What Is the Departure Tax in the Bahamas?
Reviewed by Captain Ronald RolleThe Bahamas departure tax is $20 for most travelers age 6 and over. For commercial air travel, this is typically included in your airline ticket price. Private aircraft passengers pay $29 per person. Cruise ship passengers pay $23-$25 depending on departure location. Private boat departures have no separate departure tax beyond cruising permit fees.
The Bahamas charges a departure tax to residents and visitors six years of age and older when leaving the country. Understanding how this applies to your departure method helps avoid surprises at the airport or dock.
For most commercial air travelers, the $20 departure tax is already included in your airline ticket price. You will not need to pay anything separately at the airport. The tax appears as a government fee in your ticket's price breakdown when booking.
Private aviation has different requirements. If departing the Bahamas by private aircraft, a departure tax of $29 per person applies. This is typically collected when filing your flight plan and clearing customs for departure.
Cruise ship passengers pay departure taxes through their cruise line, though the exact amount varies: $23 when departing from any public harbour in the Bahamas, or $25 when departing from a private cruise destination. Like airline tickets, this is usually bundled into your cruise fare.
For travelers departing by private boat, the situation is straightforward. There is no separate departure tax charged when clearing out on a private vessel. Your cruising permit fees, paid upon entry, cover your stay in Bahamian waters. When leaving, you simply clear out with Customs at a port of departure, return your cruising permit, and proceed to international waters.
Departures to the United States have an additional step: US Customs pre-clearance is required at major airports. This allows you to arrive in the US as a domestic passenger rather than going through customs upon landing.
Fees and procedures can change, so verify current requirements with your airline, cruise line, or Bahamas Customs before travel.
Key points
- Standard departure tax is $20 per person (age 6+)
- Commercial airfare typically includes the departure tax
- Private aircraft: $29 per person departure tax
- Cruise ships: $23 from public harbors, $25 from private destinations
- Private boats: no separate departure tax; cruising permit covers it
Related questions
- Do I need to clear out of the Bahamas by boat?
- Yes, you must visit Customs at a port of departure to officially clear out before leaving Bahamian waters. Return your cruising permit documentation and receive clearance to depart.
- Where do I go through US Customs from the Bahamas?
- Nassau's Lynden Pindling International Airport has US Customs pre-clearance facilities. At other airports, you clear US Customs upon arrival at your US destination. By boat, you clear at your first US port of entry.
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