Dominican Republic - Clearance

PRE-ARRIVAL

The SailClear advance web notification service states it is operational for the DR, however, in reality it is not used by officials.

Be sure to get an exit zarpe from your last port of call prior to arriving in the DR. Even USA vessels coming from Puerto Rico should try and get an exit zarpe from CBP PR.

ARRIVAL FORMALITIES

Ports of Entry:

To enter the Dominican Republic you must arrive at a “Puerto Habilitado” (Ports that have a clearing in and out facilities).

On the North Shore, this includes Manzanillo, Luperon and Puerto Plata. If you arrive at Monticristi, they will send to Manzanillo for Immigration for you.

On the East Coast, you can clear in or out at Santa Barbara de Samana (the marina here has customs and immigration on their premises) as well as Cap Cana and Punta Cana.

On the South Coast, you can clear in or out at Santo Domingo, Boca Chica and Casa de Campo. At Las Salinas, although a Port of Entry, it is best just used for clearing out.

Several ports are best to avoid, unless one has special permission (e.g. Puerto Plata's commercial harbour and Azua).

If you arrive in an area where only a Navy Detachment is located, you will be redirected to a Puerto Habilitado.

General Process:

International yachts can arrive in the DR at any time, but it is preferred that you arrive between 08:00 and 16:00 if possible.

Fly the yellow Quarantine Flag when you arrive and also the Dominican Republic Courtesy flag.

In all ports, you must announce your arrival to the “Navy” by VHF channel 16 or 68 and wait to be boarded by them and other security officials. If no answer then you need to call “general inquiry” on Ch 68 to see if any other cruisers/sailors can advise you as to what the procedure is in that particular port as it is considered illegal to step on land without clearance by the Navy first.

The Navy will then advise you on how to check-in with the rest of the officials.

You will be boarded by:

• The Navy (Armada)
  They will want to see the zarpe from your last port of call (including US boats coming from Puerto Rico).
  The Navy will permit your boat entry for 60 days cruising on arrival (2 months) and will issue free despachos to move port to port and offshore.
  For cruising more than 60 days in the DR you will need to apply for a Navigation Permit (see Customs for more details).
  The Navy will also want to see all firearms which must be made safe and boxed and then handed to the Navy. They will issue a receipt and keep them safe until you leave the DR;
  Tipping the Armada is not customary.
• Immigration for a tourist visa for all crew;
• Department of Drug Enforcement to check for illegal drugs;
• M-2 which is Intelligence and who goes along with the drug inspection officer;
• Customs may appear and require a form to be filled out. This does not occur in every port and not all the time.  The requirement exists but is inconsistent as most customs work is directed to commercial yachts/shipping.

You may also have to go ashore after the onboard inspections and visit:

• Port Authority who will want to see your boat papers (vessel information) and collect harbor fees;
• Department of Agriculture who will charge a small fee to cover garbage disposal.

For details of charges to pay - see Fees.

Notes:

• Some officials will ask for small tips throughout the DR (usually a couple of beers worth). There may also be various "invented" fees, which are outlined on the individual port pages. This custom is a form of "direct tax" as the officials get paid so little per month. The entire country works on tips and commissions, so in short, get accustomed to it or don't sail to the DR.
• Some marinas will offer a clearance service with an all-inclusive charge (including tips). Sometimes this is much simpler than visiting all the various offices, which for some can be lengthy and complicated.
• It is customary to offer officials that board the boat a cold soft drink.
• Bring USD cash for clearance (some marinas have ATMs).
• Any boat that comes into a DR harbor is under DR jurisdiction.  If they do not want to stay, the authorities may permit them to depart provided they have not set foot on land.  If they have set foot on land, then they must clear in and clear out.
• The DR is concerned about illegal emigration and drug smuggling and monitors ports closely.  Most cruising boats are not searched.  However, if a boat meets the profile, such as coming from Jamaica and /or an all-male crew, it is likely it will be searched.

Domestic Cruising:

In all DR ports, no departure is permitted after 18:00.

The Navy (Armada) issues the despacho from harbor to harbor. Despachos are issued only to "Puerto Habilitado" (Ports that have a clearing in and out facilities). Stopping between official ports may be done with your despacho provided you have a reason, such as needing to take a rest, mechanical work etc. There is no official charge for a local despacho and the days of officials asking for a payment (in the region of $20 to $25) to "clear out to a local destination" are almost over.

It can be rather arduous having to locate the Armada office in each port you visit and submit your despacho on arrival and get another on departure. This can often take a few hours each visit, so allow enough time to deal with the formalities and remember that departure after 6pm is not permitted (so get to the Armada office early). In some places you may find the Armada will come out to you, often very early in the morning, to get your despacho from the previous port. As a cautionary measure, take a photo of your despacho should you have to prove you had one after surrendering it to the Armada.

It is a serious offence not to obtain a domestic despacho. These rules apply to all vessels.

Note, if you wish to cruise more than 60 days in the DR you will need to apply for a Navigation Permit from the Navy before the 60 days are up (see Customs for more details).

CLEARING OUT

In all DR ports, no departure is permitted after 18:00.  Also note that the Armada (Navy) can close all Ports (marinas/anchorages) for exit (ports are always open to arrivals) due to bad weather conditions by not issuing a free local or International despacho.

The Armada are given the notice by the Government's weather department to close all ports and can only re-open the port for exit once they are notified by HQ that the sea conditions are favorable again

International Clearance:

When you are ready to leave the DR, you must get an International Despacho from the Navy (cut-off time 6pm). Be sure to give 1-2 days notice as the authorities will have to board your vessel again for a security check as per international law (especially if you are sailing to USA/Puerto Rico).

The DR has agreements with the USA on security that have been imposed upon them by the US, so if a vessel is clearing out to sail to the US mainland, Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands, usually an additional step of bringing sniffer dogs on your boat will occur. For this reason, be sure to give plenty of notice that you wish to clear out to one of these countries so security checks can be properly arranged.

Depending on where you are clearing to, you will be asked to pay a "tip" (not voluntary) for the time involved. For an easier check-out, pick a non-US destination and then take it from there.

Note that once you have been issued with a despacho, you must depart within 1-2 hours or your despacho will be taken away and you will have to obtain a new one the next day. Be sure to check in your port of departure what time restrictions are in place.

It is a serious offence not to obtain a despacho to clear out of the DR.

Port Closures due to Heavy Seas and Swells

In all ports, anchorages and marinas with officials, when big seas and swells are being reported by the Government weather department, the Armada/Navy will close all ports for the safety of marinas and will not issue a local or off-shore international Despacho.  So, keep an eye on the weather and plan accordingly.

Domestic Clearance:

In some ports, despacho conditions might be more relaxed if you are simply moving to the next port with a domestic despacho. However, don't leave it too long otherwise the port you are sailing to may query the time it has taken for you to get to them.

Notes:

• The Armada will issue local and international despachos at the latest 6pm.
• Port Authority/Customs/Immigration hours are 0800-1600 - 7 days a week.
• If the weather is "strong", the Coast Guard may refuse to allow you to depart as at times they close down the coast (including commercial craft).  Your departure despacho will be withheld until conditions are deemed safe. Some cruisers have expressed anger about this in the past, but the DR has their own reasons for maintaining the safety of their coast and the security of their environment.  There have been occasions in the past when boats have been lost, in particular on the north coast in heavy weather, where the vessel has ended up on the coast, leaking fuel into the sea and the crew requiring rescue assistance.
• All harbors in the DR are on heightened alert as the vigilance against drug runners has increased, which can at times cause a short delay when clearing in or out.
• Some of the intermediate ports get more traffic and the officials at those ports are easier to deal with. Some ports or anchorages like Punta Macao on the east end have a reputation for asking for a fee for stopping, although such requests do not have to be honored.

Last updated:  December 2023