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Smith Mountain Lake dock permit guide (2026)

What Appalachian Power's Shoreline Management Plan allows for a single-family dock, how the application works, and where the county building permit fits in, with links to every source.

Updated October 19, 2026. This guide is general information, not legal or engineering advice. Rules change, so confirm with the agency listed before you start work.

Quick reference

TopicWhat applies
Who approves docksAppalachian Power, under the Smith Mountain Project license (FERC No. 2210)
Current planShoreline Management Plan update approved by FERC February 18, 2025
Project boundaryGenerally the 800 ft contour
Base elevation795 ft contour, where docks are measured from
ReachLesser of 1/3 cove width or 100 ft
Size1,500 to 3,000 sq ft by frontage; 3,000 sq ft per structure max
Height19 ft flat roof, 26 ft pitched roof
Finish deadline1 year from permit issuance
After approvalCounty building permit (Bedford, Franklin or Pittsylvania)

Who controls the shoreline?

Smith Mountain Dam was finished in 1963, and the lake reached its normal level in March 1966. Appalachian Power operates the Smith Mountain Pumped Storage Project under FERC license No. 2210, and its Shoreline Management Plan covers Smith Mountain Lake and Leesville Lake downstream. Smith Mountain Lake covers about 20,600 acres with about 500 miles of shoreline, and the plan classifies 372.1 miles of it, about 73 percent, as Low Density Use, which is where most single-family docks fall. The project boundary generally follows the 800-foot contour, and the normal maximum operating level is 795 feet. Virginia law separately lets Bedford, Franklin and Pittsylvania counties regulate the location, size and length of docks and similar structures below the 800-foot contour for safe navigation, as long as their rules don't conflict with the state building code or Appalachian Power's federal license.

How does the application work?

  1. Confirm the design meets the Shoreline Management Plan.
  2. Hire a licensed surveyor for Exhibit A, showing the structure's size, height and overhang, the 800-foot and 795-foot contours, total shoreline at 795 feet, property and dock delineation lines with distances, slips and square footage, distance across the cove, navigation aids, nearby structures and cable locations.
  3. Gather the recorded subdivision plat, a vegetation permit if clearing is needed, a letter of need for slips over 12 by 26 feet, and photos for expansions.
  4. The deeded owners sign the application and the blank permit; the permit signatures are notarized. An agent or contractor can't sign for the owner.
  5. Mail the packet with a check to your county's Clerk of Circuit Court for recording. Incomplete applications are returned.
  6. When Appalachian Power signs and records the permit, take it and the approved drawings to the county for a building permit, then send the approved county permit back. The Appalachian Power permit isn't valid without it.

Appalachian Power says it doesn't currently charge a permit fee. The county clerk charges a recording fee, which the application lists.

What size limits apply?

Single-family docks can extend the lesser of one-third of the cove width or 100 feet from the base elevation. Size and slips follow shoreline frontage at 795 feet: 1,500 square feet and 2 slips for 100 to 300 feet, 2,250 and 3 for 301 to 600 feet, 3,000 and 4 for 601 to 900 feet, and 750 square feet and one slip more for each added 300 feet, with no single structure over 3,000 square feet. Docks stay 15 feet from the dock delineation line, keep a 30-foot passage lane (50 feet near a ramp), and stay 30 feet from navigation aids. Enclosures are limited to 72 square feet on the lower level, and heights to 19 feet for a flat roof and 26 feet for a pitched roof.

What about lake levels?

Because water is pumped back through the dam, the level normally varies one to two feet during the day and night, and it can drop more in long droughts. The dock owner signs an acknowledgment that water may not be deep enough during low inflow, drought or drawdown.

What are the shoreline rules?

Riprap needs permits from Appalachian Power and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is allowed only where there's active erosion, using at least VDOT Class I stone. Bulkheads are prohibited without a FERC variance. In-water work from April 15 to June 15 requires checking for largemouth bass nests, and dredging is prohibited from February 15 to June 15.

Which contractor license applies?

Virginia licenses contractors by job size. A Class C license covers single jobs over $1,000 and under $30,000, Class B covers $30,000 to under $150,000, and Class A covers $150,000 or more. Ask your builder which class they hold.

Common questions

Is the Appalachian Power permit the same as a building permit?

No. Appalachian Power's Occupancy and Use Permit isn't a building permit. Once it's issued, you get a building permit from your county.

How long do I have to build after approval?

Construction has to be finished within one year of the permit issuance date.

Does my dock permit transfer when I buy a lake house?

Not automatically. The permit has to be formally assigned to the new owner through an application, and compliance problems must be fixed first.

Sources

Call (540) 410-4220