New Docks and Boathouses on Smith Lake: Size and Setback Rules

Planning a new dock or boathouse on Smith Lake? Alabama Power's Smith Lake guidelines set the limits: 1,444 square feet of structures, a 92-foot maximum length, a 15-foot setback from your extended property line, open-sided roofs, and no plumbing fixtures. This page lays those rules out in one place, along with the frontage question, the permit fee, the federal float rule and what to plan for with a lake that drops about 14 feet in winter.

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A new floating boathouse with open sides and a metal roof, joined to a wooded shore by a long walkway — An open-sided floating boathouse with a long walkway to shore.

The size and placement rules

All from Section A-2 of Alabama Power's Smith Lake guidelines, revised July 15, 2025:

Total size: "The total allowable square footage for structures (e.g., floating dock, boathouse, wet slip, etc.) is 1,444 square feet."
Length: "Structures shall not exceed 92 feet in length."
Setback: Structures "should be set a minimum of 15 feet from an extension of Permittee's property line into the lake."
Frontage: "Lots with less than 100 linear feet of shoreline may be restricted or may not be eligible for structures."
Walkways: A walkway to a structure "that is 6 feet or less in width is not counted in the allowable square footage."
PWC: Up to two PWC floats or lifts, or one of each, may be allowed; "A third or more PWC float or lift counts against the allowable square footage allotment."

What a 1,444-square-foot limit looks like

The total covers every structure counted in the allotment, so a floating dock, a boathouse and a wet slip, the examples the guidelines give, all draw from the same 1,444 square feet. A walkway 6 feet wide or less doesn't count. For scale, a single 38-by-38-foot footprint is 1,444 square feet. If you already have structures, ask the shoreline office how much of your allotment is used before designing anything new.

Roofs, walls and plumbing

"Covered (roofed) structures must be open and cannot be walled or enclosed; however, a portion of one exterior side may be walled for the placement/construction of an approved storage area."
"Storage areas must be placed on the portion of the structure closest to the shoreline, excluding any walkway."
"Pavilions, gazebos, or any other appurtenant structure cannot be enclosed or walled except that screening may be used for the exterior walls of the structure."
"No habitable fixtures (e.g., toilets, sinks, showers, bathtubs, etc.) are allowed."

An older, fully walled boathouse may fall under the guidelines' "Enclosed Legacy Structures" provisions. Those cover existing structures, not new ones. See dock repair.

The permit and the fee

A new dock is new residential shoreline construction, so it pays Alabama Power's $400 General Construction Fee, which is non-refundable. The application includes a signed copy of the guidelines, your deed, a survey if Alabama Power asks for one, and "A sketch of all existing and proposed shoreline structures." Review takes "up to 30 days or more depending on the required reviews," and once the permit is issued, you have one year to complete construction.

The Army Corps' programmatic permits for Alabama Power reservoirs add a general condition that "All floats (existing and proposed) shall be encased or closed cell." The permit guide has the full process.

Planning for a 14-foot swing

Smith Lake sits near 510 feet in summer and heads toward a winter pool near 496 feet, by Alabama Power's figures. A dock that floats comfortably in July has to still work when the water is about 14 feet lower: the walkway has to reach, and the dock and any boat or lift need enough water under them. Ask a dock contractor to show you how the design handles winter pool on your shoreline. See winter drawdown.

Fix the bank first

A new dock is a good moment to deal with an eroding bank where the walkway lands, since both go through Alabama Power. Riprap is Alabama Power's preferred method, and on turtle-habitat shorelines a natural method is required. See riprap and turtle-habitat shorelines.

What a new dock costs

We found no published prices for new docks or boathouses on Smith Lake or in Alabama. Quotes: [PRICE]. Add the $400 Alabama Power fee.

New dock questions

How big can a dock be on Smith Lake?

Up to 1,444 square feet of structures in total and no more than 92 feet long, with walkways 6 feet wide or less left out of the count.

Can I build a dock on a lot with less than 100 feet of shoreline?

Maybe. The guidelines say such lots "may be restricted or may not be eligible for structures." Ask the shoreline office before buying a lot for its dock potential.

Can I put a bathroom or an enclosed room on the dock?

No. Toilets, sinks, showers and bathtubs aren't allowed, and roofed structures have to stay open apart from an approved storage area on the shore end.

How close to my neighbor can the dock be?

At least 15 feet from an extension of your property line into the lake.

How this site helps

Call (205) 880-2401 or send a request, and we'll pass it to one independent local contractor who works on Smith Lake. Contractors are responsible for their own licensing, insurance, permits, pricing and warranties.

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Planning a new dock?

Tell us about your lot and what you want to build, and we'll pass it to one independent local contractor who works on Smith Lake.