Buying guide

Flying private to the Bahamas or the Caribbean this winter: eAPIS, the CBP decal, permission to land, and the border-airport rule

Updated October 30, 2026 · Written by the House of Biz & Company Editorial Team · General information, not legal or financial advice

Leaving a Chicago winter at breakfast and stepping onto warm Bahamian tarmac before lunch, on your own aircraft and your own schedule, is one of the quiet luxuries of ownership. The flying is the easy part; the border is where a seasoned owner keeps the trip effortless. CBP’s decal price rose on October 1, a new CDC attestation applies to flights to the United States from November 3, and the rule that sends most Bahamas returns to a Florida airport first still surprises people. Here is everything to have aboard and every step, out and back, from the official sources.

We don’t sell, broker, charter, or arrange flights or aircraft. Only for the Wealthy is a publisher. This is general information drawn from the government sources cited below, not legal or aviation advice, and it doesn’t replace your pilot’s or flight department’s own planning. Rules and fees change; confirm them with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the FAA, the FCC, and Bahamas Customs before you fly. We are not affiliated with any agency, airport, operator, or service named here, and we earn nothing from them.

Why this matters now

There is a particular pleasure in leaving a Chicago winter at breakfast and stepping onto warm Bahamian tarmac before lunch, on your own schedule and your own aircraft. The flying is the easy part. The border is where a well-run trip stays effortless, and several things moved this fall. CBP’s private aircraft user-fee decal rose to $38.04 on October 1, 2026 [2][12]. On September 28, 2026, CBP began offering Mobile Passport Control at select general aviation facilities [1]. And a CDC order requires every passenger boarding a flight to the United States from a foreign country, private aircraft included, to provide an attestation that they haven’t been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the prior 21 days, for flights departing at or after 11:59 p.m. EST on November 3, 2026 [1]. Meanwhile the FAA says registration renewal notices for certificates expiring January 31, 2027 resume on November 1, 2026 [16]. Here is the full sequence, out and back, from the primary sources.

1. First question: is this a private flight or a commercial one?

Everything at the border turns on this. For CBP, a “private aircraft” is one on a personal or business flight that isn’t carrying passengers or cargo for commercial purposes [5]. CBP describes commercial aircraft as those transporting passengers or cargo “for some payment or other consideration, including money or services rendered” [1], and it says the FAA operating part doesn’t change that label [2].

How you fly	Who handles CBP	What you do
Your own aircraft, no one paying for the ride	The pilot in command [3]	Everything in this guide: manifests, permission to land, the decal, radio licensing
A chartered jet	The charter operator, as a commercial operator [1][2]	Carry a valid passport and answer the operator’s manifest questions; passengers don’t need an eAPIS account [2]
A friend’s plane, and you chip in	Depends on whether there is “payment or other consideration” [1]	Settle this before the trip. Paying for a ride can turn it into a commercial flight in CBP’s eyes, and the FAA has its own rules on illegal charters (see our charter verification guide)

The rest of this guide is written for the owner-flown or owner-crewed private aircraft. If you charter, the operator carries these duties, and the sections on documents, the attestation, and coming home through customs still apply to you.

2. The papers aboard, and two that often lapse

The registration certificate itself, not the “pink slip.” CBP can ask for a valid certificate of registration on arrival, and its regulation says the pink copy of the registration application “does not constitute a valid certificate of registration authorizing travel internationally” [9]. The FAA’s rules say the same thing: the pink copy is temporary authority for operation within the United States [18][19].
Check the expiration date. Registration certificates now run seven years, and you renew during the six months before expiry [17]. The FAA warns that with an expired registration the airworthiness certificate is ineffective and the aircraft isn’t authorized for flight [16]. Its online renewal link is expected back on November 1, 2026; meanwhile you can mail the application or upload it through CARES with the $5 fee [16].
The airworthiness certificate, displayed at the cabin or cockpit entrance [18], and the pilot’s certificate and medical, which a CBP officer may ask to see [9].
An FCC aircraft radio station license. At home you don’t need one for your VHF radio, transponder, or ELT; aircraft that fly only domestically are licensed by rule [14][15]. That ends at the border. The FCC says a license is required if you travel to a foreign destination, and it names the Bahamas, Mexico, Canada, and the British Virgin Islands [14]. The license is filed on FCC Form 605 through the Universal Licensing System and runs ten years, with no grace period after it expires [14].
A Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit. At least one person aboard each aircraft flying or communicating internationally must hold one, in addition to the station license [14]. No test is required and the permit lasts for life [14]. While either application is pending, a properly completed Form 605 Schedule F gives you 90 days of temporary authority [14].
Passports for everyone. CBP says valid travel documents are required for every passenger a general aviation operator carries, and that flying in an undocumented traveler can bring a penalty case, loss of Trusted Traveler status, and a six-month suspension of an overflight exemption [2]. If a guest loses a passport abroad, CBP directs you to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate before you try to bring them home [2]. Green card holders present the Permanent Resident Card [2].

3. Leaving the United States: the manifest and the email

CBP’s Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) applies to every private aircraft departing or arriving, in both directions [1][2]. eAPIS is CBP’s free web portal for sending it, and CBP says the only official address is eapis.cbp.dhs.gov [2].

Send it at least 60 minutes before takeoff. The departure manifest and notice of departure must reach CBP no later than 60 minutes before you leave [3][4]. It covers the aircraft, the pilot, the owner and operator, a 24-hour emergency contact, your itinerary, and, for each person aboard, name, date of birth, citizenship, and travel document details [3].
Wait for the clearance. You may not depart until CBP confirms receipt and grants electronic clearance by email or phone [4]. For private aircraft this is normally granted automatically after the manifest is processed, and you don’t need to call the departure airport unless the email says so [1][2]. You can depart from virtually any U.S. airport, even one without CBP [2].
Changes reset the clock. If anything changes after you transmit, you must amend the manifest. An amended manifest sent less than 60 minutes before departure needs fresh CBP approval, and any earlier clearance becomes invalid [3]. Only a cancellation, a new departure time, or a new departure location may be phoned in [3].
The pilot checks the passports. The regulation makes the pilot responsible for comparing each traveler’s document to the data sent and confirming it appears valid and belongs to that person [3].
File a flight plan. Flights between the United States and Mexico or Canada require an IFR or VFR flight plan unless ATC authorizes otherwise [20], and any flight into, within, or out of an Air Defense Identification Zone, which covers the coastal approaches toward the Bahamas, requires a filed, activated, and closed flight plan [21].

4. Arriving in the Bahamas

Bahamas Customs offers a digital route for pleasure aircraft through Click2Clear’s Pleasure Aircraft Module, which needs no username or password [22]. You create an inbound declaration, pay, print the processed C7A Inward Declaration and Cruising Permit, and then fly to your chosen destination, where an officer must stamp and sign the document to make it legal [22]. A manual route on paper forms also exists [22]. Either way, Customs says the process must be completed within 24 hours of arrival, and no passengers or crew may disembark until it is done [22].

One detail matters for owners with a professional crew. Bahamas Customs says the pleasure aircraft declaration applies only to aircraft operated for pleasure and recreation “by a pilot who is not flying for reward or remuneration or for business purposes,” and that other aircraft must be reported on the General Declaration, Form C7 [22]. If a paid pilot flies your aircraft, or the trip is for business, ask Bahamas Customs which form and fee apply before you go.

The fees Bahamas Customs publishes (U.S. dollars) [22]:

Type of flight	Inbound	Outbound
Private aircraft, recreational purposes only	$150	None listed
Private commercial flight	$150	$150
Private commercial aircraft or charter, four seats or fewer	$75	$75
Private commercial aircraft or charter, more than four seats	$150	$150
Departure tax	$29 per passenger, including infants

Each visit is a new entry. Once the aircraft leaves the Bahamas, another inward declaration is needed to return [22].
The two-year card is for propeller aircraft only. The Frequent Digital Cruising Card costs $2,000, allows unlimited visits for two years, and exempts the holder from certain processing fees and the departure tax, but the aircraft must still report to Customs on every entry, $50 is due on departure for the sixth passenger and each one after, and officer attendance and overtime charges aren’t covered. Only propeller-operated aircraft may apply [22]. A jet doesn’t qualify.
Declare what you carry. Bahamas Customs requires travelers to declare cash, negotiable instruments, precious metals, or precious stones worth the equivalent of BS$10,000, with forfeiture and up to a $2,000 fine for failing to do so [23]. Fine jewelry counts; see our guide to traveling with a luxury watch or fine jewelry.

Hypothetical arithmetic, not a quote: a recreational private aircraft with four passengers would pay $150 inbound plus 4 × $29 = $116 in departure tax, $266 in all, before any landing, parking, handling, or overtime charges. Whether crew members pay the departure tax isn’t stated on the Customs page, so ask your handler.

5. Coming home: the manifest, the call, and the border-airport rule

Manifest 60 minutes before leaving the foreign airport. The arrival manifest and notice of arrival must reach CBP no later than 60 minutes before departure from the foreign port [3]. It includes the decal number, your estimated time and place of crossing the coastline, the intended airport of first landing, and every airport you landed at in the prior 24 hours [3].
Then call for permission to land. Transmitting the manifest isn’t enough. CBP says you need explicit permission to land from the CBP port of arrival, obtained by calling it before you depart the foreign airport, at all airports and for all arrivals [1][2]. The regulation says you must receive DHS’s approval and follow its instructions before departure [3]. CBP adds that many of its locations aren’t staffed or equipped for large groups, so call well ahead with a full aircraft [2].
The attestation, from November 3. Under the CDC order CBP describes, operators may not board a passenger on a flight to the United States from a foreign country without a digital or paper attestation that the passenger hasn’t been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the 21 days before boarding; it applies to flights departing at or after 11:59 p.m. EST on November 3, 2026 [1].
Where you can land first. CBP keeps a list of airports where inspection is normally available for general aviation, and it includes Chicago Executive, DuPage, Waukegan, Midway, and O’Hare [13]. But flights arriving from the Western Hemisphere south of 30 degrees north latitude over the Atlantic or Gulf coasts, or from anywhere in Mexico, fall under a special rule: the aircraft must land for CBP processing at the designated airport nearest its border or coastline crossing point [6][7]. The list for Florida includes Fort Lauderdale Executive, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, St. Lucie County, Key West, Miami, Opa-Locka, Tamiami, Palm Beach, and Tampa [7]. So a return from the Bahamas usually means a Florida stop for customs, not a nonstop to Chicago.
The exception: a Border Overflight Exemption. An owner can ask CBP to waive the nearest-airport rule [8]. The regulation’s request requires, among other things, a statement that the aircraft has a working Mode C transponder and will fly the overflight under IFR above 12,500 feet unless ATC instructs otherwise [8]. Requests are due at least 30 days before the first arrival for a one-year exemption, or 15 days for a single flight, and approval is at the port director’s discretion [8]. CBP now takes applications through eAPIS; the old Form 442 is no longer used [1].
The decal, or a receipt. Private aircraft pay the CBP user fee through an annual decal bought online from DTOPS, $38.04 for purchases from October 1, 2026, covering one calendar year [2][12]. Form 339A is no longer accepted at the airport [2]. If your decal hasn’t arrived, bring the DTOPS order history or receipt, enter “receipt” in the manifest’s decal field, and tell the port when you call for permission to land. Arrive with neither and you must buy one before you’re released [2].
The inspection. No formal entry is required for a private aircraft [4]. Travelers usually make an oral declaration, though the officer can require the written CBP Form 6059B [2][9]. Returning residents have the standard personal exemption, generally $800 [25]. If your party is carrying more than $10,000 in currency or monetary instruments in total, it must be reported on FinCEN Form 105; for a family or group, the threshold applies to the combined amount [24].
If you divert. A flight not originally bound for the United States that diverts in an emergency must send the manifest no later than 30 minutes before arrival, and CBP says it will take the circumstances into account [3]. Its guidance is safety first: land, notify CBP as soon as practical, and wait for instructions [2].

6. What a mistake costs

The general penalty for violating CBP’s aircraft rules is $5,000, and the aircraft can be subject to seizure and forfeiture [10]. Failing to report an arrival falls under 19 U.S.C. 1436: $5,000 for the first violation and $10,000 for each one after, with the aircraft subject to seizure and forfeiture, and criminal penalties for some violations [10][11]. CBP also warns that missing user fees can mean denied permission to land [1]. Penalties can be mitigated [10], but the simpler course is the checklist below.

Before wheels-up: a checklist

Decide whether the trip is private or commercial, and settle any cost-sharing before the flight [1][5].
Check the registration certificate’s expiration date, and carry the certificate itself, never the pink copy [9][16][17].
Get the FCC aircraft station license and an operator permit, or file and keep Schedule F aboard [14].
Buy the CBP decal on DTOPS for the calendar year of your return, and keep the receipt in the cockpit until it arrives [2][12].
Collect passport details from every guest, and check each document yourself [2][3].
Send the eAPIS departure manifest at least an hour out and wait for CBP’s clearance email [3][4].
File the flight plan, complete the Bahamas declaration, and keep everyone aboard until it is stamped [21][22].
For the trip home: collect the CDC attestation, send the arrival manifest an hour before departure, call the arrival port for permission to land, and plan your first stop at a designated airport unless you hold an overflight exemption [1][3][7][8].

Frequently asked questions

Do I need eAPIS to fly my own plane to the Bahamas?

Yes. The pilot of a private aircraft must send CBP an electronic manifest for everyone aboard no later than 60 minutes before departing the United States, and again no later than 60 minutes before leaving the foreign airport to come home. eAPIS is CBP’s free portal for doing it [2][3].

How much is the CBP decal for a private aircraft?

$38.04 for purchases from October 1, 2026. It is bought online through DTOPS and covers one calendar year; CBP says the price typically rises each October 1 [2][12].

Can I fly straight home to Chicago from the Bahamas?

Usually not without a stop. Private aircraft arriving from places south of 30 degrees north latitude over the Atlantic or Gulf coasts must land at the designated airport nearest the crossing point, such as Fort Lauderdale Executive or Palm Beach, unless CBP has granted a Border Overflight Exemption [6][7][8].

Do I need an FCC license for my aircraft radio to fly to the Bahamas?

Yes. The FCC requires an aircraft station license for travel to a foreign destination and names the Bahamas, and at least one person aboard must hold a Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit [14].