Abstract An overview of the theory and parameterization of the wave boundary layer (WBL), which is central to small-scale ocean-atmosphere dynamical interactions, is presented. Surface boundary conditions and the form for the local tangential law are then suggested. The corresponding structure of the WBL above a wave field is illustrated using the JONSWAP spectrum as an example. An analytical model of the stationary boundary layer is constructed. It is shown that close to the surface the wind speed profile is nonlogarithmic, and the mean shear stress is not a quadratic function of wind speed. The roughness parameter has its sense only outside of the WBL. The partitioning of momentum flux between turbulence and wave-induced motions is strongly dependent on the assumed upper frequency bound for the wave spectrum. Finally, an algorithm for the parameterization of the WBL in coupled atmosphere-ocean and atmosphere-wave models is suggested.