Boat docks, lifts and repairs on Lake of the Ozarks

How it works

1. Call or send a request

   Tell us your town or cove and what's going on with your dock.

2. We connect you

   Your call goes to an independent dock builder who works on Lake of the Ozarks.

3. They call you back

   The builder looks at your shoreline, explains the Ameren permit steps and quotes the job directly.

Who is this site for?

Anyone with lakefront property on Lake of the Ozarks: full-time residents in Osage Beach and Camdenton, weekend owners along the Highway 5 side near Sunrise Beach and Laurie, and condo or HOA boards on the Bagnell Dam end of the lake. If you need a dock built, fixed, moved or re-foamed, or a bank protected from wake damage, we connect you with an independent builder who already knows the lake's rules.

Do I need a permit to build a dock on Lake of the Ozarks?

Yes. Ameren Missouri manages the shoreline inside the federal project boundary for Bagnell Dam, and every dock, seawall, pier, pump and similar structure has to be permitted by Ameren before construction starts. New docks, additions, changes and even re-foaming have to be done by an Ameren Certified Dock Builder or by the property owner. If the dock will have power, the local fire protection district's electrical permit or approval goes in the application packet too. Our Lake of the Ozarks dock permit guide walks through each step.

How big can a residential dock be?

Ameren's permitting guidelines treat a dock with 10 slips or fewer as residential. For those docks, slips can be up to 55 feet long, the whole dock can be up to 125 feet wide, and walkways are limited to 6 feet wide. Enclosed storage is capped at 80 square feet, and no living or entertainment enclosures are allowed. How far the dock can reach into the water depends on the width of your cove, so two neighbors on different coves can end up with very different limits. A builder measures this before drawing anything.

How much does the lake level change?

Lake of the Ozarks is full at about 660 feet above sea level, but it isn't a fixed-level lake. Ameren operates Bagnell Dam under a federal license that lets the lake drop to 650 feet under normal conditions and 645 feet in an emergency, and it usually sits lowest from winter into early spring. Ameren suggests designing docks to handle a drop to 650 feet. That's why nearly every dock here floats, and why cable length, anchor placement and the walkway from shore matter so much. In a shallow cove, a deep drawdown can leave a dock resting on the bottom.

Why is dock electricity such a big deal here?

Docks at Lake of the Ozarks commonly carry power for lights, outlets and boat lifts, and faulty wiring can put current into the water around a dock. Ameren advises never resetting a breaker or GFCI while someone is swimming near the dock, never swimming around a dock where breakers or GFCIs keep tripping, and testing GFCIs and bonding wires monthly. Lake-area fire districts require electrical permits and inspections for private docks with power, and in the Osage Beach, Lake Ozark, Sunrise Beach and Four Seasons areas, a dock's electrical system has to pass inspection before its permit can transfer to a new owner. Your builder should coordinate with a qualified electrician for anything with power.

What kinds of work do lake owners call about?

• New floating docks with one or more slips, a swim deck, a roof and storage
• Boat lifts and PWC lifts, which have to mount to a permitted dock rather than stand alone
• Dock repair and re-foaming for docks that sit low, list, or have worn-out decking
• Dock moves and anchoring, including new cables, re-positioning and relocations
• Seawalls and riprap to stop wake and wave erosion along the bank

When should I start planning?

Earlier than you think. Ameren reviews each application for completeness and against its shoreline guidelines, and an incomplete packet gets delayed or denied. Once a dock permit is issued, the work has to be finished within one year, with one six-month extension available. Many owners line up design and permits over the winter so the dock is in by the busy summer season. The low water of late winter is also when a lot of shoreline work gets done.

What does a new dock cost?

It depends on the number and size of slips, the framing and decking materials, the flotation, a roof, lifts, electrical, water depth and how hard your lot is to reach. The builder you're connected with looks at the site and gives you a written quote. We don't set or quote prices.

What should I expect from a good dock builder?

• Proof of Ameren Certified Dock Builder status and insurance
• To-scale drawings showing distances to your property lines, neighboring docks and the cove center, which Ameren requires
• Ameren-approved encapsulated flotation, not drums
• A plan for cables and walkway that works at both full pool and winter low water
• A written contract covering design, timeline, permit responsibility and warranty

Is this a dock company?

No. Lake Ozark Dock Builders is a referral service. We pass your call or request to an independent dock builder who serves your part of the lake, and that company quotes, builds and warranties the work. Read our tips for hiring a dock builder before you sign anything.

Areas we cover

• Osage Beach
• Lake Ozark and the Bagnell Dam area
• Camdenton and the Niangua arm
• Sunrise Beach and Laurie

Planning ahead? Read our Lake of the Ozarks dock permit guide.