Clearing-in at Port Canaveral

[ebs001]

Has anyone cleared in at Port canaveral and can tell me the procedure there. Where can I tie up? Where is the customs office? Do I have to go to the cutoms office or do they come to the boat? And what is the 800 number I call when I first make landfall?

[sailandoar]

I have the same question.
Clearing in to US when coming from Bahamas and arriving on Sat or Sunday.

[whroeder]

I read somewhere that you have to phone them and if they tell you, you then have to go to them.

[eryka]

If you're a U.S. citizen who has pre-cleared with Customs & Border Patrol, you can do it with a phone call. CBP Announces Local Boater Option for Florida Boaters - CBP.gov They'll ask you your last port of call, and if you have any live plants aboard, and that's about it. Otherwise they may ask you to show up in person. We cleared in at Lake Worth and it was EEEE-ZZZ.

[sailingdog]

Actually, IIRC, everybody aboard the boat has to be pre-cleared or you have to check in.

Originally Posted by eryka

If you're a U.S. citizen who has pre-cleared with Customs & Border Patrol, you can do it with a phone call. CBP Announces Local Boater Option for Florida Boaters - CBP.gov They'll ask you your last port of call, and if you have any live plants aboard, and that's about it. Otherwise they may ask you to show up in person. We cleared in at Lake Worth and it was EEEE-ZZZ.

[ebs001]

I think also it only applies to south Florida, Canaveral doesn't count, and you have to have pre-cleared and you have to be a US citizen. I phone Cape Marina which is just in from the Atlantic. I was told I call Customs at 321 783 2066 and then either they come to the boat or we have to present ourselves to the CBP office which is about 1 mile away. If I go this way I'll let people know how it went.

[KindOfBlue]

How do you pre-clear?

[eryka]

Craig - You'll need to show up in person at the local customs office with your passport and vessel documentation. Some offices require you to make an appt in advance, call first (check the link in my previous post). Takes 10-15 minutes. At least that's what it took us, at St John, USVI. They give you a card with a "BR-" number. Then you just phone in your BR number when you next clear in. It's free!

[KindOfBlue]

Ah. I already got one of those cards last month in st John. I used it yesterday to clear into st Thomas. It just took a phone call and AT&T(iPhone) works here. I didn't realize this could be used in the states. I also got a us customs decal. I didn't need it in the usvi, but I think I need it to clear into the states.

[ebs001]

Cleared in today at Port Canaveral. We are staying at Cape Marina and it was just a matter of phoning them and providing them with passport and cruising permit details. Tomorrow we will have to do a face to face at the office showing them our passports and the office is within walking didtance of the marina. So all and all I would say it went rather easily.