Border Crossings

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There are different scenarios of traversing the US/Canadian border by boat.  On this webpage, we will attempt to go thru each one of those scenarios, and explain what you need to do to legally complete your border crossing.

1. Leave a US port by boat and

   1. Enter Canadian waters.

   2. Anchor in Canadian waters, touch Canadian soil, or go into the interior of Canada.

2. Leave a Canadian port by boat and

   1. Enter US waters.

   2. Touch US soil.

3. Leave Canadian waters by boat and

   1. Enter US waters.

   2. Touch US soil.

4. Leave US waters by boat and

   1. Enter Canadian waters.

   2. Touch Canadian soil.

5. Declaration into Canada.

6. Declaration into the US.

1. Leave a US port by boat and

   1. Enter Canadian waters.

      (Apr. 6, 2008)  By leaving a US port, you are considered to be declared as from the US.  You do not need any special documentation to leave a US port by boat and enter into Canadian waters.  Declaration into Canada is not necessary.  Canadian Customs Act can be found here:  PART II : IMPORTATION - Persons

   2. Anchor in Canadian waters, touch Canadian soil, or go into the interior of Canada.

      (Apr. 6, 2008)  By leaving a US port, you are considered to be declared as from the US. Canadian Customs Act (Persons) requires every person in charge of a conveyance arriving in Canada shall, except in such circumstances and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed, ensure that the passengers and crew are forthwith on arrival in Canada transported to a customs office.  Arriving is not defined in the Canadian Customs Act.  Canadian Customs Officers enforce arriving as Anchor in Canadian waters, touch Canadian soil, or go into the interior of Canada.  Canadian Customs Officers enforce go into the interior of Canada as lets say you are fishing/motoring on Lake St. Clair in Canadian waters, and you decided to fish/motor into the Thames River.  Once you enter the Thames River, Canadian Customs Officers consider this going into the Interior of Canada.  So, if you anchor in Canadian waters, touch Canadian soil, or go into the interior of Canada you must declare yourself to Canadian Customs.  See Declaration into Canada below.

2. Leave a Canadian port by boat and

   1. Enter US waters.

      (Apr. 6, 2008)  By leaving a Canadian port, you are considered to be declared as from Canada.  Title 19 sec. 1433 states

      1. Sec. 1433. Report of arrival of vessels, vehicles, and aircraft

         a) Vessel arrival
         (1) Immediately upon the arrival at any port or place within the United States or the Virgin Islands of -
         (A) any vessel from a foreign port or place;
         (B) any foreign vessel from a domestic port;
         (C) any vessel of the United States carrying foreign merchandise for which entry has not been made; or
         (D) any vessel which has visited a hovering vessel or received merchandise while outside the territorial sea; the master of the vessel shall report the arrival at the nearest customs facility or such other place as the Secretary may prescribe by regulations.

      Place is not defined in Title 19.  US Customs Border Patrol (USCBP) policy varies on the term place.  Most USCBP consider place to be land; some consider place to be land or water.  So depending on the interpretation/enforcement of the word place, you may or may not have to declare entry into the US. 

      If you did any of (A), (B), (C), or (D) you must report your arrival to US Customs.  See Declaration into the US below.

   2. Touch US soil.

      (Apr. 6, 2008)  By leaving a Canadian port, you are considered to be declared as from Canada.  Title 19 sec. 1433 states

      1. Sec. 1433. Report of arrival of vessels, vehicles, and aircraft

         a) Vessel arrival
         (1) Immediately upon the arrival at any port or place within the United States or the Virgin Islands of -
         (A) any vessel from a foreign port or place;
         (B) any foreign vessel from a domestic port;
         (C) any vessel of the United States carrying foreign merchandise for which entry has not been made; or
         (D) any vessel which has visited a hovering vessel or received merchandise while outside the territorial sea; the master of the vessel shall report the arrival at the nearest customs facility or such other place as the Secretary may prescribe by regulations.

      If you did any of (A), (B), (C), or (D) you must report your arrival to US Customs.  See Declaration into the US below.

3. Leave Canadian waters by boat and

   1. Enter US waters.

      (Apr. 6, 2008)  By leaving a Canadian waters, you can either be considered to be declared as from Canada or the US. 

      1. If you were declared as from Canada, refer to II.A. and you may or may not have to report.  See Declaration into the US below.

      2. If you were declared as from the US, then Declaration into Canada is not necessary.  

   2. Touch US soil.

      (Apr. 6, 2008)  By leaving a Canadian waters, you can either be considered to be declared as from Canada or the US. 

      1. If you were declared as from Canada, refer to II.B.; if you did any of (A), (B), (C), or (D) you must report your arrival to US Customs.  See Declaration into the US below.

      2. If you were declared as from the US, then Declaration into Canada is not necessary.   

       

       

4. Leave US waters by boat and

   1. Enter Canadian Waters.

   2. Touch Canadian soil.

5. Declaration into Canada.

   1. You can declare yourself in two ways.  The first and least likely is to report directly to a customs office.  The second and easiest way is to report thru CANPASS.

6. Declaration into the US.

   1.