Waterway & Wetland Permits: Piers Decision Matrix

Piers Decision Matrix: Do I Need to Register?
This is a text link version of our piers interactive question and answer Flash module to help you understand if you need to register your pier with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Please go through and answer each question. This will help you determine if you need to register your pier, dock or wharf.

Question 1: Do you want to place an existing pier, dock, or wharf OR construct a new pier/dock?

• If your answer is “place an existing pier, dock or wharf,” go to Question 2.
• If your answer is “construct a new pier, dock or wharf,” go to Question 15.

Question 2: Has your existing pier, dock, or wharf been in place before February 2004?

• If your answer is “yes,” go to Question 4.
• If your answer is “no,” go to Question 3.

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Question 3: Do you have a permit or written authorization from the department to place your pier?

• If your answer is “yes,” you do not need to do anything! Keep placing your pier or dock as you always have!
• If your answer is “no,” Since the pier or dock on your property was initially placed after Feb 2004 and there is no record of a permit, you are not eligible to register it. The law specifically states that only piers or docks placed before Feb. 6th, 2004 are eligible to be registered. If your pier or dock does not meet the pier planner you must apply for an Individual Permit.
  
  

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Question 4: Is your pier, dock, or wharf located in an Area of Special Natural Resource Interest (ASNRI)?

• If your answer is “yes,” go to Question 5.
• If your answer is “no,” go to Question 7.
• If your answer is “I don’t know,” please use our Designated Waters Search online mapping tool to find your location and to determine what the water body designation is for the water body on which you have your pier. Knowing your water body designation will allow us to determine if you need to register your pier or not. (If you are unsure about using the Designated Waters Search tool visit our tutorial to learn how.) Once you do that, go back and answer yes or no to Question 2.
  
  

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Question 5: Is any part of your pier, dock, or wharf over 6 feet wide?

• If your answer is “yes,” go to Question 9.
• If your answer is “no,” go to Question 6.
• If your answer is “I don’t know” we provide a diagram animation, showing you where to take 3 sets of measurements:
  1. Measure the widest part of the main pier stem.
  2. Measure the length of your loading platform.
  3. Measure the width of your loading platform.
  
  

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Question 6: Do you have more than one pier or dock on your property?

• If your answer is “yes,” if you do not have a permit for your piers, to keep what you currently have please register your piers with the Department of Natural Resources. To be eligible to register your piers, they must have been placed before February 2004. You may mail in this registration form now. OR you may wait to register by using our on-line form which will be available in the fall of 2008. Please revisit our Web site then if you would like to complete your registration by that method. Once your registration is accepted, you will be able to repair and maintain your piers. If you want to replace your piers you can either replace them with piers that meet the pier planner guidelines or apply for an individual permit.
• If your answer is “no,”you do not need to do anything! Keep placing your pier or dock as you always have!
  
  

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Question 7: Is any part of your pier, dock, or wharf over 6 feet wide?

• If your answer is “yes,” go to Question 10.
• If your answer is “no,”go to Question 8.
• If your answer is “I don’t know” we provide a diagram animation, showing you how to take 3 sets of measurements:
  1. Measure the widest part of the main pier stem.
  2. Measure the length of your loading platform.
  3. measure the width of your loading platform.
  
  

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Question 8: Do you have more than one pier or dock on your property?

• If your answer is “yes,” if you do not have a permit for your piers, to keep what you currently have please register your piers with the Department of Natural Resources. To be eligible to register your piers, they must have been placed before February 2004. You may mail in this registration form now. OR you may wait to register by using our on-line form which will be available in the fall of 2008. Please revisit our Web site then if you would like to complete your registration by that method. Once your registration is accepted, you will be able to repair and maintain your piers. If you want to replace your piers you can either replace them with piers that meet the pier planner guidelines or apply for an individual permit.
• If your answer is “no,”you do not need to do anything! Keep placing your pier or dock as you always have!
  
  

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Question 9: What part of your pier, dock, or wharf is over 6 feet wide?

• If your answer is “main stem,” go to Question 11.
  
• If your answer is “loading platform,” if you do not have a permit for your pier, to keep what you currently have please register your pier with the Department of Natural Resources. To be eligible to register your pier, it must have been placed before February 2004. You may mail in this registration form now. OR you may wait to register by using our on-line form which will be available in the fall of 2008. Please revisit our Web site then if you would like to complete your registration by that method.
  
• If your answer is “I don’t know,” we provide a diagram animation, showing you the difference between the main stem and loading platform of a pier with three different pier configurations.
  
  

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Question 10: What part of your pier, dock, or wharf is over 6 feet wide?

• If your answer is “main stem,” go to Question 14.
  
• If your answer is “loading platform,” go to Question 12.
• If your answer is “I don’t know,” we provide a diagram animation showing you the difference between the main stem and loading platform of a pier with three different pier configurations.
  
  

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Question 11: Is your main stem over 8ft wide?

• If your answer is “yes,” you have 2 options. You can either modify your main stem to be 8 feet wide or less AND THEN Register your pier, OR you can apply for an Individual Permit for no fee.
• If your answer is “no,” if you do not have a permit for your pier, to keep what you currently have please register your pier with the Department of Natural Resources. To be eligible to register your pier, it must have been placed before February 2004. We will have an on-line form available for you to register your pier in the fall of 2008. Please revisit our Web site then to complete your registration. Once your registration is accepted, you will be able to repair and maintain your pier. If you want to replace your pier you can either replace it with a pier that meets the pier planner guidelines or apply for an individual permit.
  
  

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Question 12: Is your loading platform 8 feet wide or less AND less than 64 sq. feet?

• If your answer is “yes,” you do not need to do anything! Keep placing your pier or dock as you always have!
• If your answer is “no,” go to Question 13.
• If your answer is “I don’t know,” we provide a diagram animation showing you how to measure your pier and calculate your pier size and/or platform size in total square feet (length x width).
  
  

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Question 13: Is your loading platform either 1) 200 sq. feet or less, or 2) between 200 sq. feet and 300 sq. feet AND less than 10 feet wide?

• If your answer is “yes,” if you do not have a permit for your pier, to keep what you currently have please register your pier with the Department of Natural Resources. To be eligible to register your pier, it must have been placed before February 2004. You may mail in this registration form now. OR you may wait to register by using our on-line form which will be available in the fall of 2008. Please revisit our Web site then if you would like to complete your registration by that method. Once your registration is accepted, you will be able to repair and maintain your pier. If you want to replace your pier you can either replace it with a pier that meets the pier planner guidelines or apply for an individual permit.
• If your answer is “no,” you have 2 options. You can either modify your loading platform to be 10 feet wide or less and less than 300 sq. feet AND THEN Register your pier, OR you can apply for an Individual Permit for no fee.
• If your answer is “I don’t know,” we provide a diagram animation showing you how to measure your pier and calculate your pier size and/or platform size in total square feet (length x width) with three different pier configurations. This includes instructions on how to calculate the area of pier cut-outs.
  
  

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Question 14: Is your main stem over 8ft wide?

• If your answer is “yes,” you have 2 options. You can either modify your main stem to be 8 feet wide or less AND THEN Register your pier, OR you can apply for an Individual Permit for no fee.
• If your answer is “no,” if you do not have a permit for your pier, to keep what you currently have please register your pier with the Department of Natural Resources. To be eligible to register your pier, it must have been placed before February 2004. We will have an on-line form available for you to register your pier in the fall of 2008. Please revisit our Web site then to complete your registration. Once your registration is accepted, you will be able to repair and maintain your pier. If you want to replace your pier you can either replace it with a pier that meets the pier planner guidelines or apply for an individual permit.
  
  

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Question 15: Will your new pier, dock, or wharf be located in an Area of Special Natural Resource Interest (ASNRI)

• If your answer is “yes,” go to Question 16.
• If your answer is “no,” go to Question 17.
  
• If your answer is “I don’t know,” please use our Designated Waters Search online mapping tool to find your location and to determine what the water body designation is for the water body on which you have your pier. Knowing your water body designation will allow us to determine if you need to register your pier or not. (If you are unsure about using the Designated Waters Search tool visit our tutorial to learn how.) Once you do that, go back and answer yes or no to Question 2.
  
  

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Question 16: Will any part of your pier, dock, or wharf be over 6 feet wide?

• If your answer is “yes,” you will need to apply for an individual permit.
  To apply for an Individual Permit for a new Pier, open and print
  BOTH of the following files:
  
  Piers Individual Permit Application [Form #3500-53H, PDF 39KB]
  
  Fee Sheet [Form #3500-053A, PDF 105KB]
  
  Send the completed application materials, fee and Fee Sheet, to the county where your project is located. In addition, for more information about how your application is reviewed, visit our Permit Process page.
  
  
• If your answer is “no,” you may qualify for the exemption. Since your pier or wharf is located in an ASNRI there may be local impacts to sensitive habitat or endangered and threatened species that you are not aware of. To be absolutely sure if you qualify for the exemption please submit an Exemption Determination Request. As a start an exempt new pier must meet the following specifications:
  Length: The length needed to moor your boat or use boat lift, or 3-foot water depth, whichever is greater
  Location: Does not interfere with the rights of other riparian owners
  Number of Boats: 2 for the first 50 feet of frontage, 1 for every additional full 50 feet.
  
  
• If your answer is “I don’t know,” we provide a diagram animation showing you the difference between the main stem and loading platform of a pier with three different pier configurations.
  
  

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Question 17: Will any part of your pier, dock, or wharf be over 6 feet wide?

• If your answer is “yes,” go to Question 18.
• If your answer is “no,” you may qualify for the exemption. You do not need a permit for your new pier if your plan meets the rest of the exemption standards listed on our checklist and pier planner. As a start an exempt new pier must meet the following specifications:
  Length: The length needed to moor your boat or use boat lift, or 3-foot water depth, whichever is greater
  Location: Does not interfere with the rights of other riparian owners
  Number of Boats: 2 for the first 50 feet of frontage, 1 for every additional full 50 feet.
• If your answer is “I don’t know,” we provide a diagram animation showing you the difference between the main stem and loading platform of a pier with three different pier configurations.
  
  

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Question 18: What part of your new pier, dock, or wharf will be over 6 feet wide?

• If your answer is “main stem, you will need to apply for an individual permit.
  To apply for an Individual Permit for a new Pier, open and print
  BOTH of the following files:
  
  Piers Individual Permit Application [Form #3500-53H, PDF 39KB]
  
  Fee Sheet [Form #3500-053A, PDF 105KB]
  
  Send the completed application materials, fee and Fee Sheet, to the county where your project is located. In addition, for more information about how your application is reviewed, visit our Permit Process page.
• If your answer is “loading platform,” go to Question 19.
• If your answer is “I don’t know,” we provide a diagram animation showing you the difference between the main stem and loading platform of a pier.
  
  

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Question 19: Is your loading platform 8 feet wide or less and less than or equal to 64 sq. feet?

• If your answer is “yes,” you qualify for the exemption. You may not need a permit for your new pier if your plan meets the rest of the exemption standards listed on our checklist and pier planner. As a start an exempt new pier must meet the following specifications:
  Length: The length needed to moor your boat or use boat lift, or 3-foot water depth, whichever is greater
  Location: Does not interfere with the rights of other riparian owners
  Number of Boats: 2 for the first 50 feet of frontage, 1 for every additional full 50 feet.
• If your answer is “no, you will need to apply for an individual permit.
  To apply for an Individual Permit for a new Pier, open and print
  BOTH of the following files:
  
  Piers Individual Permit Application [Form #3500-53H, PDF 39KB]
  
  Fee Sheet [Form #3500-053A, PDF 105KB]
  
  Send the completed application materials, fee and Fee Sheet, to the county where your project is located. In addition, for more information about how your application is reviewed, visit our Permit Process page.
• If your answer is “I don’t know,” we provide a diagram animation showing you how to measure your pier and calculate your pier size and/or platform size in total square feet (length x width).
  
  

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