Puerto Rico: Harbours, bridges and formalities for sailors
21 harbours · 1 bridge or lock
Puerto Rico: 21 harbours, 1 bridge or lock, clearing in, papers and fees. Plan your trip with weather, tides and route.
Formalities
outside the EU customs unionCurrency: US dollar
Clearing in: Territory of the USA within the US customs territory. Anyone entering on their own boat needs a B1/B2 visa (ESTA does not apply). Report arrival from abroad or from the U.S. Virgin Islands to CBP immediately; foreign crew in person at a reporting location: San Juan (San Juan Bay Marina, Club Náutico, Cangrejos Yacht Club), Fajardo (Puerto Real), Ponce, Mayagüez, Vieques (Mosquito Pier), Culebra (Dewey). ROAM does not apply to people who need an I-94. Within Puerto Rico including Culebra and Vieques no reporting; with a cruising licence, however, every arrival in a port must be reported.
Documents: As in the U.S. Virgin Islands: passport and B1/B2 visa for the whole crew; ESTA after entry by plane or ferry only according to Noonsite, not officially documented. Boat papers, insurance. According to a DRNA document, foreign boats may cruise 60 days per calendar year without registration (check before the trip).
Fees: Clearance free during office hours; for private boats from 30 feet the CBP user fee decal, USD 36.94 in fiscal year 2026, more expensive from 1 October 2026.
Fairway: Buoyage follows IALA system B: red to starboard when entering from seaward, the reverse of Europe. Off Vieques permanent US Coast Guard safety zones because of unexploded ordnance: no anchoring, dredging or trawling there, do not enter during clearance operations; large parts of eastern Vieques are closed.
Nature: Mooring in mangroves, on coral reefs or seagrass is prohibited, over 320 public DRNA moorings. In the Culebra National Wildlife Refuge no overnight stays in several bays, going ashore only on Cayo Luis Peña and Culebrita.
Tropical storm season: 1 June to 30 November (the German Federal Foreign Office gives May to November), peak August to October. Shelters according to sailors: Ensenada Honda (Culebra and Vieques), Puerto Ferro and Puerto Mosquito (Vieques), Bahía de Jobos, Guánica, Boquerón, Puerto Real; boatyards in Puerto del Rey, Isleta Marina and Ponce. Insurers usually restrict cover: check your policy.
Emergency: 911; US Coast Guard Sector San Juan (JRSC) +1 787 289 2041, VHF channel 16 and DSC.
Sources: CBP: Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, CBP: Fajardo, Puerto Rico, 19 CFR 4.94: Cruising Licenses, U.S. Embassy Germany: Visa Waiver Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Culebra NWR, Noonsite: Puerto Rico, Auswärtiges Amt: USA (with Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), travel and safety advice (as of 2026-10-20)
Harbours by cruising area
Culebra and Vieques (Dewey, Esperanza)
Puerto Rico: east coast (Fajardo, Puerto del Rey, Palmas del Mar)
Puerto Rico: north coast (San Juan, Arecibo)
Puerto Rico: south coast (Salinas, Ponce, La Parguera)
Puerto Rico: west coast (Boquerón, Mayagüez)
Bridges and locks
Movable bridges
Frequently asked questions
Puerto Rico: Do I need to clear in?
Territory of the USA within the US customs territory. Anyone entering on their own boat needs a B1/B2 visa (ESTA does not apply). Report arrival from abroad or from the U.S. Virgin Islands to CBP immediately; foreign crew in person at a reporting location: San Juan (San Juan Bay Marina, Club Náutico, Cangrejos Yacht Club), Fajardo (Puerto Real), Ponce, Mayagüez, Vieques (Mosquito Pier), Culebra (Dewey). ROAM does not apply to people who need an I-94. Within Puerto Rico including Culebra and Vieques no reporting; with a cruising licence, however, every arrival in a port must be reported.
Puerto Rico: Which documents do I need on board?
As in the U.S. Virgin Islands: passport and B1/B2 visa for the whole crew; ESTA after entry by plane or ferry only according to Noonsite, not officially documented. Boat papers, insurance. According to a DRNA document, foreign boats may cruise 60 days per calendar year without registration (check before the trip).
Puerto Rico: What fees apply?
Clearance free during office hours; for private boats from 30 feet the CBP user fee decal, USD 36.94 in fiscal year 2026, more expensive from 1 October 2026.
Puerto Rico: What is the emergency number at sea?
911; US Coast Guard Sector San Juan (JRSC) +1 787 289 2041, VHF channel 16 and DSC.
Puerto Rico: How many harbours does Sailseer cover?
Sailseer covers 21 harbours with harbour info, weather and route planning. Plus 1 bridge or lock with opening times and clearances.