Now that autumn is already upon us, we might be having our last chance to hit the water. Before heading out to the lake, however, you need to make sure that everything in the boat is working properly, and that the paperwork is in place. In particular, you need to check the gas and oil, to make sure the jacket supply is adequate and to clean it before setting sail. The vessel documentation that we mentioned, on the other hand, also needs to be current. If you are operating a motorized boat of any type (like a jet ski, for example) there is a high chance that you will need a Transport Canada Pleasure Craft License (PCL).
Keep in mind that this document is not to be confused with the Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC). This document can be compared to your car license. In fact, it is also called a boating license. The PCL, on the other hand, is similar to the registration of your motor vehicle. In the same way, you need to have a car registration with its corresponding plate number before leaving for the property, it works with vessels: you should leave the dock without your PCL. Let us show you how to get it.
When do I need a Transport Canada Pleasure Craft LicenseN?
The first thing you need to do is to actually determine whether you need a Transport Canada Pleasure Craft License or not. In our country, vessels with a motor of 10 horsepower or more (8.5 kW) need to acquire this type of registration. It is compulsory for those boats to get it. In addition to that, some non-motorized vessels choose to get the PCL even if they don’t necessarily need to do it.
The PCL allows boats to have a registration number. If you are new to the vessel industry, those are the string of digits you normally see on the exterior of a boat. This number has to be displayed on both sides of the bow, in contrastive capital letters that are at least three inches high. Thanks to this number, rescue agencies and law enforcement will find it easier to identify your ship in the case of an emergency. Those minutes they save can become crucial if your boat goes missing or it is stolen.
Advantages Of Having a PCL
You may need to get a Transport Canada Pleasure Craft License if you extend the use of your boat to simple recreational activities. In particular, vessels used for commercial purposes need to enter the national registry. If you want to fly the Canadian flag during your navigation, your vessel needs a PCL as well. Finally, sailors who want to finance their boats with a marine mortgage should register with Transport Canada as well.
To properly obtain the PCL you need to complete your application with Transport Canada. The different types of licensing will require a bill of sale with supporting documents. If you don’t want to do all of this by yourself, you can save time and energy by completing your application with a private service, such as the National Vessel Registry Center.
The National Vessel Registry Center
We are a third party agency that allows you to get any type of boat documentation, whether it is your Transport Canada Pleasure Craft License or other paperwork. The best part is that we allow you to do it completely online. Contact us today for any other information you may need!
