USA - Documents
On Entry to the USA:
The CBP officer may require the production of any documents or papers deemed necessary for the proper inspection/examination of the vessel, cargo, passenger, or crew.
Cruising Licence:
When a foreign-flagged vessel first arrives in the U.S. it will have to file a CBP-1300 (Vessel Entrance or Clearance Statement) within 48 hours and pay the applicable fees. At that time, the master of the vessel may apply for a cruising license. Foreign boats can now obtain their cruising licenses digitally via ROAM, rather than having to make a special visit to a CBP office. The SSCA have worked with CBPOne to produce this very useful demonstration video showing the exact procedure to follow when using the updated version of ROAM
Certain countries are eligible for a cruising license (see below), which exempts them from having to clear in and out at any subsequent US port once official entry has been made. This exemption, however, may not apply everywhere and it would be wise to obtain additional written proof of the current requirements at the point of entry.
Note, that even with a Cruising Licence, you still need to check in and check out of each port you visit, either using the ROAM app, or by phone. Tel: 1-800-432-1216.
The license is valid for up to one year. After expiry, another license may only be issued after the vessel has left for a foreign port and returned from a foreign port at least 15 days since the previous license expired. If wishing to leave the US and return within less than one year plus 15 days, be sure to request your cruising license be issued for only the period you plan to be in the US. Cruising outside of U.S. waters while your cruising license is still in effect does NOT fulfill the 15-day requirement.
The countries to which this applies are Argentina, Anguilla, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Honduras, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts and Nevis, Turks and Caicos, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey. This list is subject to change and it includes countries with which the USA has reciprocal arrangements.
It appears that officials interpret the rules differently in different states and it may be possible in some states to renew the cruising license without leaving the country. It is reported that in Florida officials will require a yacht to leave the country for the 15 days minimum period before being able to renew.
According to the official CBP website, sequential cruising licenses can be issued to US residents sailing a foreign-flagged boat if it was made in the U.S. or if duty has been paid on its importation.
Vessels are not required to obtain a cruising license, but foreign-flagged yachts without cruising licenses must file an additional CBP-1300 for each time the vessel changes ports and must clear in and out of each port. There is an additional filing fee for each CBP-1300 (approx. $20). This includes each arrival into the USA, departing from the USA to a foreign port, and ANY movement within the USA.
Note that if arriving in the US directly from Cuba, you may well be denied a cruising license. This happened to several foreign cruising boats in 2012 when arriving from Cuba and clearing into Key West.
If denied a cruising permit, it is recommended to try another Immigration office. Worth the effort as it’s likely officials will give you the option of leaving the USA or getting “Permission to move” at each port ($36 per move).
It seems that although the rules are there, the application is haphazard.
CBP Decals:
All U.S. boats 30 feet (9m) in length or over must have a DTOPS current decal. The decal number is needed in order to complete your vessel profile when clearing into the country with ROAM.
Decals can now be bought online, at the official website for the Department of Homeland Security. The decal has to be delivered to a physical address, but while you are waiting for it, you can use the receipt number from the payment site to complete the ROAM vessel profile and/or clear into the country.
Once purchased, decals are valid for 12 months.
NOTE: Foreign-flagged yachts issued with a Cruising License do not require a Decal. This is a requirement for US vessels only.
Fishing Licenses:
Licenses are required for fishing in nearly every state and are subject to local State jurisdiction. See this website for individual licensing requirements in each state. There are daily, seasonal, and annual catch limits described in the regulations for each area. There are also restrictions in some national parks and protected wildlife areas.
Licenses are available through most marine service outlets, fuel docks, sporting goods and hardware stores. A special Alaska Fish and Game License is required for fishing in National Parks such as Misty Fiords and Glacier Bay.
EPIRB Requirement:
The US authorities require that all vessels intending to make offshore passages to have 406 MHz EPIRBs on board, and must have these registered and be able to show proof of such registration. Those who do not comply must register their EPIRB on arrival.
Boat Registration Documents:
All yachts must carry their original registration documents. This is international maritime law.
For US yachts, the USCG offers emailed certified copies of your documentation certificates for a fee, if you cannot get your original forwarded to you before the old one expires.
A useful link is the USCG Vessel Documentation Center
A recent update now extends the USCG registration renewal period to 5 years instead of the annual renewal previously necessary. Also, an electronic form of the registration is acceptable (in US waters).
Another useful link is A Boater’s Guide to Federal Regulations for Recreational Vessels
Enforcement Irregularities:
Enforcement of individual rules, documentation, and registrations may be uneven around the countries. Often (at least in the East Coast), yachts that are laid up or in a boatyard will be ignored. However, the moment they are afloat – whether at a dock, moored, or anchored – they are subject to scrutiny by local and federal patrols.
Last updated: December 2022
If you have information for this section, or feedback on businesses used, please let us know at editor@noonsite.com. We also welcome new information about businesses you have used (see Related Businesses).
Next Section: Formalities: Fees
Related to following destinations: USA
Country Navigation
Courtesy Flag Discounts
YachtFlags.com provides high quality courtesy flags that are manufactured in durable Knitted Polyester fabric. Knitted so that the fabric itself does not deteriorate in the constant movement that marine flags are usually exposed to, and polyester so that the flag does not weaken in the strong UV-light usually found in the main sailing areas of the world.
YachtFlags.com offers a discount to Noonsite members.
Use the coupon code NOONSITE_5A2B when checking out to get 10% off today.
Buy Now On YachtFlags.comMain Ports - USA
Courtesy Flag Discounts
YachtFlags.com provides high quality courtesy flags that are manufactured in durable Knitted Polyester fabric. Knitted so that the fabric itself does not deteriorate in the constant movement that marine flags are usually exposed to, and polyester so that the flag does not weaken in the strong UV-light usually found in the main sailing areas of the world.
YachtFlags.com offers a discount to Noonsite members.
Use the coupon code NOONSITE_5A2B when checking out to get 10% off today.
Buy Now On YachtFlags.comFormalities
Courtesy Flag Discounts
YachtFlags.com provides high quality courtesy flags that are manufactured in durable Knitted Polyester fabric. Knitted so that the fabric itself does not deteriorate in the constant movement that marine flags are usually exposed to, and polyester so that the flag does not weaken in the strong UV-light usually found in the main sailing areas of the world.
YachtFlags.com offers a discount to Noonsite members.
Use the coupon code NOONSITE_5A2B when checking out to get 10% off today.
Buy Now On YachtFlags.com
Reported by S/Y Shimshal:
I just wanted to alert you to an issue we have just been confronted with. We are a U.K. flagged vessel and obtained our cruising permit from US customs and border protection via the ROAM app when we entered the USA in June at Eastport in Maine. We have cruised without any issues until today when, tied up in a marina in Charleston, we were approached by two customs officials who issued us with a notice of violation as we had not reported to Customs on our arrival in Charleston. When our cruising permit was issued we specifically asked if we had to report at each location and were told that was not necessary.
Apparently, we are meant to check in with ROAM every time we go into a new port if we are a non-US flagged boat. The ROAM app does have an option for doing so after having entered the USA. We’ve now found the option!
We just hadn’t realised we still needed to do it each time we went to the next port. It’s also possible to phone in at each port. So we were probably misled in Eastport by the customs there that we would not need to report at each port and also hadn’t heard anyone tell us it was necessary – until now!!
So that should clarify the situation – just keep reporting on ROAM as you cruise the US if you are non-US flagged. It’s not sufficient to have the cruising permit.
We live and learn!
Sally Currin
S/Y Shimshal
Ocean Cruising Club
I am a British and New Zealand passport holder about to buy a USA registered yacht in Florida. I have seen on this web site that the advice is one can not enter the USA by plane under the visa waiver programme and then depart the country on a yacht. The advice suggests getting a B1B2 visa (which I can’t at the moment because the Auckland Consulate is closed due to Covid restrictions in NZ). Elsewhere on a Noonsite thread, it seems to have been reported that entering on a visa waiver programme by plane and then departing by yacht has been done legally. Any one with advice or experience?
Hi Nigel, I believe that this family did this last year, I’m sure they will be happy to tell you about their experience. We crossed the Atlantic with them https://sailingmirabella.com/
According to US Federal regulations whenever you depart the United States (U.S.) by pleasure boat/small vessel to a foreign country, you must obtain clearance with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) before departing. If you were issued a cruising license to cruise the U.S. territorial waters, you must clear your departure with CBP before proceeding to a foreign location.
Having sailed from the U.K. in 2017, we sold our boat in French Polynesia and bought another one that was on the hard in Anacortes, Washington State.
On the 12th August we’d had the MMSI reprogrammed with the new yacht name and MMSI number, now British registered.
On the 14th August 2021 we launched the boat and we’re on the boatyard dock preparing to leave and cruise around the area before heading south. We usually check Noonsite for information relating to the area we are in but as we’d only just gone into the water we hadn’t.
Whilst on the dock the boatyard manager came and told us he’d had a visit about our boat. The man who came to see him was ( a boat pilot) living in Anacortes who had seen our AIS appear as a foreign flagged vessel. He had said we needed to carry a pilot on board or apply for an exemption whilst we were sailing in Washington State waters. He left the exemption application form. We’d not heard of this rule so Allen then went to the Customs and Border Protection office to obtain our cruising permit, we knew we needed this as we’d sailed the East coast of the USA in 2018. They had never heard about foreign flagged vessels requiring a pilot or about the application to apply for an exemption.
He went to Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes and asked the harbour master if he’d heard of it, he hadn’t.
To apply for an exemption as we are over 50ft the fee was $700 and you need to apply 30 days in advance of entering Washington State. It also said that payment could only be made by cheque. Two of these things we definitely couldn’t do!
Allen rang the phone number on the paperwork, the Board of Pilotage Commissioners and left a message on a voicemail.
The next day we hadn’t received a call back, so I rang and left another message. I then called the pilot who had left his card with the boatyard manager, he explained that he had just moved to Anacortes and wanted to give us the heads up, if we were found to be without a pilot or an exemption then we would have serious questions to answer. He said it would only cost $50 to apply for an exemption, we are over 50ft so it would have cost $700 and we had no means of making payment as they only accept US cheques.
I received a call back from the Board of Pilot Commissioners and a similar conversation ensued as with the local pilot. In addition to the information he gave me she said that if we applied for an exemption today then the committee was meeting on following Tuesday and they could hear our application. I said that wouldn’t help as we were leaving on Sunday and also that we had no means to pay for the application. She explained that as we had no experience in Washington waters then our application would probably be refused and our $700 lost! We asked how much it would cost to hire a pilot, about the same price, (presumably to take us directly out of the area), she said the pilot would leave our vessel at Port Angeles. I said that the boat is our home and we really don’t want someone else onboard when we are more than competent in piloting her ourselves. We also didn’t want anyone because we are still in the middle of a pandemic and trying to restrict our contact with people. I asked if it’s only foreign flagged vessels then how do foreigners pay the fee, as any foreign flagged cruiser wouldn’t have a U.S bank account. She said, we don’t get many cruisers with foreign flagged vessels coming to WA and that the pilot who reported our vessel to them was new. She then admitted that it was really aimed at the large cruise ships and chartered motor vessels that come to the area and they are owned by companies who have the means to write US cheques. But we still fall within the category of a foreign flagged vessel. Canadian vessels are exempt because they have a reciprocal agreement with Canada.
I told her that we knew of a number of US citizens who live in other states , buy boats, sail them around this area without any knowledge of how to handle a boat or the area but because they are American they can cruise around. If you are trying to protect the waters , which was the claim for the reason we needed to take a pilot on board then surely the best thing would be that anyone taking a boat out would need to have some form of training to skipper a boat. Nothing about this rule made any sense, it would seem that we were caught up in a rule that really shouldn’t apply to us.
She thought about things for a bit and then said, it is a Washington State Rule ( not a law) , as an organisation we have no teeth and we don’t have boats that would come out and slap a ticket on your vessel. She then said “ I didn’t say this, but if I was you, I’d just leave” We explained we were planning a couple of stops on the way out and she said that we MAY get asked about it by another local pilot but that the other pilot was a bit over cautious. She also said they are going to be looking at the rules again very soon, I wasn’t sure if she meant in regards to our predicament. I think the lady I spoke to understood what I meant when I explained about our sailing experience.
We then switched off our AIS transmitter and left our British ensign wrapped up and proceeded to leave Washington State! Such a shame because it’s a beautiful place and the people were lovely. We met quite a few boat US boat owners who said they’d never heard of the ruling.
We really don’t like to ignore rules in other countries even with a little bit of an “off the record” OK from someone at the Board of Pilotage Commissioners. However we really couldn’t see a way around this. Apply for an exemption, don’t get it, lose your money and have to take and pay for a pilot on your boat anyway.
Having spent five days on the dock in Anacortes and eight days getting out to Neah Bay I can assure you that safe navigation or protecting the ecosystem is not a priority to many of the US flagged yachts that we encountered. A couple of things we saw were sailing and motor vessels under 20 metres in the TSS, motoring up it in the wrong direction. Numerous times we were nearly run out of a channel due to US flagged vessels not understanding the “rules of the road” and that’s not including the speeds they were travelling. The amount of oil and fuel pollution from US flagged motor vessels was quite astounding. I don’t see how a small cruising yacht with experienced RYA cruisers on board would need to take a pilot when a US Citizen who bought their vessel last week and has no experience can cruise around unaware of the waters they are cruising in. Hopefully the rules will be reviewed and common sense will prevail.
Posted on behalf of Bruce Wacker:
I’m not sure where this should go, but I don’t recall seeing anything about US Medicare on noonsite. It has some wrinkles that cruisers should be aware of.
Medicare has part A which is prepaid by deductions throughout one’s working life. It covers hospitalization which does not include emergency room, doctors, labs, etc. Part B covers most of the balance at, currently, about $150/month. Neither has any coverage outside the USA.
When I started traveling extensively out of the country in 2012 I canceled my part B to save the premium for insurance I couldn’t use and have been self-insuring for those costs. Now that I’m back in the USA I want to get part B. It can be rolled into a commercial Advantage Plan which gets funding from Medicare A and B with some additional premiums for more complete and customizable coverage. However, one can only apply for part B January 1st through March 31st for activation on July 1st.This I suspected. What I didn’t know is that when part B is reinstated the premium is increased by 10% for each 12 month period one has not had part B. For me that means 100% or double the premium (around $300) for as long as I have part B.
Further Update from CBP:
The ROAM App will now be replaced by the ONE App in early 2022.
CBP ROAM has not yet transitioned its services to the CBP One™ mobile application. This transition was expected to occur in July 2021, but was postponed to late 2021, early 2022. New features will be released in August 2021 including applying for a cruising license and reporting domestic ports of call. Cruisers/boaters should continue to use CBP ROAM, and when transition takes place, all existing CBP ROAM users will continue to use their login.gov accounts to access ROAM features. However, this transition will require a one-time re-entry of master and traveler profile(s) and mode of travel information. Once entered, this information will be saved and stored into CBP One™ for subsequent use.
CBP have issued a SCAM Warning:[ https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/illinois-residents-receiving-calls-cbp-impersonators%5D Basically, people get a phone call ‘with caller ID indicating it’s the CBP Office in Chicago” with a ‘fake agent’ asking for payment immediately, taking bank information. Threatening immediate arrest! CBP does not ask for money over the phone.
Hi coming in from Mexico. 2 US citizens on UK reg boat. Heading for summer slip on Georgia. Best or worst places to check in? Will not be going on land. Except for fuel stops. Still OK to check in by phone?
About to finish a three year trip in my RV from the states down to Argentina. I was thinking of trading or selling my RV and getting a sailboat. I can fix almost anything include fiberglass and engines. I’m looking for advice on the type of boat I should look for and where to find a good one. Not interested in returning to the states for a while. Was thinking about heading to Philippines or somewhere else in Asia, find a boat, and figure out how to sail for a while before starting to travel. Not picky where I go. Any information like good international websites to find a boat is appreciated. I get this may sound crazy. I’m not looking for reasons not to do it, I’m looking for guidance because I’m going to do this. Thanks
Hi Cameron,
Our cruising information pages are still being migrated from the old site, but this would be a good place to start finding out information. I suggest you try one of the active cruisers forums like:
Cruisers Forum
http://www.cruisersforum.com
I am sure you will get alot of advice there.
If you are not a sailor, it would be worthwhile learning to sail first – find a sailing school near you at https://asa.com/schools/usa/. Why go to the expense of buying a yacht if you don’t know if you like sailing and living on board a yacht?
Good luck.
Please remember that flood waters from Florence and now from Michael will have lifted tons of debris into the Waterway channels and submerged hazards can do serious damage to your vessel. See Waterway Guide for the latest updates – https://www.waterwayguide.com.
We arrived in Key West from Havana in June 2018. We had no problems at all. We had US Visas issued in London and obtained our US Cruising Permit in Culebra, Spanish Virgin Islands. Aware of some scuttlebut, I rang the CPB office in Key West before arriving in Cuba. The officer told me that as a British registered boat with British nationals onboard, they could not care less where we arrived from, so long as we met US entry requirements. We were not breaking any British laws by visiting Cuba, so the UA authorities were delighted to see us. They were very helpful, very cheerful and set the tone for an excellent stay in Key West.
Reported by Joan Conover (SSCA):
All Florida boatyards are full up with boat repairs..we cant find anyone to work on our boat (cutless bearing). Marathon Marina is open, they can haul us..but no one available to WORK on the boat except one yard which has a very iffy reputation. Same for Key West..and also here in West Palm Beach which we diverted to. We whined our way to getting our jib repaired using a sailmaker who Donna Lange is a close friend with..she is here and has given us ideas of who to ask for work.
LOTS of boats heading to the Med on freighters..and at least five large yachts jus scrubbed their winter season (didn’t know where to go…in the Caribbean) and SAT at the dock here in West Palm Beach. So the boats are either south near Grenada..docked in Florida/East Coast USA..or on freighters heading to the Med. The boats were just coming in and loading out of Crown Bay/IGY Marina in St. Thomas. Think it will be a big Med season coming up.
Of course the LOOP may be another cruising choice for boaters..or the Western Gulf of Mexico/Florida..depending on the storms this season.
Regarding Cruising Licences/Permits, specifically with regard to the cancelling/surrendering of one permit to enable a new one to be obtained when returning to the USA within the same twelve months, we had an enlightening conversation with the CPB Officer in St Augustine earlier this week; the key point being that whilst a Cruising Permit cannot exceed twelve months, it does not have to witten for a full twelve months; you can ask for a shorter period. We got one issued which is dated to expire in a little over eight months (when we know that we’ll be outside of the USA) and if we do then return here for the next hurricane season too, we will be eligible for a new one when we return. Apparently he issues many of these sub-twelve month licences to the Canadian yachts which spend each winter in the Bahamas and wish to return to the USA, on or around the same date each year, rather than have their ‘earliest return’ date pushed out by fifteen days each time
Posted on behalf of Andrew Smyth
I saw that some people had problems arriving in Key West from Havana. The best advice, which we followed, was to head on up to West Palm Beach and enter the US there. The customs and immigration have a big office which services the cruise liners close to the marinas. They weren’t the friendliest, but they didn’t question our arrival from Cuba.
Where to winter on board in Alaska – great article by SY Salty Kisses.
http://saltykisses.net/where-to-winter-on-board-in-alaska/
Info for any non-US sailors wishing to maximise their 12-month US cruising licence, we ‘surrendered’ the licence provided whilst cruising USVI’s, Spanish VI’s and Puerto Rico mainland (we surrendered at Mayaguez, west coast PR), sailed onto the Bahamas for a few weeks, then were able to obtain a fresh 12-month cruising licence on making landfall in Charleston, South Carolina. We were aware that award of the full 12-months licence is at the CBP Officers discretion, but we were never made to feel that the full 12-months was not likely. Interesting to note that in Charleston they were very aware that we’d surrendered our earlier licence in PR, so the computer tracking system certainly works.
And with regard to calling in to report change of location, we were initially told to do this whenever we change location of towns (one bay to the next was unnecessary), but after reporting assiduously through South Caroline, once in North Carolina we were told not to report until we reach the next State, and now on arrival in Virginia, were told the same – maybe once you’ve built up a track record of reporting, you’re no longer considered such a risk… Anyhow, we’ve never felt any less than fully welcomed wherever we’ve been so far
A ‘heads up’ for any ‘third country nationals’ planning on visiting the US (including Hawaii) from Mexico. I have just been through a protracted email exchange with the US Embassy in Mexico, trying to clarify the situation about me, as an Australian, applying for a B1/B2 visitor visa so that I could call in at Hawaii on my way home. The US State Department web site says that I CAN apply in Mexico. The US Embassy (Mexico) web site says that I CANNOT. Tho outcome of the email exchange is that the embassy insists that I becasue I am not resident in Mexico I cannot apply here, and it is therefore illegal for me to call at Hawaii. The embassy advised me to “apply in Australia”, even after I reminded them that I am already in Mexico. Sure, why not?
A little correction on the above. After sailed from Havana to Key West and called the toll free number in the US, we were kindly told that we were in violation of the US law. The Cruising License was cancelled by the Key West CBP officer in charge. All very friendly but not helpful. Obviously, we should have known that we might end up in trouble. We will need to leave the country and, upon entry of the US, reapply for the Cruising License. The main issue is that, for now, it is illegal to sail directly to and from Cuba to the USA. Key West station is strictly enforcing this particular law with NO leeway.
The above cruising boat is Dutch. We are currently waiting on an official reply from the authorities in Key West to clarify the exact rules re. cruising between Cuba and Key West.
We found the official process to clear into the US extremely easy and straightforward. We sailed into Ensenada Honda in Culebra Spanish Virgin Iands (part of Puerto Rico) and cleared at the airport. You have to call the toll free number first to register your arrival before you are allowed to come onshore and visit the CBP official. After the usual paperwork (US loves paperwork) we were issued a one year cruising permit for free and a six month period to remain in the US. For the latter we were charged USD 19. Although leaving US waters (visit to Cuba) there is no need to fill out new paperwork once we arrive in Key West. As for all foreign vessels we will need to call the toll free number of CBP in KW to notify our arrival. It is required to call in every time one arrives in a new CBP area. Toll free numbers on the CBP website. As said, all straightforward and quick.
A Summer Wilderness Cruise in Prince William Sound, Alaska.
Read this great report by SY Seal (August 2014) at SAIL Magazine.
http://www.sailmagazine.com/cruising-grounds/summer-wilderness-cruise-prince-william-sound
Posted on behalf of Ann Lange
This is for Canadian cruisers wanting to enter the U.S. from the Caribbean. We sailed up from Brazil – Trinidad – north through the Caribbean to BVI’s. We had no problems what so ever getting into the USVI’s, just the normal paper work. We asked if we could purchase a U.S. cruising permit in the USVI’s, the answer was no but we could obtain it in Puerto Rico. We sailed into San Juan without phoning or anything and once we found the Customs and Border Protection office on the south side of the main harbour they issued us a one year cruising permit. It cost us $37.00 USD in April of 2014, this allows us to cruise anywhere in the U.S. including any protectorates. We found this process very simple and easy compared with all the rumours we had heard.