LBO Registration

[s/vPainkiller]

Hi all,
I want to sign up for the LBO cards for my wife and me. I admit that I'm finding the website process a little hard to understand, like most things involving government bureaucracy.... Can anyone walk me through this process? I assume you have to do the online part before you set up the appointment?

Is there a list of places that you can do the face to face part of it, i.e., can this be done at *any* CBP office, or do only certain ones have the capability?

Thanks in advance,
Scott

[GordMay]

Why not call, and ask?
Make an appointment to sign up for the Local Boater Option at local ports of entry, including: Key West (305-296-2233); Port Everglades (954-761-2000); West Palm Beach (561-848-6922); and Port of Miami (305-536-4758).
See also ➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...toms-8658.html

[Janice]

We did the face to face in Key West, You have to order the decal online for your boat, something we didn't know right away.

[s/vPainkiller]

Thanks for thr responses. I intend to call and ask, but I was looking for some "local knowledge" here from someone who has done it recently. I'm in South Carolina, hence my question about where to register in person.

Scott

[s/v Sunsets]

I also would like some insight. Can the face to face be done anywhere or only in Florida, VI and Puerto Rico.

We live in Maryland and will be taking our boat to the BVIs and USVIs this winter. I'd like to do the LBO paperwork and interview before we go. Is that possible? Can I set up the interview around here or do I have to do it in the VIs?

PS: Tried to call an info number on the website last week and the message said they were too busy to take calls-- call back. Maybe I wasn't calling the proper number.

[s/vPainkiller]

Sunsets,

I don't have "the answer" yet, but I've learned a little bit. I used the web site contact-us link to submit a query to the CBP and got instructions back to contact my local (Charleston, SC) CBP office. They frankly didn't really know much because apparently they don't do anything with the LBO process. Makes sense since I guess there are not a lot of recreational boats clearing in here.

However the CBP email response I got had the guy in Miami office's name and phone number. So I called him. My understanding is that you have to do the face to face interview at Ft. L, Miami, Key West or PR/VI I guess. How far in advance you can schedule the interview I don't really know.

We decided that we don't really need this right now, esp since we weren't sure that we wanted to stop in south FL on the way down. We're only planning on clearing in when we return in the spring so it won't be that much of a hardship to do without the LBO card and decal. If we were going to Bimini and coming back every weekend it might be a different story.

Hope this helps. If you want the name and number from the Miami office, please send me a PM. Not sure if it's kosher to post names. Please post if you learn anything more and how you are handling this issue.

Good luck,
Scott

[Troubadour52993]

I did it in West Palm, I think only the FL, PR, USVI offices run the program so that's where you have to do the "interview". You schedule it online, so maybe you can schedule it when you're passing through on the way down? There is no "card" or anything physical with LBO, they email you your registration and password code so once you're done showing them your passport you can take off.

For the boat customs decal, the website said the decal would take weeks to arrive, but it came within a few days. YMMV.

[donradcliffe]

I'm looking at my LBO card, which I got when I checked into St Croix. It took about 15 minutes per person for them to enter the data into their computer and issue the card. No worries, mon.

The interesting thing is that the back of the card gives phone numbers to report arrival in Puerto Rico and the USVI, but nothing for Florida. Does that mean that it doesn't work there??