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HARBORS · SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

South Beach Harbor: rules for vendors and boat owners

What South Beach Harbor publishes for marine service providers and for boat owners, quoted from the operator's own pages and documents. Each rule shows its source and the date we last read it.

By the DockDash teamLast reviewed How we research
Sailboats and powerboats moored in a calm harbor below dry, scrubby hills

Photo: David McElwee on Pexels

Pexels License

Illustrative photo; it may not show this harbor.

At a glance

Run by
Port of San Francisco (port district)
Region
San Francisco Bay Area
Vendor permit
Registered vendor permit: $50 per year (includes an annual vendor parking tag); contractor parking permit $20/day[Port of San Francisco][Port of San Francisco]
Liability minimum
$1M per occurrence (the January 2026 vendor application asks for $1M; the harbor rules effective January 1, 2026 still say $500K)[Port of San Francisco]
Rules last checked
Last verified

Rules for service providers

Before your first job here, line up:

  1. Business license: A current San Francisco business registration certificate with a valid expiration date.
  2. Insurance: general liability $1M per occurrence (the January 2026 vendor application asks for $1M; the harbor rules effective January 1, 2026 still say $500K); an additional-insured endorsement naming “CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO BY AND THROUGH SAN FRANCISCO PORT COMMISSION AND THEIR OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS”; certificate holder “City and County of San Francisco c/o EXIGIS Risk Management Services, P.O. Box 947, Murrieta, CA 92564”.
  3. Registered vendor permit: $50 per year (includes an annual vendor parking tag); contractor parking permit $20/day.
  4. Apply: Call the harbor office (415-495-4911) to register, then submit the vendor application with your certificate and endorsement. The harbor publishes its list of registered vendors.
Permit or registration

Registered vendor permit: $50 per year (includes an annual vendor parking tag); contractor parking permit $20/day

Renewal: Annual; keys are deactivated if updated documents aren't submitted

[1][2]

Last verified

Insurance

General liability: $1M per occurrence (the January 2026 vendor application asks for $1M; the harbor rules effective January 1, 2026 still say $500K)

Additional insured: CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO BY AND THROUGH SAN FRANCISCO PORT COMMISSION AND THEIR OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS

Certificate holder: City and County of San Francisco c/o EXIGIS Risk Management Services, P.O. Box 947, Murrieta, CA 92564

[1]

The January 2026 vendor application asks for $1,000,000 per occurrence; the harbor rules effective January 1, 2026 (§23B) still say $500,000. Carry the higher figure.

Last verified

Business license

A current San Francisco business registration certificate with a valid expiration date.

[1]

Last verified

On site
  • Report to the Harbormaster's office on entering the harbor and again before leaving; work only during normal business hours.
  • No vendor work on Oracle Park game or event days, or during major events such as Fleet Week.
  • Gate keys are bought at the office and are non-refundable.
  • Soliciting in the harbor is prohibited.
[2][3][1]

Last verified

How to apply

Call the harbor office (415-495-4911) to register, then submit the vendor application with your certificate and endorsement. The harbor publishes its list of registered vendors.

[3][1]

Last verified

Rules for boat owners

Slip fees

Monthly berthing rates effective through 12/31/2025, e.g. 30 ft $463.95, 38 ft $700.36, 50 ft $1,087.88; raised by CPI each January 1 from 2026. We found no 2026 rate sheet.

[2]

Last verified

Living aboard

No living aboard except transients; sleeping aboard is limited to 3 days a week and 7 days in 30, with prior notice.

[2]

Last verified

Copper paint and hull cleaning

Owners must consider whether non-copper paints meet their needs and use less toxic alternatives.

[2]

Last verified

Pump-out

Holding tanks may be discharged only at harbor-designated places; the fee table lists pump-out service at $100.

[2]

Last verified

Hiring someone to work on your boat here

Based on what the harbor requires of vendors, ask your provider for:

  • Their Registered vendor permit (current, not expired).
  • A certificate of insurance with the additional-insured endorsement naming “CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO BY AND THROUGH SAN FRANCISCO PORT COMMISSION AND THEIR OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS”.
  • Their local business license number.

Marinas these rules cover

Private marinas and yacht clubs inside a public harbor can add their own vendor rules on top of the harbor's. Ask the marina office too.

Next steps

Sources

  1. Port of San Francisco. South Beach Harbor Vendor Application (January 2026). Accessed November 11, 2026
  2. Port of San Francisco. South Beach Harbor Rules and Regulations (effective January 1, 2026; Resolution 25-84) (January 1, 2026). Accessed November 11, 2026
  3. Port of San Francisco. South Beach Harbor vendors. Accessed November 11, 2026