Hawaii - Customs
Arrival by Yacht
Length of Stay:
Hawaii Administrative Rules require a vessel that plans to stay in Hawaii waters for 60 days or longer, has to obtain an HA number from Vessel Registration.
Vessel Registration (DLNR Boating Division)
Other Items:
- Firearms must be declared to Customs.
- When temporarily importing firearms or ammunition into the United States for hunting or sporting purposes, you must obtain an approved ATF F 6NIA, Application and Permit for Temporary Importation of Firearms and Ammunition by Nonimmigrant Aliens, from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
- Foreign nationals bringing firearms for non-legitimate hunting or sporting purposes should not submit ATF F 6NIA application, but may need a DSP-61 Temporary Import License from the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC). Contact DDTC at 202-663-1282 for further information.
- Any dutiable items such as navigation equipment bought recently in the USA should be listed and certified by US Customs before leaving the USA, or receipts kept showing the place of purchase, to avoid being liable for duty.
Last updated: April 2024
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Effective February 14, 2023, and until further notice, the DOBOR Kauai District Office and Nawiliwili Small Boat Harbor Office will have limited hours of 7:45am to 1:00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
It is possible to clear in at Ko’Olina Marina (Barber’s Point) on Oahu. Officers came from Honolulu to board us and clear us in within 2 hours of arrival on both of our visits (April & June 2018).
We were required to pay for a local contractor to dispose of all garbage deemed “foreign” by the Agriculture clearance agent when arriving from overseas – the cost of this was VERY expensive: $150 + $90/bag, max bag weight 20lbs.
We were advised that the only trash that could be guaranteed not to be deemed “foreign” and require expensive sterilization/incineration was clean beverage containers suitable for recycling that no animal or vegetable products had ever touched – i.e. soda and beer cans, water bottles, etc.
Even clean washed empty cans, glass jars (pickles, jam, etc) and clean plastic wrappers were required to be incinerated.
It is not possible to haul out in Ala Wai. Keehi Marine Center (Honolulu) on Oahu and Ko Olina (Barbers Point Harbour) offer haul outs, Keehi is cheaper.
If you need a slip, get one at the Yacht Club, better facilities and security patrols constantly.
Mike Fossl reports that it is no longer possible to clear in at Nawiliwili / Port Allen.