CBP Sticker - Details and Questions

[MV Wanderlust]

Good Afternoon,

New-to-us boat. It has a small Customs and Border Protection Vessel ID sticker on the side. Obviously, that's for when we return to the US after a cruise. We do plan to cross to the Bahamas but not for a year or two. Does everyone else have one? Do you need it? What does it do for you? Can the number be transferred to me, as the new owner?

Sorry the image is sideways:


Thanks for any info.

John

[pcmm]

If you're not an American boat, Yes you need it and they are annually purchased.

[RickG]

It is a DTOPS sticker. You get a new one with a different number each year. You need to have one when you return to the US. If you don't have one, they will charge you the $27.50 and issue you the sticker. To be honest, you don't need the sticker, just the number. We just buy a new one each year to reduce hassle.

Cheers, RickG

[a64pilot]

That one is expired, so no worry about transferral.
It’s real easy to get one online, and you get a code when you purchase it, and that code is good until the sticker arrives.
I’d wait until a month or two before you go.
I flew back from the Bahamas without one and cleared into FT pierce with the intent of buying one, they got sort of nasty about it, but sold me one of course, that was years ago.

In theory now if you have the sticker and the App, you don’t have to go clear in, just call them on the App and I’m sure give them the sticker number.

App is CBPRoam

[sailorboy1]

I had one couple of years ago when I came back from Bahamas . It was unless and I still had to go local office office and check in

[Mirage35]

As I understand it, it's simply a proof that you've paid the CBP annual service charge.

[john61ct]

And a unique key for your row of data in their tracking systems

[Captain Bill]

You only need it if you are coming back into the US from overseas. If you are not coming back this year you don't need one this year. The gotcha to watch out for is if you are leaving late this year but coming back next year you need to purchase next year's sticker. A sticker is calendar year based and is good for January 1-December 31 of that year. If you buy one in November the default is to sell you one for this year which will expire December 31 of 2019. You have to select the 2020 option on the web site. If you buy the wrong year the fee is not refundable.

[MV Wanderlust]

Great information! Thanks. This site always has the best scoop.

[stormalong]

I always buy mine when clearing back in to the U.S. The fee is the same as buying in advance.

[OldMan]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I had one couple of years ago when I came back from Bahamas . It was unless and I still had to go local office office and check in

You reported to a local office because of you, not the boat. Join one of the known traveler programs and use the CBP ROAM app and with a current CBP sticker for the boat, no in-person reporting required.

[xhogpilot]

Old Man is correct.

With a current sticker number and a cbp roam app, you'll report entry via the app. They'll text you to see if you're ready for a phone call. If so, they'll FaceTime you, but you can't see them. You'll be asked a few questions and they clear you in. If you've done this before, they can clear you in via the app and don't require the phone call.

This applied to me entering Ft Lauderdale. Not sure if it works this way in all US ports.

[canyonbat]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

That one is expired, so no worry about transferral.
It’s real easy to get one online, and you get a code when you purchase it, and that code is good until the sticker arrives.
I’d wait until a month or two before you go.
I flew back from the Bahamas without one and cleared into FT pierce with the intent of buying one, they got sort of nasty about it, but sold me one of course, that was years ago.

In theory now if you have the sticker and the App, you don’t have to go clear in, just call them on the App and I’m sure give them the sticker number.

App is CBPRoam

Be aware, we ordered ours March 4 and still haven’t seen it. They are telling us they are taking 9 to 12 weeks to process due to the government shutdown earlier this year.

[basssears]

Originally Posted by OldMan

You reported to a local office because of you, not the boat. Join one of the known traveler programs and use the CBP ROAM app and with a current CBP sticker for the boat, no in-person reporting required.

This.


If you're going to have to check in in person you can just buy it then (at least that's always been the case coming from Canada in the PNW, assume Florida does it same), so don't have to do it in advance. However, once you have it it's easy to renew each year and then it's one less step to do in person, and as noted above you will have to have bought it beforehand if you want to use a traveler program that allows you to bypass checking in in person.


For the Pacific Northwest we use Nexus cards, but you can only do that if everyone on board has a Nexus card, and then even if everyone on board has a Nexus card if you don't have a CBP number then you have to report in person.


-- Bass

[fdr14127]

I don't know if it is still the case, but up here in the North Coast the sticker was only required on boats 30ft and greater. That was the reason Rob Massa designed the C&C 29 mkI to be 29.75 ft at the behest of the Youngstown Yacht Club. I have never purchased one.