Cruising Permits

[carrtay]

Hello,
Do we need a permit to sail into US ports from Canada? If so can we do this online or once we are in the USA? A detailed response will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Carrtay

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Carrtay.


The master of a pleasure boat must report to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) immediately upon arriving into the United States from a foreign port or place and must provide a formal vessel entry on CF 1300 within 48 hours.
Cruising licenses exempt pleasure boats of certain countries (ie: Canada) from having to undergo formal entry and clearance procedures and can be obtained from the CBP Port Director at the first port of arrival in the United States.
There are four exceptions to the face-to-face inspection at a designated reporting location, NEXUS, Canadian Border Boat Landing Permit (I-68), Outlying Area Reporting Stations (OARS), and the Small Vessel Reporting System (SVRS). Participation in any of the programs does not preclude the requirement for physical report upon request by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

See ➥ Pleasure Boat Reporting Requirements | U.S. Customs and Border Protection

And ➥ https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/det...sing%20license

[Vasco]

Carrtay,

You ask for a detailed response yet your question is not specific enough to elicit a detailed answer. West Coast? East Coast? Great Lakes? A general answer would be yes and no.

A cruising license is not generally required of Canadian boats when cruising on the Great Lakes. A cruising license is required, even with NEXUS, if you go further south than the Great Lakes. The procedure varies depending on the reporting station and the citizenship of those aboard the Canadian vessel.