Harbor Policies

The discharge of untreated sewage, gray water, or any waste containing human waste into the waters of the Santa Barbara Harbor is strictly prohibited under federal law (33 USC 1322), California state law (Harbors and Navigation Code Section 775.5), and City of Santa Barbara Municipal Code. Violations are subject to federal and state penalties in addition to immediate assignment termination. All vessels with installed marine sanitation devices (MSDs) must operate in the "no-discharge" mode while moored in the harbor. Type I and Type II MSD-equipped vessels must have their Y-valve secured in the closed position and tagged with a visual tamper-evident device, available at no charge from the Harbor Office. Type III MSDs (holding tanks) must be pumped out at designated pump-out stations. Sewage pump-out stations are located at the end of A Dock and at the Harbor Services building. Pump-out services are available 7 days per week from 0700 to 1700. Liveaboard permit holders are required to demonstrate pump-out service utilization no less than once per month; Harbor Patrol may request pump-out logs during scheduled liveaboard inspections. Soap, detergent, and gray water discharge onto dock surfaces or into the harbor is also prohibited. Vessel washing must be conducted using harbor-approved biodegradable products only. Hazardous material spills including fuel, oil, and bilge water must be reported immediately to Harbor Patrol at (805) 564-5531.

Commercial fishing vessels assigned to the Santa Barbara Harbor are subject to all standard slip assignment requirements and are additionally governed by this supplemental policy. Commercial fishing designations are assigned at the time of application and are based on the vessel's documented commercial fishing license status with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Commercial vessels are assigned to designated commercial fishing areas within the harbor, currently located primarily on D Dock and along the commercial fishing piers adjacent to Stearns Wharf. Assignment to commercial areas is subject to vessel length, beam, and operational requirements. Commercial tenants may not be reassigned to recreational slip areas without approval from the Waterfront Director. Gear storage, ice equipment, and commercial fishing apparatus must be maintained within the vessel's assigned slip area. Storage of gear on public walkways, pier surfaces, or in unassigned areas is prohibited and subject to removal at owner expense after 24-hour notice. Commercial tenants are permitted to conduct limited vessel provisioning and gear staging on the slip-adjacent walkway for up to 4 hours per operational day. Commercial fishing vessels must maintain a valid Commercial Fishing Vessel (CFV) registration with the CDFW, a valid USCG documented vessel certificate, and carry P&I coverage of no less than $500,000. Annual lease agreements for commercial slips are subject to separate commercial rate schedules and are non-sublettable.

Any tenant residing aboard a vessel in the Santa Barbara Harbor must obtain and maintain a valid Liveaboard Permit from the Waterfront Department. Permits are issued annually and require proof of vessel seaworthiness, valid liability insurance of no less than $300,000, and a passed bilge inspection by Harbor Patrol. Liveaboard vessels are limited to a maximum of two adults and two minor dependents as permanent residents. Guests may stay aboard for no more than 14 consecutive nights in any 30-day period. Tenants must maintain a shore-side mailing address on file with the Harbor Office. All liveaboard permit holders are subject to quarterly inspections by Harbor Patrol verifying compliance with fire safety, electrical safety, and sewage containment requirements. Failure to pass inspection results in a 30-day cure period; continued non-compliance may result in permit revocation and assignment termination. Annual liveaboard permits are subject to a $143.00 per month surcharge applied to the base slip rent, consistent with the Waterfront Department fee schedule effective July 1, 2025.

RLS two-marina smoke-test fixture policy.

Slip assignments are non-transferable without prior written approval from the Waterfront Director. Tenants wishing to transfer their assignment to another party must submit a Transfer Request Form at least 30 days in advance of the proposed transfer date. Transfer requests are subject to the transfer fee schedule in effect at the time of transfer, which ranges from $125 for 20-foot slips to $925 for slips 60 feet and above. Subleasing or subletting of assigned slips is strictly prohibited. A tenant who vacates their vessel for more than 90 consecutive days without an approved absence agreement on file may have their assignment reclassified as abandoned, triggering a 30-day notice and potential reassignment to the waitlist. Approved transfers do not reset the tenant's position on any active waitlist applications. Transfer fees are non-refundable once a transfer has been approved and processed. The Harbor Office reserves the right to deny transfer requests if the proposed assignee does not meet current tenant eligibility requirements. In the event of the death of a primary leaseholder, the Harbor Office will work with the estate to identify an eligible successor leaseholder, subject to a reduced transfer fee of 50% of the standard rate.

Transient moorage is available at designated visitor slips within the Santa Barbara Harbor on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to slip availability. Vessels may occupy a transient slip for a maximum of 15 consecutive days in any 30-day period. Daily rates are assessed per the current FY2026 transient fee schedule. Visitor vessels that remain beyond the initial 15-day period without authorization are subject to rerate billing at 2.0 times the standard daily rate for each day of overstay, consistent with the visitor_rerate_day and visitor_rerate_multiplier system configuration. Harbor Patrol may issue administrative notices after Day 10 to provide advance warning. Transient moorage reservations may be made up to 90 days in advance via the Harbor Office or online reservation portal. Reservations require a credit card on file and are subject to a 24-hour cancellation policy. No-shows forfeit the first night's moorage fee. Note: When an active NOAA Small Craft Advisory or Hazardous Seas Advisory is in effect for Zone PZZ673 (Santa Barbara Channel), the Day-15 rerate is automatically suppressed by the HarborMaster AI system. Vessels sheltering in place during an advisory will not be charged the overstay rerate for the duration of the advisory period.

The Santa Barbara Harbor participates in the NOAA National Weather Service Coastal Marine Zone forecast system. The Harbor Office monitors Zone PZZ673 (Santa Barbara Channel) for active Small Craft Advisories, Gale Warnings, Storm Warnings, and Hazardous Seas Advisories. HarborMaster AI automatically checks advisory status and updates billing and operational records accordingly. When a Small Craft Advisory or higher is issued for Zone PZZ673, Harbor Patrol will conduct a security sweep of all docks to verify proper mooring and identify vessels in distress. Tenants are strongly encouraged to add a second set of dock lines and check chafe gear. Vessels moored with single-line configurations during a gale warning may be re-tied by Harbor Patrol at owner expense. During an active advisory, the visitor overstay rerate (see Visitor and Transient Moorage Rules) is automatically suppressed system-wide. Transient vessels sheltering in place are not subject to rate escalation while a warning is in effect. Normal billing resumes automatically upon advisory expiration. In the event of a harbor-wide emergency or extreme weather event (Force 8 or above), the Harbormaster may order the temporary evacuation of specific dock areas. Tenants who cannot be reached via contact information on file may have their vessels moved by authorized Harbor personnel to ensure safety. Emergency relocation costs are borne by the City during declared weather emergencies.

All vessels assigned a permanent or temporary slip in the Santa Barbara Harbor must carry current marine liability insurance with a minimum coverage of $300,000 per occurrence. Vessels over 40 feet in length are additionally required to carry hull and machinery coverage with a minimum insured value of 80% of current market value. Proof of insurance must be submitted to the Harbor Office at the time of initial assignment and upon each annual renewal. The City of Santa Barbara Waterfront Department must be named as an additional interested party on all policies. Certificates of insurance must be issued by a carrier licensed to do business in the State of California. Insurance that lapses, is cancelled, or falls below the required minimums must be reported to the Harbor Office within 48 hours. Tenants have 14 days to restore coverage. Vessels operating without valid insurance may be placed on administrative hold, suspending harbor services until compliance is restored. Commercial fishing vessels are additionally required to carry P&I (Protection and Indemnity) coverage of no less than $500,000 and must maintain valid USCG documentation.

All vessels assigned to the Santa Barbara Harbor must be maintained in a seaworthy, operable, and aesthetically acceptable condition at all times. Vessels that are sinking, listing more than 10 degrees, or in obvious states of disrepair may be subject to immediate removal at owner expense. The following equipment is required aboard all vessels at all times: at least one USCG-approved Type I, II, or III personal flotation device per person aboard; at minimum one USCG-approved Type B-I fire extinguisher (vessels over 26 feet require two); a functioning bilge pump with automatic switch; and current USCG registration or documentation numbers displayed per federal requirements. Bottom paint and anti-fouling maintenance are the responsibility of the vessel owner. Vessels that have not been hauled for bottom work within the past 24 months may be required by the Harbor Office to demonstrate seacock condition and through-hull integrity. Pressure washing of hulls within the harbor is prohibited; all hull cleaning must be performed at approved out-of-water facilities. Vessels with inoperable engines, non-functioning running lights, or missing required safety equipment are considered non-compliant. Harbor Patrol may tag non-compliant vessels with a 30-day cure notice. Failure to remedy deficiencies may result in assignment suspension.

Visitor slip fees are calculated from the configured per-foot nightly rate and nightly minimum. Visitors pay up front at check-in when the marina is configured for check-in billing. Extended-stay rerates begin on the configured rerate day unless suppressed by an active NOAA advisory.

Visitors may stay up to 28 nights. MUST VACATE begins on day 29. Overstays remain subject to staff review and checkout settlement. Any overstay penalty is discretionary: staff may apply, override, or waive it based on the circumstances. Returning within 5 days of checkout is flagged for staff review rather than automatically blocked.