Hawaii - Fees
Clearance Fees:
There are no clearance fees for entry and exit in Hawaii for foreign yachts.
On arrival expect to pay in the region of $200 for removal of garbage by Agriculture. Not all ports enforce this, however, and it may be that you won’t be asked to provide garbage. Arrivals in Hilo and Honokōhau have reported not being charged this fee, but boats arriving in Oahu are typically being charged (and more if there is excess garbage).
Mooring Fees:
Anchoring and mooring fees in Hawaii can be very confusing and there is no real clarity as to where you need to pay and how much. Try to make sure you have permission to drop anchor or you might find yourself told to leave (when it’s not convenient).
Places that are managed by the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) (and not all places are), have a fee structure for visiting yachts that can be found on the DOBOR website under Administrative Rules – Chapter 13-234.: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dobor/rules/
There is a nightly “stay aboard fee” per person, plus a “mooring fee” based on the size of boat.
Expect to pay in excess of $700 to anchor for a month if anchoring in DOBOR mooring fields and clearing in with each one (not all cruisers do this).
Last updated: July 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.