Bahamas Cruising Permit Cost (2026): 6-Month, 12-Month and Digital Card Fees
What a Bahamas cruising permit costs in 2026: 6-month and 12-month fees by boat length, the 2-year digital card, passenger tax and clearance-out fee.
A 6-month Bahamas cruising permit costs $300 for a boat of 50 feet or under, and a 12-month permit costs $5001. Boats over 50 and up to 100 feet pay $750 and $1,0001. A 30-day permit costs $150 for vessels up to 30 feet1. A $20 arrival tax applies per non-resident aged six or over when more than three are aboard2.
- At a glance
- 6-month permit, 50 ft and under
- $3001
- 12-month permit, 50 ft and under
- $5001
- 30-day permit, up to 30 ft
- $1501
- 2-year digital card, up to 50 ft
- $1,5002
- Passenger arrival tax
- $20 per person2
- Clearance out
- $75 certificate2
On this page
Fee calculator
Fees change. Confirm every amount on ParkPay and with Bahamas Customs before you pay. Park fees here cover moorings only, not anchoring, camping, charter or landing fees. Park amounts are in BSD and Customs amounts in USD, so they are totalled separately.
The cruising permit is a fixed cost of bringing a boat into the Bahamas, and it is separate from anything you pay inside the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park. Customs prices it by boat length and by how long you plan to stay: 30 days, 6 months or 12 months1.
6-month and 12-month permit prices
These two terms cover most cruising seasons in the Exumas. Prices are in US dollars1.
| Boat length | 6-month permit | 12-month permit |
|---|---|---|
| 50 feet and under | $3001 | $5001 |
| Over 50 to 100 feet | $7501 | $1,0001 |
| Over 100 feet | $2,0001 | $3,0001 |
For a typical 40-foot cruiser the 12-month permit costs $200 more than the 6-month permit1. The 6-month permit includes one free return visit and the 12-month permit includes two1.
30-day permit
A 30-day temporary cruising permit is priced by boat length1:
| Boat length | 30-day permit |
|---|---|
| 30 feet and under | $1501 |
| Over 30 to 50 feet | $2501 |
| Over 50 to 100 feet | $3501 |
| Over 100 feet | $6001 |
The 30-day permit includes no return visits, so leaving and coming back means a new permit1.
Two-year digital cruising card
Customs also sells a Frequent Digital Cruising Card valid for two years. For a pleasure vessel not exceeding 50 feet it costs $1,5002. It allows unlimited visits for up to two years2. Larger boats pay $2,500 from over 50 to 100 feet and $8,000 over 100 feet2. You still submit an Inbound Declaration in Click2Clear on each arrival, and processing fees and passenger taxes still apply1.
Fees on top of the permit
Passenger arrival tax
A passenger arrival tax of $20 per person applies to any pleasure vessel that brings more than three crew or passengers, aged six or over, who are not residents of the Bahamas2. It is charged in addition to the cruising permit fee2. Four non-residents aged six or over on one boat therefore add $802.
Anchorage fee
The anchorage fee on a cruising permit applies only when a foreign pleasure vessel is not moored at a marina, and it is charged once per permit period1. A boat moored at a marina does not pay it; a boat at anchor does. The fee depends on boat length and permit term1:
| Boat length | 30-day permit | 6-month permit | 12-month permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 feet and under | $50 | $150 | $2001 |
| Over 50 to 100 feet | $100 | $350 | $3501 |
| Over 100 feet | $200 | $1,000 | $1,5001 |
Clearing out
When you leave for a port outside the Bahamas, Customs issues a clearance certificate for the next port. There is a fee of $75, and the certificate is issued manually2.
Which permit fits your trip
Match the term to the trip, then check the length band. A short visit fits the 30-day permit at $150 for a vessel up to 30 feet1. A winter in the Exumas fits the 6-month permit, which costs $300 for a boat of 50 feet or under1. If you keep the boat in the Bahamas through a second season or plan several return visits, the 12-month permit at $500 for the same length band is the one to price against1. Check your boat’s length before you pick a column, because a boat just over 50 feet moves into the $750 and $1,000 band1.
How to pay
The permit is entered and paid in Customs’ online system, and you can pay by card or arrange cash on arrival through the marina where you dock2. A vessel cannot be approved by a Customs officer until it is paid in full2. The clearing customs guide walks through the steps, the ports of entry and what happens at the dock.
Permit fees versus park fees
The cruising permit lets you cruise Bahamian waters. Park mooring and anchoring fees are a separate charge. For those rates, see Exuma Park boat fees. If you plan to stay on the cheaper side of a long Bahamas season, add up three lines before you leave: the permit, any passenger tax and your expected nights on park moorings.
Rules and fees change. Check the Customs pages on the day you apply, and read the boating hub for the rest of the planning pages.
Read next
Clearing Customs in the Bahamas by Boat: Click2Clear, Ports of Entry, Fees and Rules
How to clear Bahamas Customs and Immigration by boat: Click2Clear permit, ports of entry, worked fee total, fishing permit, firearms, pets and clearing out.
parkExuma Park boat fees: mooring, anchoring, charter and camping rates
Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park boat fees in one place: moorings by boat length, anchoring per foot, charter surcharges, landing fees, camping and annual passes.
planBahamas entry requirements for US citizens, by air or by boat
What US citizens need to enter the Bahamas: passport, onward ticket, the eight-month stay limit, how to extend, and Customs steps for boat arrivals.
Questions people ask
How much does a Bahamas cruising permit cost in 2026?
For 50 feet and under, a 6-month permit is $300 and a 12-month permit is $5001. For over 50 to 100 feet, they are $750 and $1,0001. Over 100 feet, they are $2,000 and $3,0001.
What are cruising fees in the Bahamas besides the permit?
Non-resident crew and passengers aged six or over pay a $20 arrival tax when more than three are aboard2. Clearing out for a foreign port costs a $75 certificate2. A foreign boat that is not moored at a marina also pays an anchorage fee once per permit period1.
Does the 30-day permit cover a return visit?
No. The 30-day permit includes no return visits; the 6-month permit includes one free return visit and the 12-month permit includes two1. If you plan to leave the Bahamas and come back, price the longer permits.
How do I pay for a Bahamas cruising permit?
Pay online or in cash through the marina where you dock on arrival, and the vessel is not approved until it is paid in full2.
Sources (2)
- Pleasure Vessel Clearance, Recent Updates (PDF)GOV
Bahamas Customs Department · bahamascustoms.gov.bs · checked 2026-10-18 - Pleasure Vessel ClearanceGOV
Bahamas Customs Department · bahamascustoms.gov.bs · checked 2026-10-18
Photo credits (1)
- Cristian Perez / Google Maps · Google Maps user photo · source
Park fees and rules come from the Bahamas National Trust or the Bahamas government; check them again before you go. How we check facts.