Slip Waiting List

The Santa Barbara Waterfront Department manages the assignment of harbor slip permits through a waiting list process established by the Santa Barbara Municipal Code. The program is designed to provide fair and transparent access to harbor slips while supporting the Harbor's primary purpose of providing in-water storage for recreational and commercial vessels actively used for their intended purpose.

Because demand for slips exceeds availability, eligible applicants may obtain a position on the applicable Slip Permit Waiting List through the annual lottery process described below.

The City recently adopted updates to the Harbor's Slip Waiting List program. Under the former system, applicants were placed on a waiting list based on the date their application was received and could remain on the list indefinitely. Under the new system, eligible applicants participate in an annual lottery to establish the order of the Waiting List.

Applicants selected through the lottery are ranked in the order drawn and become eligible to receive slip offers during the upcoming year as slips become available. Placement on the Waiting List does not guarantee assignment of a slip, but provides an opportunity to receive a slip offer based on an applicant's position on the list.

To keep the Waiting List current and reflective of existing demand, the list remains active for one year and is replaced annually through a new lottery drawing conducted at a public Harbor Commission meeting. Applicants who are not selected for a slip may apply again during future lottery cycles.

Each year, the Waterfront Department conducts an annual lottery to establish the Harbor's Slip Permit Waiting Lists. Information regarding the upcoming lottery, including application dates and deadlines, is announced at the regular October Harbor Commission meeting.

Following the application period, a public lottery drawing is conducted at the regular November Harbor Commission meeting. Applicants selected through the lottery are ranked in the order drawn and become eligible for placement on the applicable Waiting List. The Waiting List remains active for one year and is replaced annually through a new lottery drawing.

The size of each annual Waiting List is determined in accordance with SBMC Section 17.20.005 and consists of either ten (10) applicants or twice the number of slips assigned from the Waiting List during the previous year, whichever is greater.

How the Process Works

Step 1 – Submit an Application
Applications are accepted during the annual application period announced by the Waterfront Department at the regular October Harbor Commission meeting.

Step 2 – Lottery Drawing
After the application period closes, a public lottery drawing is conducted at the regular November Harbor Commission meeting. The annual Waiting List will be comprised of either ten (10) applicants or twice the number of slips assigned from the Waiting List during the previous year, whichever is greater. Applicants selected through the lottery are ranked in the order drawn.

(Example: If six (6) slips were assigned from the Waiting List during the previous year, twelve (12) applicants would be selected through the lottery and placed on the Waiting List. If four (4) or fewer slips were assigned, ten (10) applicants would be selected, as the minimum Waiting List size is ten applicants.)

Step 3 – Confirm Placement
Selected applicants will receive written notification from the Waterfront Department. To secure placement on the Waiting List, applicants must:

• Submit the required forms; 
• Pay the applicable Waiting List Placement Fee; and 
• Respond within thirty (30) days of notification. 

Applicants who do not complete these requirements within the required timeframe forfeit their lottery position.

Step 4 – Slip Assignment
When a slip becomes available, it is offered to the highest-ranked eligible applicant on the Waiting List. Applicants have fourteen (14) days to accept or decline the offer. Declining a slip offer does not affect an applicant's position on the Waiting List. An applicant who accepts a slip offer must pay the applicable Waiting List Assignment Fee before a slip permit will be issued.

To be eligible for placement on a Slip Permit Waiting List, an applicant may not:

• Be currently named on a Santa Barbara Harbor Slip Permit; or 
• Be married to, or in a registered domestic partnership with, a current Santa Barbara Harbor Slip Permit holder. 

Applicants are responsible for providing complete and accurate information throughout the application process. Eligibility requirements must be met at the time of application, at the time an applicant is placed on the Waiting List, and at the time a slip assignment is offered.

Applicants must promptly notify the Waterfront Department of any changes that may affect their eligibility, including changes in permit status, marital status, or domestic partnership status.

The Waterfront Department reserves the right to verify eligibility information and request supporting documentation as necessary. Applicants who do not meet the eligibility requirements, fail to maintain eligibility, or provide false, misleading, or incomplete information may be removed from the Waiting List or have a slip assignment offer withdrawn.

Applicants are responsible for maintaining current mailing and contact information with the Waterfront Department. Failure to receive notices due to outdated contact information does not extend application or response deadlines.

Please note that under SBMC Section 17.20.005.I, a slip permit obtained through misrepresentation or failure to comply with applicable Waiting List requirements may be subject to revocation or termination.

When a slip becomes available, the Waterfront Department offers the slip to the highest-ranked eligible applicant on the Waiting List.

Important: Slip Permits assigned through the Waiting List process are non-transferable pursuant to SBMC Section 17.20.005(C)(3)(c). Applicants should carefully consider this requirement before accepting a slip assignment offer. A permit issued through the Waiting List is issued solely to the applicant who accepts the assignment and may not be transferred, sold, assigned, gifted, conveyed, or otherwise reassigned to another person or entity. Additional permittees may not be added for the purpose of transferring or conveying rights to the permit. 

Can I transfer, sell, or give my waiting-list slip to someone else?
No. Slip permits assigned through the Waiting List process are non-transferable and may not be transferred, sold, or assigned to another individual or entity. 

What happens if I no longer want the slip?
The permit must be relinquished to the Waterfront Department, and the slip will be reassigned in accordance with the City's Slip Assignment Policy.

Applicants receiving a slip assignment offer must respond within fourteen (14) days of the mailing date of the offer. Failure to respond within the required timeframe will be considered a declined offer. Declining an offer does not affect an applicant's position on the Waiting List.

Applicants who accept a slip assignment offer must pay the applicable Waiting List Assignment Fee and comply with all applicable Harbor regulations before a slip permit will be issued.

Applicants selected for placement on a Waiting List are required to pay a $100 Waitlist Placement Fee within the required timeframe to secure their position on the Waiting List.

Applicants who accept a slip assignment offer are required to pay a $100 Waitlist Assignment Fee during the issuance of a slip permit.

In addition to the Waitlist Placement Fee and Waitlist Assignment Fee, applicants who accept a slip assignment and are issued a slip permit will be required to pay a one-time security deposit (equal to twice the monthly fee), as well as ongoing monthly slip fees and any applicable electrical service charges associated with the assigned slip.

Current rates, fees, deposits, and charges are established by City Council resolution and are subject to change. Please refer to the Waterfront Department's current fee schedule for additional information: Waterfront Rates and Fees Schedule

Applications are accepted only during the annual application period established by the Waterfront Department. During open enrollment periods, applicants may submit a Waiting List Lottery Application using the link below.

Apply for the Slip Waiting List

Applications for the 2027 Slip Permit Waiting List Lottery are accepted from October 15, 2026, through November 5, 2026.

The lottery drawing is scheduled to occur at the regular November Harbor Commission meeting. Applicants selected through the lottery will be ranked in the order drawn and notified by the Waterfront Department in accordance with SBMC Section 17.20.005. The annual Waiting List will consist of either ten (10) applicants or twice the number of slips assigned from the Waiting List during the previous year, whichever is greater. 

For Harbor Commission meeting dates, agendas, and related information, please visit the Harbor Commission webpage. The Harbor Commission meets on the third Thursday of each month.