A Harwich harbormaster mooring permit is issued by the town’s Harbormaster Department at 715 Route 28 in Harwich Port, and every vessel occupying a mooring or slip in Saquatucket, Wychmere, or Allen Harbor must hold a current one.1Harwich, MA – Official Website. Harbormaster Space is limited, so most new applicants join a waiting list first. Existing permit holders keep their spot by paying the annual fee by April 1 and by keeping their mooring tackle inspected on the town’s two-year cycle.
How To Apply
You’ll need a current Massachusetts boat registration, or a U.S. Coast Guard documentation certificate if your vessel is federally documented. The application also asks for exact dimensions: length overall, beam width, and maximum draft. The department uses those numbers to confirm your boat fits the assigned footprint without crowding neighbors.
Harwich residents and property taxpayers pay a lower rate. To get the resident price, bring proof of residency or a town property tax bill when you apply. Forms are available at the harbor office in Saquatucket or through the town’s website, and Harwich also runs an online mooring management system that accepts applications and renewals electronically. Walk-in paper submissions are still accepted at the harbor office.1Harwich, MA – Official Website. Harbormaster
Expect a Waiting List
Demand in Harwich consistently outstrips supply. When no space is available, the department places you on a prioritized waiting list. Separate lists exist for different categories, including recreational slips of various sizes and moorings at each of the three harbors. The town publishes updated wait lists on its website; as of April 2026, lists were posted for recreational slips and for moorings at Allen Harbor, Wychmere Harbor, and Saquatucket Harbor.2Harwich, MA – Official Website. Harwich Wait Lists Spots open only when someone surrenders a permit or fails to renew, so movement can be slow and unpredictable.
The April 1 Renewal Deadline
Once you hold a permit, the single date to remember is April 1. The town’s Harbor Management Plan states that failure to pay the required mooring permit fee by April 1 results in immediate forfeiture of your mooring. A forfeited mooring goes back into circulation for the waiting list, and getting it back means starting over at the bottom.
After your payment is processed, you’ll receive a decal that must be visibly displayed on your vessel. Boats without a current decal are subject to enforcement action by the Harbormaster’s office.
Mooring Tackle and Biennial Inspections
Your mooring hardware has to meet specifications matched to your vessel’s size and displacement, including properly rated chains, anchors, and pennants. Harwich requires an inspection every two years on an alternating cycle: odd-numbered moorings are hauled and inspected in odd years, even-numbered moorings in even years. Only authorized servicing agents can perform the inspection, and the Harbormaster’s office maintains the list of approved contractors. A lapsed inspection puts your permit at risk, so it’s worth knowing which cycle year your mooring falls in.
The Boat Excise Bill Is Separate but Related
If your vessel is habitually moored or docked in Harwich, you also owe an annual boat excise tax to the town. Massachusetts sets the rate at $10 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation, billed each July 1. The valuation depends on the vessel’s age and original price, declining over time on a depreciation schedule. The tax collector’s office handles the excise bill, not the Harbormaster, but an unpaid excise can create problems when you go to renew your mooring or slip permit.
Rules That Come With the Mooring
Harwich’s coastal waters have been a designated No Discharge Zone since 1998, and all of Massachusetts’ waters have carried that designation since 2014. Discharging sewage from a vessel anywhere in Harwich waters is illegal.3Mass.gov. History of No Discharge Zones (NDZs) in Massachusetts To support that rule, the Harbormaster operates a free pump-out boat and maintains land-based stations. Hail the pump-out boat on VHF channel 68. At Saquatucket, service runs daily from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. At Allen and Wychmere, service is available by appointment daily between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.4Three Harbors. Harwich Pumpout Facilities
The harbors also enforce no-wake zones in congested areas near docks and channels, a standard practice throughout Cape Cod harbors designed to prevent wave damage to moored vessels.
Contacting the Harbormaster
The Harbormaster’s office is at 715 Route 28, Harwich Port, MA 02646, reachable at 508-430-7532. For current fee schedules, wait list positions, and downloadable application forms, the town’s website is the most reliable starting point.1Harwich, MA – Official Website. Harbormaster