Charlestown is the capital of Nevis and the island's port of entry, open year-round, with Customs, Immigration and the Port Authority together in one building. That single stop ashore is why it has a reputation as the easier of the federation's two clearance locations. What catches crews out is the water rather than the paperwork: there is no marina, and the Port Authority controls mooring use on its own terms.
The office sequence on Nevis is short. What benefits from local support is everything around it: securing a mooring assignment, arriving with the right cash in the right currency, and knowing what a coastal mooring permit covers.
The Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority controls mooring use and assigns moorings by size class, with an anchoring area set aside for larger vessels. An agent establishes what is available for the yacht's length and tonnage and makes the approach call, which matters because the office is not always reachable by radio from a small vessel.
An agent establishes the current requirements for the vessel and voyage and prepares the relevant submissions from the passport details. Customs on Nevis asks first for the clearance paperwork from the last port, so that is worth having to hand rather than filed away.
Charges at Charlestown are payable in cash, and amounts quoted to visiting yachts have varied. An agent sets the expectation, obtains an itemised receipt, and arranges a coastal mooring permit where the yacht intends to move along the Nevis coast.
Prepare the applicable records before arrival or departure.
The sequence below combines the Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority's published conditions of mooring use with the standard route through the offices ashore.
Pre-arrival reporting is federal and no different for Nevis than for St. Kitts. Establish which submissions apply to the vessel and voyage and complete them before the yacht reaches federal waters. What is specific to Nevis begins on the approach, in the next step.
The Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority requires all vessels approaching Nevis to contact it on VHF 16 for a mooring assignment within the first 24 hours of arrival. Fly the Q flag. The office is not always reachable by radio from a small vessel, which is one reason the call is often made through an agent ashore.
Moorings run along the west coast between Oualie Beach and Charlestown, and the authority's conditions require vessels to proceed to their designated mooring after clearance. Only the master goes ashore until clearance is granted.
All three authorities are in the same building near the pontoon, visited in that order, open year-round. Customs asks for the clearance paperwork from the last port. This single-building arrangement is the practical difference between Charlestown and Basseterre.
Charges at Charlestown are payable in cash, in Eastern Caribbean or US dollars. Amounts quoted to visiting yachts have varied, so ask for an itemised receipt showing each charge rather than a total.
A coastal mooring permit is required before proceeding coastwise around Nevis. Departure involves electronic reporting around 24 hours ahead, outward clearance and settlement of outstanding dues. The notice period is fixed with the agent when the departure is planned.
Vessels approaching Nevis must contact the Port Authority on VHF 16 for a mooring assignment within 24 hours of arrival. Moorings may only be used with authority permission, and a coastal mooring permit is required before proceeding around the island. Visiting yachts must also comply with Customs and Immigration requirements.
Authority moorings extend along Nevis's west coast from Oualie Beach to Charlestown. Moorings are assigned according to vessel length and tonnage, while vessels over 90 feet use a designated anchoring area. Nevis has no marina, so yacht size determines the available mooring arrangement.
The Port Authority publishes yacht mooring fees, with surcharges applying outside normal weekday hours and on Saturdays. Head tax and environmental charges may also apply. Charlestown clearance charges are payable in cash in Eastern Caribbean or US dollars; request an itemised receipt for all charges.
Customs, Immigration and the Port Authority are located near the Charlestown pontoon, with Customs normally visited first. Nevis also applies rules covering animals, plants, waste and protected marine life, so restricted items should not be landed or removed without the required permission.
It is usually described that way, because the three authorities sit in one building near the pontoon rather than split across the waterfront. The trade-off is on the water: there is no marina, the Port Authority controls mooring use, and charges are cash only. Which is easier depends on whether the yacht needs a berth.
Yes. The Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority requires all vessels approaching Nevis to contact it on VHF 16 for a mooring assignment within the first 24 hours of arrival. The office is not always reachable by radio from a small vessel, which is one reason the call is often made through an agent ashore rather than abandoned.
The authority designates an area where vessels over 90 feet can anchor, and yachts also anchor north or south of the main dock. Mooring use itself requires the authority's permission. Anchoring does not remove the clearance or charge obligations, so settle the position with the authority or an agent on arrival.
The authority publishes three mooring classes running up to 90 feet, with a designated anchoring area beyond that. Since there is no marina on the island, larger yachts wanting alongside berthing are better served on St. Kitts.
Yes. Charges on Nevis are paid in cash, in Eastern Caribbean or US dollars. Amounts quoted to visiting yachts have varied, so carry cash, ask for an itemised receipt, and work from a current schedule before going ashore.
Yes. A coastal mooring permit is required before proceeding coastwise. It is separate from clearance into the federation, so a yacht that has cleared in at Charlestown or Basseterre still needs the permit before moving along the Nevis coast. Ask for it at the same time as clearance rather than afterwards.
Use this page for Charlestown arrival, departure and St. Kitts and Nevis yacht-paperwork assistance.