Quality, issues two types of permits relevant to homeowners:

• CAMA General Permit (GP) — covers standard residential docks, piers, boat lifts, gazebos, and bulkhead repair. Most coastal NC homeowners need this one. Processed in 14–30 days. Fee: $100–$400.
• CAMA Major Permit — required for large commercial projects, marinas, fills, or work affecting Areas of Environmental Concern (AECs). Processed in 75–150 days. Fee: $400–$475+.

For private single-family docks under 800 square feet of platform area, a general permit is almost always sufficient.

Each coastal county is served by a DCM field representative. The three counties in our service area:

• Pender County (Hampstead, Surf City, Topsail Beach) — filed through the Wilmington DCM field office. Pender County also requires a separate floodplain development permit in V and AE zones.
• New Hanover County (Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Figure Eight Island) — filed through the Wilmington DCM field office. NHC zoning review applies in residential R-20 districts.
• Onslow County (Sneads Ferry, Surf City north side) — filed through the Morehead City DCM field office. Onslow has its own erosion-and-sediment-control review for shoreline work.

We handle all three counties in-house and walk every application through with you.

The most common CAMA general permit rules that affect dock design:

• 15 ft side-yard setback from the projection of adjacent property lines into the water.
• 1/4 of the waterbody width maximum dock projection — your dock cannot extend more than 25% of the way across the channel.
• Platform area limits — typically 800 sq ft for single-family piers, 400 sq ft for sheltered floating docks.
• No shading of SAV — submerged aquatic vegetation (seagrass) must be avoided or the dock must be elevated 3 ft above MHW with 5-ft-on-center decking.
• 3-ft minimum elevation above MHW on covered structures.

We design every dock to fit these rules from the first sketch — no redraws, no surprise rejections.

From signed contract to permit-in-hand:

• Days 1–3: We measure the site, sketch the layout, and prepare the application package.
• Days 4–7: Application filed with the DCM field office. We pay the $100–$400 fee on your behalf and bill it through to you at cost.
• Days 7–21: DCM review. The field rep may request a site visit. Adjacent property owner notifications go out by certified mail.
• Days 21–30: Permit issued. Two-year validity from issue date.

Storm-damage repairs to permitted structures often qualify for an expedited general permit with a 7–10 day turnaround.

A few situations are exempt:

• Routine maintenance of an existing permitted structure (replacing decking boards, hardware, or up to 50% of stringers).
• Emergency repairs following a declared storm event (within 90 days).
• Repairs to bulkheads less than 18 inches above the existing bulkhead height.

If you are not sure whether your project needs a permit, call us at (910) 612-6107 or your county DCM field rep before you start work. The fine for unpermitted work in an AEC is up to $10,000 per day plus mandatory restoration.