Cruising license question

[Scatterling]

How do you avoid the “two week creep” that results from the cruising license regs? Let’s say I return to Florida from the Bahamas on April 15th 2019. I get a cruising license that is valid for a year, or April 14th 2020. So to get a new license at the conclusion of my trip to the Bahamas, I must enter the US at least 15 days after the license expires, or April 30th. So every year, my return is extended by two weeks. Is there a way around this? Can I nominate an end date when I get the license, say March, so it’s well expired by the time I get back to the US? Or can I surrender the license when I leave, and if so, does anyone know the procedure? Thanks.

[Bean Counter]

You can nominate a date. We nominated a 9 month cruising license - West Palm Beach CBP - no problems.



Alternatively you can hand your license in at CBP before you leave the USA and ask them to cancel it. Just want to be sure you don't need to come back within two weeks.


The only time this can get a little complicated is if you plan to visit Puerto Rico/ USVI because your license is valid there too.

[bobnlesley]

Originally Posted by Bean Counter

You can nominate a date. We nominated a 9 month cruising license - West Palm Beach CBP - no problems. Alternatively you can hand your license in at CBP before you leave the USA and ask them to cancel it. Just want to be sure you don't need to come back within two weeks.

We did the same coming in at St Augustin; the licence is a 'maximum' twelve months, but you can ask for less. If you know in advance this is what you want, it's probably a better bet than the cancellation option; we know three yachts who did this - posting the licences back after departure to Canada & Bahamas - and two of the three subsequently had problems when they returned to discover that the old licence had not been cancelled.

[Scatterling]

Thank you!