If you are currently in possession of a Temporary Permit for a boat garage previously located at Chatcolet or Rocky Point Marina and would like more information about permanent boat garage permitting and relocation, please see the Frequently Asked Questions below. 

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the difference between a Temporary permit and an Encroachment Permit?
  • Answer: A Temporary permit is granted to the current boat garage owners who are lessees of Heyburn State Park. This permit confirms the boat garage existed prior to 1975 and is eligible to rebuilt/relocated. An Encroachment Permit is a permanent permit that allows a littoral owner to locate the boat garage adjacent to their property on a navigable lake in Idaho.
• Who can apply for an Encroachment Permit with IDL?
  • Answer: Only a littoral owner or someone with littoral rights can apply for an Encroachment Permit. In layman’s terms, a littoral owner is someone who owns waterfront property on a navigable waterbody.
• Can I sell my temporary permit to a non-littoral owner, such as a dock builder or realtor?
  • Answer: Yes, you can sell your Temporary permit to a non-littoral owner, however; the buyer must obtain an Encroachment Permit from IDL before the boat garage may be rebuilt on a navigable waterway in Idaho.
• How long is a Temporary permit good for?
  • Answer: A Temporary permit has a term of three (3) years. The expiration of the permit is December 31, 2027. There will be no extensions to this expiration date.
• What are the time frames associated with rebuilding a boat garage?
  • Answer: There are three deadlines related to IDL processes:
    • Apply for a Temporary permit by December 31, 2024.
    • Within three years from obtaining a Temporary permit and before a boat garage may be rebuilt, a littoral owner must submit a complete application for an Encroachment Permit to IDL.
    • After receiving an IDL Encroachment Permit, the boat garage must be rebuilt within three years from the date the Encroachment Permit was issued.
• Can someone buy two or more boat garage Temporary permits and combine them to build a larger boat garage?
  • Answer: No. But they can buy two or more boat garage permits and place the garages next to each other, if they meet all of the other application requirements in IDAPA 20.03.04. 
• Can someone rebuild a boat garage to the size of the float, rather than to the size of the existing garage?
  • Answer: Boat garages may be replaced with the current square footage of their existing footprint and height. This means the area enclosed by the walls, the area of any floats beyond the walls, nor the height of the new boat garage may be bigger than those of the existing boat garage.  A boat garage may be rebuilt following the plan approved by IDL in an Encroachment Permit. Surface decking area beyond the walls of the boat garage is regulated by the corresponding rules for dock encroachments (e.g. the decking area beyond the walls of a noncommercial boat garage that serves one waterfront owner must meet the requirements of a single-family dock). 
• What is the monetary value of my Temporary permit?
  • Answer: IDL is not involved in the sale of private property.
• Will IDL facilitate the sale of my boat garage?
  • Answer: No. IDL is not involved in the sale of private property. The buyer of the Temporary permit will need to apply for an Encroachment Permit from IDL before the boat garage may be rebuilt. The Temporary permit must be included with the Encroachment Permit application materials.

*IDL staff successfully conducted on-site inspections of all boat garages on Thursday, August 29, 2024. Thank you for helping us make the process smooth!

If you have any questions, please contact Marde Mensinger, Navigable Waterways Program Manager, at mmensinger@idl.idaho.gov or (208) 334-0248.