After searching for your inbound voyage, you can print a copy of your Fishing Permit in the Header Tab of your submission, but only after the inbound voyage has been approved.
Yes. If you have submitted your declaration and have not yet paid, you can edit at any time by searching for your existing voyage and editing your submission.
However, if you have paid for your submission already, when you arrive at the port of entry, the officer can reject your submission in order for the submission to become editable again.
No. Charter Vessels & Bahamian Registered Vessels are considered Commercial Vessels and must be entered as such.
There is a $75.00 processing fee applicable to these types of vessels and Departure Tax is collected for every person on board the vessel before departure. Departure Tax for commercial vessels is $20.00 per person.
Yes. You are required to check in at a registered Port of Entry listed within the Cruising Permit Module.
Only the documentation part of Customs' Procedure has become digital. You can submit, upload your documents and pay online. An officer is still required to board, examine and clear the vessel into the country.
Effective July 1st 2018, only VAT free items arriving as accompanied baggage remain free, however if imported via freight these items are subject to VAT charges. Note that these items if purchased locally, are VAT free at the register.
All shipments being entered into The Bahamas require a proper invoice from the supplier. In the absence of the proper invoice, the importer may contact the supplier and have a copy of the invoice sent electronically or a hard copy.
This is a fee imposed to assist the government, via the Ministry of Environmental Health with the disposal of items that are hazardous to the environment and require special waste disposal treatment.
For Tariff Classification please reach out to the Tariff Matters section. Call: 604-3108/09/10
However, we do have an online Tariff Search if you would like: Tariff Search:
https://www.bahamascustoms.gov.bs/tariffs-and-various-taxes-collected-by-customs/tariff-search/
A helpful tip I can give as well is that you can Google "HS Code for (Item Desired)" and it will give you the code based on the Harmonized System Tariff Codes on a global scale.
You can then find it in the Tariff with the rate attached.
Click2Clear is a secure internet portal that simplifies trade and business processes by providing around-the-clock access to relevant government services. This platform will considerably reduce consumer’s time and costs of trade and business transactions for private sector users while gathering and sharing relevant information among government agencies to simplify processes and optimize revenue collection. This system will replace the current CAS (Customs Automated System) that is in place, therefore placing the Bahamas in line with other developing countries with this modernized system.
Click2Clear is a system for the Import and Export of CargoOnly. This does not include baggage claim after returning from vacation or travel abroad. For instance, ordering online either by air or sea for companies like MailBoat, FedEx, ZipX, DHL etc...
The documents needed for registration for companies are:
Certificate of Registration (TIN)
Current Business License
Broker License (where applicable)
Courier’s License (where applicable)
Bonds (where applicable)
Individuals:
Whether you are a Resident or Non-Resident, you are able to registering with the Click2Clear (C2C).
Requirements for Residents:
A Valid NIB (Photo ID) Card
Requirements for Non-Residents
A Valid Passport or Driver’s Licence.
Registration is a one time process that allows you to be found in the system so that brokers, couriers, freight forwarders, shipping agents and other agents to complete work on your behalf regarding imports and exports either by sea or air.
(This does not include baggage claim/accompanied baggage for returning residents after travel.)
Registration is a onetimeprocess that allows brokers, couriers, freight forwarders, shipping agents and other agents to complete and submit declarations/entries on your behalf regarding your imports and exports, either by air or sea.
In order to receive your email notification, you will need to add Click2Clear (click2clear@bahamas.gov.bs) to your trustedsender'slist. Otherwise, the notifications will go to your junk mail.
Yes, there is a fee associated with clearance of a pleasure vessel into the Country from a foreign port.
Pleasure Vessels Not Exceeding 34 feet:
$150.00 (3 months)
$300.00 (12 months)
Pleasure Vessels Not Exceeding 34 feet but less than 100 feet:
$300.00 (3 months)
$600.00 (12 months)
Pleasure Vessels Not Exceeding 100 feet but less than 150 feet:
$500.00 (3 months)
$1,000.00 (12 months)
Pleasure Vessels Not Exceeding 150 feet but less than 200 feet:
$800.00 (3 months)
$1,600.00 (12 months)
Pleasure Vessels Exceeding 200 feet:
$1,000.00 (3 months)
$2,000.00 (12 months)
For vessels carrying more than three passengers, every additional passenger of or above the age of six years who is not a resident passenger must pay a passenger tax of $20.00.
A Temporary Cruising Permit & Fishing Permit is issued.
A Cruising Permit is good for one year as long as the vessel does not leave The Bahamas.
If the vessel leaves The Bahamas, the Cruising Permit can be used again if the vessel returns to The Bahamas within 90 days of the initial issuance of the Cruising Permit at no cost except where the passenger limit is exceeded. Even though the fee for the permit is waved, the pleasure vessel must still clear in at a port of entry upon arrival into the Country.
No. Upon arrival to the Island of your destination, you must take your vessel to a port of entry for clearance. Failure to do so is a breach of the Customs Laws and could result in your vessel being forfeited and fines levied.
Yes. Unlike a foreign owned/registered vessel, a Bahamian owned pleasure vessel must be duty paid and must clear outbound when leaving The Bahamas for a foreign port and upon return to The Bahamas must clear inbound.
All Bahamians and Residents are entitled to two exemptions valued at $500 twice per calendar year. There is no age restriction. Exemptions are not transferrable to any other person and can only be claimed on personal items.
Any person carrying cash and negotiable instruments of a value equivalent to $10,000.00 or more,
loose or uncut precious stones or jewelery with intention to trade of a value equivalent to $10,000.00 or more; and precious metals in bullion
“Cash” includes coins and bank notes in any currency. “Negotiable Instruments” includes monetary instruments such as cheques, travellers cheques, promissory notes, money orders and instruments in bearer form.
Exemptions can only be used on accompanied baggage. Meaning, the person claiming the exemption must have travelled with the goods, therefore goods arriving as cargo do not qualify (example – courier packages, goods via air or sea)
A returning resident (citizen or permanent resident) is not entitled to the general exemption more than once in every 5 years.
All household effects, books, apparel, footwear, articles of personal adornment, toilet articles and other articles and effects not intended for sale nor for the purpose of any business up to a limit in value of $10,000.00; and
A vehicle up to a limit value of $30,000.00 (restriction on year of vehicle)
This is a fee imposed to assist the government, via the Ministry of Environmental Health with the disposal of items that are hazardous to the environment and require special waste disposal treatment.
All shipments being entered into The Bahamas require a proper invoice from the supplier. In the absence of the proper invoice, the importer may contact the supplier and have a copy of the invoice sent electronically or a hard copy.
Customs accepts xls, pdf, doc, or csv formats for declarations, however in the submission of support documents, it is a requirement that the documents are submitted in an electronic signature format, such as pdf or jpg. The format for all invoices and supporting documents should be in a format where it cannot be altered.
VAT is applicable on value of goods, the actual duty, processing fees, storage, Insurance, freight, other charges, local landed chargers and environmental levy fees.
Yes, you are allowed to travel with certain foods. There are restrictions when importing fruits, vegetables and some dairy items. These restrictions are in place to protect national health, and to prevent the introduction of certain diseases that are contracted from plants and animals. You must declare all food products. Failure to declare food products can result in forfeiture and or fines. Additionally, permits are required to import fruits, vegetables and plant/flowers from the Department of Agriculture prior to importation.
