This is a summary about U.S. border rules provided only as a convenience. For current regulations, please check Government Directory: U.S. Department of Homeland Security .
The Small Vessel Reporting System (SVRS): This voluntary program is offered by U.S. Customer and Border Protection (CBP) to help boaters entering the U.S.A. SVRS is available to both U.S. and Canadian citizens. Enrol online for free, then schedule an interview online, and then they will email you a registration number and password. To enter the U.S. by boat, just call the CBP special phone number (write down all details in your boat's log book). They may clear your entry immediately or require a personal inspection. (see May 2010 news below)
May 2010: U.S. Customs and Border Protection today announced the Small Vessel Reporting System. The online reporting tool will expedite the entry process for participating boaters entering or returning to the U.S. Canadian and American boaters will be able to preregister to obtain an expedited clearance upon arrival in the U.S. Once enrolled, boat owners file a small vessel reporting float plan prior to their departure or entry from/to the United States. Upon arrival in the U.S., boat masters can call customs at the closest port of entry with the float plan identification number, answer customs questions and receive clearance to enter the country.
June 2009: U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security will require anyone entering the U.S.A. by land or sea, including American citizens, to carry one of these identification documents: Passport, NEXUS card, FAST card (Free and Secure Trade), EDL card (enhanced drivers licence) or EIC card (enhanced identification card), or a Secure Certificate of Indian Status (U.S. approved). [Government Directory: United States: Great Lakes Cross Border Travel Tips for Recreational Boaters]
January 2008: U.S. and Canadian citizens, including children, entering the U.S.A. by boat, ferry, train, or bus, must have either a passport or proof of citizenship (birth certificate, naturalization certificate). Travelers 19 and older must also show government-issued photo ID (drivers licence). Children 18 and younger can travel by land and sea with just a birth certificate for now. (Passports are already required for air travel into the U.S.)
June 2007: Canadians and Americans entering the United States by car or boat won’t need a passport until summer of 2008 or later, U.S. security officials said. The final date has not been set. With both countries struggling with an avalanche of passport applications, driver’s licences and birth certificates will be accepted at the U.S. border after the original January 2008 date set for requiring passports for land and sea entries to the United States. The House of Representatives has already passed a measure forcing Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to wait until mid-2009 at land and sea crossings. Rules for entering Canada remain the same. A passport requirement is planned for entry by land, some time in 2008. (Canadian Boating News, U.S. Government directory)
January 2007: Acceptable alternative documents to a passport for Canadian air travel will be the NEXUS card issued to citizens and most permanent residents of Canada. The NEXUS Air card will only be accepted at certain airports. (Government Directory: U.S. Homeland Security, Canadian Boating News)
2006:
Boaters, family members and all guests entering the United States must report for inspection. Inspection may be obtained in one of three methods: (1) I-68 form or NEXUS member proximity card
(2) Physically report for inspection to the nearest open port-of-entry (POE)
(3) Utilize an Outlying Area Reporting Station (OARS) videophone station.
The I-68 Canadian Border Boat Landing Program (I-68 form) from the U.S. can be cancelled at any time.
The Outlying Area Reporting Stations (OARS) program was modified in 2002.
Canadian Border Services Agency (was Canada Customs) reinstated the CANPASS system, a telephone
reporting system for recreational boaters travelling to Canada from the U.S. The Canada/U.S.
A NEXUS pilot project was held in the St. Clair/Lake Erie area in 2006.
The NEXUS border crossing program is expected to replace the I-68.
Border Video Terminals:
Many Customs ports are a day's sail apart, so the U.S.
began installing two-way video telephone terminals as an alternative to
entering at a Customs port.
To use the terminal, open the door and lift the handset to talk to an I.N.S.
officer - have your boat and passenger information. There is a camera
You may show documents to the camera (licence or registration papers, passports or photo ID).
The Customs officer who will give you a clearance number which you should record in
your ship's log. Further information from the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) or by calling a local port-of-entry. [Some U.S. Great Lakes Video Terminals]
Dinghy licences:
Dinghies must be properly licenced to travel in canals or other countries. Boats must be properly equipped and marked (registration or licence numbers). Although not mandatory, it's wise to fly the flag (country flag of licence or registration) from the stern.
Carry current vaccination certificates for pets.
Everyone on board have the documents required to cross both borders. You can never predict where "weather" may force you ashore! (Entering Canada by Boat)
Security Perimeter around Naval Ships:
The Coast Guard has established temporary regulations for safety and
security of U.S. naval vessels in U.S. waters. Boats within 500 yards of
a U.S. naval vessel must operate at minimum speed to maintain a safe course
and proceed as directed by the official patrol. You are not allowed within
100 yards of a U.S. naval vessel. Contact official patrol on VHF-FM channel
16 for any requests. Boaters near a major harbour should contact the local
marine safety office for updates on local restirctions. The USCG site has a
listing of all marine safety offices (MSO).
Propane Tank regulations:
Tanks for marine use need to have an overfill prvention device (OPD). Old tanks
can be retrofittted with the OPD Type 1 valve. Pre-1998 horizontal tanks are
exempted.
Inspections:
All persons coming into the U.S., including its shoreline water, are subject
to Immigration and Customs inspection. This can be done at an official Customs
port location, usually located in the same place as the I.N.S. (Immigration
and Naturalization Service). Telephone inspections allowed by Customs Service
Regulations are not authorized by I.N.S. regulations, so boaters must also have
a face-to-face meeting with a U.S. Customs inspector. Be sure to read our checklist
for U.S. Boaters visiting Canada
State Regulations:
Check state regulations with respect to waste treatment, required equipment,
etc. Life jackets must be worn by children under a certain age: 12 years in
New York and Vermont, 13 Pennsylvania, 11 Maine, etc. There are no regulations
in Washington, Wisconsin, Idaho, Minnesota and others, but federal rules for
children under age 13 is expected to cover them by the end of 2002. If you comply
with Canadian waste requirements, get a Coast Guard inspection and sticker for
your boat - you must disable and seal all fittings for overboard discharge.
A working holding tank should comply with most state regulations.
For current regulations, please check Government Directory: U.S.A. (links below) for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
For current regulations, please check Government Directory: "Canada/USA Bi-national" (links below).
NEXUS (card) is a joint program between the Canada Border Services Agency and U.S Customs and Border Protection, which allows frequent travellers between Canada and the U.S. the opportunity to clear the border faster. In the marine mode, boaters can call a Telephone Reporting Centre (TRC) 30 minutes (minimum) and 4 hours (maximum) prior to arrival. Everyone in the boat must be a NEXUS member, otherwise regular reporting procedures must be followed. A NEXUS card will gradually replace the I-68 card and CANPASS program for entry into Canada.
The U.S. government planned to require Canadians to carry a passport, NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document to enter the U.S. by plane, vehicle or boat in 2008. People under age 15 would require only a certified copy of their birth certificate. People 16 to 18 entering the U.S., who are traveling with sports teams, church or cultural groups, and supervised by adults, would require just a birth certificate.
NEXUS allows recreational boaters to clear customs and immigration of either Canada or the U.S.A. by contacting the Telephone Reporting Centre (TRC) within 30 minutes and up to 4 hours prior to arrival. In Canada call 1-888-226-7277, or you may also call:
Lansdowne: 613-659-4576
Hamilton: 905-679-2073
Windsor: 519-967-4320
Victoria: 250-363-0222
Boaters have to dock at an approved marine TRC (telephone reporting centre) and report before proceeding to any other Canadian destination. If weather forces docking at another location, the master must call either 1-888-226-7277, a CBSA office, or the RCMP immediately and follow instructions. The boat master must have the following information ready to report:
Location of docking site
Vessel licence or registration number
Destination in Canada
Full name, date of birth and citizenship of everyone on board
Purpose of trip, length of stay (for non-residents)
Length of absence from Canada (for Canadian residents)
A customs declaration for each person on board
(duty may be paid via Visa/MasterCard)
See the Government directory: Canada/USA Bi-national for more NEXUS information.
For current regulations, please check Government Directory: U.S.A. (links below) for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
If you boat is over 30 feet* (9.14 metres) or you wish to enter the U.S. longer than 72 hours, you must buy a customs decal (about $25 U.S. each year) and display it on the outside of the boat. This applies to Canadian and U.S. boats. Every time you enter U.S. waters, you must go to a recognized Customs location - usually the same as the I.N.S. locations. The "up" side is that you get to stay longer and go anywhere beyond the border (you can't with an I-68). A customs decal allows you to stay in the U.S. for six months (every Canadian tourist entering the U.S. can stay 6 months).
For current regulations, please check Government Directory: U.S.A. (links below) for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
A Cruising Permit allows foreign boats to cruise in the U.S. for a year, after which you must leave U.S. coastal waters and enter another country. An alternative is to pay the U.S. duty (about 1.5%) so the boat can stay in the U.S. as long as you want.
Aug. 1999: Reported by Philip Ashworth
"I just called the Alexandria Bay, NY immigration number {315-482-2261} and was told by an immigration / customs officer that Cruising Permits do not exist any more, and that normal check in is required."
For current regulations, please check Government Directory (links below).
Canada has a program of its own called CANPASS Private Boats Permit in which boaters and immediate family can register and then report their intention to enter Canada by telephone up to 4 hours in advance (for Canadian or U.S. boats entering Canada). As with the I-68, your guests are not covered.
March 2003: Every memebr of the family has to apply individually on a new application form (on their website) for a five year permit. Only adults over 18 need to pay a fee of $40CA per person.
When you phone in, you tell the Canadian Customs officer when you plan to arrive, and at which officially sanctioned dock or marina, and whether you have purchases on which duty is payable (duty may be charged on your credit card). You will be instructed either to proceed to your destination or to another site for inspection.
CANPASS allows you to avoid long line-ups at Customs phones, but you will likely still be asked to undergo an inspection. A Quebec pilot program called CANPASS Private Boats Plus, exempted holders from customs reporting unless they import goods above duty limits. CANPASS also operates programs for planes, snowmobiles, cars, etc.
See the Government directory below for more information.
