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Boating in the British Virgin Islands: customs, permits and moorings

The British Virgin Islands are one of the Caribbean's best known charter grounds and a regular stop for bluewater cruisers. Arriving by boat means clearing in at a customs port, filling in the online entry card and buying a permit for National Parks moorings. This page sums up what BVI law and the authorities say.

Emergency911UKW 16[9]

Alcohol limit?check locally

Liability covercheck locallyno requirement found

Licencecharter over 60 ft: licence[7]

1 The boat calls at a customs port and the skipper hails the port office on VHF 16. 2 Within twelve hours he clears in with customs and immigration, bringing the boat papers and all passports. 3 At a National Parks mooring the boat stays only with a permit and never overnight.

Best time to go: Tortola

Tortola: going by warmth, rain days and wind, February, March and April are the most pleasant months. Bars show the average daily high, the line the sea temperature, below them rain days and days with wind of 6 Beaufort or more per month, averaged over 2015 to 2024.

Air, daily high (°C) Sea (°C) best months

Rain days7.06.04.35.91111151414161610

Days with wind 6 Bft+4%4%2%0%0%0%2%2%5%1%1%3%

Weather: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis, grid values rather than station readings).

Sea temperature from NOAA satellite data. More cruising areas compared: Best time to sail

Clearing in

Coming from abroad you must call at a customs port first, except in an emergency, and report to customs within twelve hours of arrival.[1]
Customs ports are Road Town on Tortola (daily 8.30 am to 8 pm), West End on Tortola, Great Harbour on Jost Van Dyke and St. Thomas Bay on Virgin Gorda. Call the port office on VHF 16; after-hours entry must be arranged in advance and costs extra.[2]
The skipper can clear in the whole crew if he brings the boat papers and all passports.[2]
Since January 2025 everyone entering by sea or air completes the free online entry and departure card (ED card).[3]
Before leaving for abroad you obtain clearance from customs and show the papers on vessel, crew and voyage.[1]

Cruising permit and levies

The law requires a cruising permit from the owner of a charter boat, meaning one hired out or carrying paying passengers, and it must be on board. Check with customs before you travel whether private yachts are charged too.[5]
Since 1 June 2025 it costs USD 4 per person per day for home-based charter boats and USD 16 for foreign-based charter boats.[6]
Employed crew and BVI residents pay nothing; friends and guests of a charter boat's owner do.[5][7]
Cruising without a permit risks a USD 5,000 fine or a compounding fee of USD 30 per person per day.[5]
Arriving by sea or air you pay an environmental and tourism levy of USD 10.[8]
Only boats with a National Parks Trust permit and paid fee may use the Trust's moorings.[10]

Passport and visa

German citizens need no visa for up to 90 days. Passports must be valid for six months beyond the stay; an identity card is not enough.[4]
Austria and Spain are not on the list of countries whose nationals need a visa.[13]
Keep valid passports and the boat's registration papers on board, plus the customs and immigration receipt after clearing in.[2]

Licence

Foreign-based bareboat charters over 60 feet may only operate under a skipper holding a licence recognised by the flag state. For smaller boats we found no official licence requirement.[7]

Liability insurance

We found no statutory insurance requirement for yachts in official BVI sources.

National parks, anchoring and fishing

Only one boat per National Parks mooring; overnight mooring and fishing from the mooring are prohibited.[10]
Anchor only where permitted and at least 100 yards from a mooring. Within 250 yards of moorings or anchorages in a marine park the limit is five knots, and holding tanks must be used.[10]
In a marine park, discharging ballast, bilge water, sewage or garbage is banned, as is mooring to coral or mangroves.[10]
Anchoring and fishing are prohibited in the Dead Chest and RMS Rhone Marine Park.[11]
Even pleasure fishing needs a licence and the boat must be registered. Fishing is banned in marine parks.[12]
Hurricanes mainly occur from June to the end of November but can happen at any time of year.[4][12]

Emergency

Ambulance, fire and police: 911. For emergencies at sea, Virgin Islands Search and Rescue (VISAR) answers on 767.[9]
For non-emergencies the police are on 311.[9]

In the BVI keep passports, the boat's registration papers, the customs and immigration receipt and, on a charter, the cruising permit on board. National Parks moorings need a permit.

NAMMERT customers can get their liability confirmation in English.

Request a certificate (British Virgin Islands)

Get a quote Check your trailer rig Trailer route planner Boat papers checklist

Questions

Where do I clear in to the BVI?

At a customs port: Road Town or West End on Tortola, Great Harbour on Jost Van Dyke or St. Thomas Bay on Virgin Gorda, within twelve hours of arrival.

How much is the BVI cruising permit?

For charter boats USD 4 per person per day if home-based and USD 16 if foreign-based, since 1 June 2025.

Who do I call in an emergency at sea?

VISAR on 767, or 911 on land.