DATA · HARBORS
California marina vendor requirements
Marine service providers need different paperwork in every California harbor, and the rules live in scattered PDFs, ordinances and newsletters. We read them. This table lists what 23 harbors, marinas and boatyards publish for outside vendors: the permit and fee, the liability limit, the exact additional-insured wording, business license and hull-cleaning rules, with a source and the date we last checked each one.
At a glance
- Harbors with published vendor rules
- 23
- Liability minimums
- $500K to $2M per occurrence; 11 of 14 ask for $1M
- Permit and ID fees
- $10 to $424
- Last checked
- November 11, 2026
Requirements by harbor
Sort by any column, or filter by region. Click a harbor for its full rules, including what it publishes for boat owners. A dash or “not published” means we didn't find it in public documents, not that the harbor has no rule.
Showing 23 of 23
| Source | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moss Landing Harbor | Central California | Facilities Use Permit (covers peddlers and businesses based off-site) $250 application fee + $250 per year issuance fee, plus any CEQA review fee | Not published | — | Selling goods or services on berthed vessels requires a Monterey County Itinera… | Hull cleaning must avoid releasing cleaners, solvents and paint from in-water cleaning into the harbor.+1 more on the harbor page | November 11, 2026 | [32] |
| Santa Cruz Harbor | Central California | Boatyard contractor registration (for work in the District boatyard) $250 | $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate (boatyard contractors; the application form page itself lists $1M) | Santa Cruz Port District | Not stated | Swimming in the harbor is prohibited except while doing hull maintenance right next to one's own boat (Ordina… | November 11, 2026 | [34] |
| Sacramento Marina | Delta & Rivers | None published | $1M per occurrence | City of Sacramento Marina | Not stated | Use the least abrasive method possible.+3 more on the harbor page | November 11, 2026 | [64] |
| Delta Bay Marina (Isleton) | Delta & Rivers | None published | $1M per occurrence | DELTA BAY MARINA | Not stated | Divers may work only if the marina's Bottom Cleaning Form is completed for each boat; a new form is needed ea…+1 more on the harbor page | November 11, 2026 | [66] |
| Pillar Point Harbor & Oyster Point Marina | San Francisco Bay Area | Commercial Services Activity Permit $68 per year; a percent-of-sales fee may also apply. (The broader Commercial Activity Per… | $1M per occurrence / $2M aggregate | District, its directors, officers, agents and employees | A San Mateo County Fictitious Business Name statement or a City of South San Fr… | None published | November 11, 2026 | [38] |
| South Beach Harbor | San Francisco Bay Area | Registered vendor permit $50 per year (includes an annual vendor parking tag); contractor parking permit $20/day | $1M per occurrence (the January 2026 vendor application asks for $1M; the harbor rules effective January 1, 2026 still say $500K) | CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO BY AND THROUGH SAN FRANCISCO PORT COMMISSION AND THEIR OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS | A current San Francisco business registration certificate with a valid expirati… | None published | November 11, 2026 | [43] |
| San Francisco Marina | San Francisco Bay Area | Marina-issued work permit and Vendor Authorization Form No fee published | $500K per occurrence ($500K is from the 2012 Marina Rules; the vendor portal states no limit) | Not stated | Not stated | None published | November 11, 2026 | [46] |
| PIER 39 Marina | San Francisco Bay Area | None published | Required; amount not published | Not stated | Not stated | None published | November 11, 2026 | [48] |
| Clipper Yacht Harbor (Sausalito) | San Francisco Bay Area | None published | $1M per occurrence | Clipper Yacht Co. LLC | Not stated | None published | November 11, 2026 | [49] |
| Grand Marina (Alameda) | San Francisco Bay Area | None published | $1M per occurrence | Grand Marina (additionally insured/interested party) | Not stated | None published | November 11, 2026 | [51] |
| Westpoint Harbor (Redwood City) | San Francisco Bay Area | Vendor registration (Registration Form, Independent Contractor Agreement, BMP Agreement) No fee published; key fobs $25 deposit each, up to 3 per vendor | $1M per occurrence | Westpoint Harbor (additional named insured) | Not stated | Do not sand or strip hull paint underwater, and avoid creating a paint plume.+2 more on the harbor page | November 11, 2026 | [52] |
| KKMI boatyard (Point Richmond) | San Francisco Bay Area | None published | $1M per occurrence (the agreement sets $1M per occurrence; KKMI's sample certificate shows $2M aggregate) | KKMI | Not stated | No sanding of antifouling paint, wet sanding, spray painting, hot work, torches, welding or grinding.+1 more on the harbor page | November 11, 2026 | [56] |
| Brickyard Cove Marina (Point Richmond) | San Francisco Bay Area | Approved contractor list Keys $11 | $1M per occurrence | Brickyard Cove Marina | Not stated | None published | November 11, 2026 | [59] |
| Berkeley Marina | San Francisco Bay Area | None published | Not published | — | Anyone working on a berthed boat needs work authorization from the berth permit… | None published | November 11, 2026 | [61] |
| San Diego Bay (Port of San Diego) | Southern California | In-Water Hull Cleaning Permit (bay-wide, for hull-cleaning businesses) $250 | Not published | — | Not stated | No business may clean hulls in the water without a Port In-Water Hull Cleaning Permit (District Code §4.14, O…+4 more on the harbor page | November 11, 2026 | [1] |
| Seaforth Marina (Mission Bay) | Southern California | Marina approval + signed Premises Access Agreement No fee published | $500K per occurrence | Not stated | A current business license (Rule 37.1). | Bottom cleaning must use best management practices to minimize discharge of bottom paint.+1 more on the harbor page | November 11, 2026 | [8] |
| Dana Point Harbor | Southern California | None published | Not published | — | Not stated | None published | November 11, 2026 | [9] |
| Newport Harbor (Newport Beach) | Southern California | Marine Activities Permit (MAP), service provider $424 initial, $95 renewal | Required; amount not published | Not stated | A City of Newport Beach business license number is required on the application. | None published | November 11, 2026 | [11] |
| Long Beach marinas (Alamitos Bay, Shoreline, Rainbow Harbor) | Southern California | Marine Vendor Permit + Vendor Registration Card No charge for the registration card; key deposit $50 per key | Not published | — | A current City of Long Beach business license is required for a vendor permit,… | Do not clean a hull for 90 days after paint application.+2 more on the harbor page | November 11, 2026 | [16] |
| Marina del Rey | Southern California | Commercial Services Identification Card $10 | Not published | — | Not stated | BMP certification is required for everyone cleaning hulls in the water (LA County Code §19.12.700). The Count…+3 more on the harbor page | November 11, 2026 | [21] |
| Ventura Harbor | Southern California | Commercial Identification (CID) card $207 application fee (includes a 3.5% card fee) | $1M per occurrence | Ventura Port District, 1603 Anchors Way Drive, Ventura, CA 93001 | A current City of Ventura business license. | Diving in the harbor needs a written permit from the General Manager and a red-and-white diver flag or blue-a…+1 more on the harbor page | November 11, 2026 | [26] |
| Channel Islands Harbor | Southern California | Commercial Activity Permit $340 annual or $145 for one day; ID card $30 refundable deposit | Not published | — | Not stated | None published | November 11, 2026 | [28] |
| Santa Barbara Harbor | Southern California | Business Activity Permit (BAP) $50 per year, including employee ID cards; $35 late fee; $5 replacement card | $500K for minor maintenance such as cleaning and detailing or $2M for major repair and commercial diving, per occurrence | City of Santa Barbara, its officers, employees, and agents | A City of Santa Barbara Business Tax Certificate, obtained before the BAP. | Hull cleaners must show proof of underwater hull cleaning BMP training completed within the previous five yea…+1 more on the harbor page | November 11, 2026 | [29] |
Common patterns
- Insurance on file before you work. 14 of these 23 publish a general liability limit, and $1,000,000 per occurrence is by far the most common. 12 spell out who to name as additional insured. The certificate alone usually isn't enough: they want the endorsement page with their exact wording.
- Workers' comp if you have employees. 8 list workers' compensation. San Francisco Marina accepts a signed waiver from a sole operator; the boatyards (KKMI, Santa Cruz) ask for federal Longshore (USL&H) coverage and ship repairer's legal liability on top.
- A local business license. 9 require a business license or tax certificate, usually from the harbor's own city (Long Beach, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Newport Beach, Berkeley, San Francisco).
- A harbor permit or ID card. Public harbors usually issue one permit for the whole harbor, often renewed every year (Ventura on June 30, San Mateo by calendar year) or every two years (Marina del Rey ID cards). Some charge per employee.
- Check-in and owner authorization. Many want you to check in before each job (Ventura, Moss Landing, San Francisco Marina online, Brickyard Cove card keys), and some need the boat owner to authorize you first (Moss Landing, KKMI, Berkeley).
- Hull-cleaning rules are local. San Diego Bay requires a Port permit for every hull-cleaning business, Marina del Rey requires County BMP certification, and Santa Barbara wants BMP training within five years. Elsewhere, expect “no visible paint plume,” no underwater sanding, and waiting 90 days after new bottom paint.
- Hours, keys and blackout days. Long Beach bars vendor work on event weekends and weekend afternoons; South Beach Harbor on Giants game days; Brickyard Cove limits work to 8:00–5:30.
What to do next
- Pick the harbors you want to work in and total the fees with the harbor permit planner.
- Check your policy against each harbor's published minimums with the insurance coverage check.
- Ask your broker for certificates and endorsements with each harbor's exact wording (the COI request letter fills it in for you), and build your packet with the vendor packet checklist.
- Read the step-by-step guide: how to become an approved vendor at a California marina.
How we built this
We read each harbor operator's own web pages, applications, ordinances and fee schedules (no calls, emails or forms), and quote dollar figures and limits only from those documents. Where two of a harbor's documents disagree, we say so. Every fact carries the date we last re-read its source; facts older than six months are flagged for a re-check. Browse harbors by region.
Sources
- Port of San Diego. Copper Reduction Program (In-Water Hull Cleaning Permit).
- Port of San Diego. Ordinance 3025, amending Unified Port District Code §4.14 (in-water hull cleaning) (October 12, 2021).
- Port of San Diego. List of Permitted Hull Cleaning Businesses (effective 10/5/2026) (October 5, 2026).
- Port of San Diego. In-Water Hull Cleaning BMP Plan Verification & Training Form.
- Kona Kai Marina. Slip rates.
- Port of San Diego. Alternative Hull Paints.
- Port of San Diego. Sanitary Stations and Fuel Docks.
- Seaforth Marina. Seaforth Marina Wharfage Rules (December 2023).
- Dana Point Harbor. Dana Point Harbor Code of Conduct (May 1, 2026).
- The Marina at Dana Point. Boat slips and leasing (current slip rates).
- City of Newport Beach, Harbor Department. Marine Activities Permit.
- City of Newport Beach, Harbor Department. Harbor Fees (fees starting July 1, 2026) (July 1, 2026).
- City of Newport Beach, Harbor Department. Live Aboards.
- Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board. Resolution R8-2022-0012, Attachment A (Newport Bay copper TMDL) (December 2, 2022).
- City of Newport Beach, Harbor Department. Harbor Rules and Regulations.
- City of Long Beach, Marine Bureau. Vendors in Marina.
- City of Long Beach, Marine Bureau. Vendor Work Permit and Parking Policy (November 26, 2007).
- City of Long Beach, Marine Bureau. Long Beach Marina Environmental Policies (May 2006).
- City of Long Beach. Marina Rules and Regulations (adopted by City Council 4/18/2017) (April 18, 2017).
- City of Long Beach, Marine Bureau. Long Beach Shoreline Marina.
- LA County Department of Beaches & Harbors. Marina del Rey Commercial Services ID.
- LA County Department of Beaches & Harbors. Hull Cleaning (BMP certification, LA County Code §19.12.700).
- LA County Department of Beaches & Harbors. Marina del Rey Guest Docks.
- LA County Department of Beaches & Harbors. Marina del Rey Copper Paint TMDL: pollution overview (September 6, 2022).
- Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board. Resolution R24-003, Attachment B (Marina del Rey Harbor toxics TMDL reconsideration) (June 27, 2024).
- Ventura Port District (Ventura Harbor). Commercial Identification Cards.
- Ventura Port District. Ordinance 44 (as amended by Ordinance 47) (October 2008).
- County of Ventura Harbor Department (Channel Islands Harbor). Rates & Fees effective 7/1/2026 (July 1, 2026).
- City of Santa Barbara Waterfront Department. Business Activity Permit Policy (Revised 2026) (2026).
- City of Santa Barbara Waterfront Department. Waterfront rates and fees.
- City of Santa Barbara Waterfront Department. FY27 Waterfront Rate and Fee Summary (effective July 1, 2026) (July 1, 2026).
- Moss Landing Harbor District. Table 20.100 District Fee Schedule (revised July 1, 2026) (July 1, 2026).
- Moss Landing Harbor District. Ordinance Code (amended by Ordinance 215, September 25, 2024) (September 25, 2024).
- Santa Cruz Port District. Boatyard contractor application materials (August 28, 2018).
- Santa Cruz Port District. Boatyard Contractors.
- Santa Cruz Port District. Santa Cruz Port District Ordinances (August 2018).
- Santa Cruz Port District. Moorage rates and fees.
- San Mateo County Harbor District. Commercial Services Activity Permit application (Rev. July 2026) (July 2026).
- San Mateo County Harbor District. Commercial Activity Permit application (Rev. 7/1/2026) (July 1, 2026).
- San Mateo County Harbor District. Commercial Activity Permits.
- San Mateo County Harbor District. Pillar Point Harbor rates and fees, July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 (July 1, 2026).
- San Mateo County Harbor District. Oyster Point Marina rates and fees, July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 (July 1, 2026).
- Port of San Francisco. South Beach Harbor Vendor Application (January 2026).
- Port of San Francisco. South Beach Harbor Rules and Regulations (effective January 1, 2026; Resolution 25-84) (January 1, 2026).
- Port of San Francisco. South Beach Harbor vendors.
- San Francisco Recreation & Park Department. San Francisco Marina Rules and Regulations (adopted April 19, 2012) (April 19, 2012).
- San Francisco Recreation & Park Department. San Francisco Marina Vendor Portal.
- PIER 39 Marina. PIER 39 Marina.
- Clipper Yacht Harbor. Harbor rules.
- Clipper Yacht Harbor. Rate sheets.
- Westpoint Harbor. Vendor information.
- Westpoint Harbor. Independent Contractor Agreement (2012).
- Westpoint Harbor. Rules, Regulations and BMPs (2022) (2022).
- Westpoint Harbor. Fee schedule (effective January 1, 2026) (January 1, 2026).
- KKMI (Keefe Kaplan Maritime). Independent Contractor Agreement 2017 (2017).
- KKMI (Keefe Kaplan Maritime). Contractor & Customer Rules.
- KKMI (Keefe Kaplan Maritime). Sample certificate of insurance.
- Brickyard Cove Marina. Approved Contractor Form (2018).
- Brickyard Cove Marina. General Rules & Regulations: Key Access Agreement (contractors) (2018).
- City of Berkeley. Berth Rental Application (includes welcome packet and BMC chapter 6.20).
- City of Berkeley. Selected Marina Fee Increases (Council item 19, January 27, 2026) (January 27, 2026).
- City of Berkeley. Annotated Agenda, City Council, January 27, 2026 (January 27, 2026).
- City of Sacramento. Sacramento Marina Best Management Practices.
- City of Sacramento. Sacramento Marina rates and requirements (effective January 1, 2026) (January 1, 2026).
- Delta Bay Marina. Marina rules.