If you have recently decided to buy your boat, you are looking for an exciting new hobby to enjoy with your friends and family. Soon, you will be able to venture out to the lake, launch your vessel, and make lasting memories as you cruise the waves. Of course, getting to the point where you can untie from the dock will require a little bit of work on your part. For starters, you will need to do a fair amount of research to figure out which type of boat is right for you. Then, you will want to shop around, perusing both print and digital marketplaces to locate a good deal. After you and the seller have agreed to the terms, you will be pretty close to getting in the water. Before you load up your cooler and pack your life jackets, though, you may need to fill out some paperwork with Transport Canada. For many first-time boat owners, this will mean applying for boat numbers, and at the National Vessel Registry Center, we can help you process your application online the easy way.
For citizens of Canada, our waterways are a great source of national pride. With so many pristine, scenic lakes, and nearly endless miles of ocean coastline, there is no shortage of places for you to take your boat. Transport Canada plays an integral role in preserving our waters, and they do so by managing the overall infrastructure. One such task of theirs is keeping a thorough ledger of who and what is operating on our waterways. From time to time, you will need to work with Transport Canada to keep your documentation current. At the outset, this will likely mean applying for a pleasure craft license (PCL), which will assign your vessel a registration number. Read on to learn more about this process, as well as what you can expect when applying online.
How to Get Your Boat Numbers
There are a couple of different ways in which you can document a boat with Transport Canada, but PCLs are the most common for leisure boaters. To be a bit more precise, a PCL is required for any hobby watercraft with an engine of 10 horsepower (7.5 kW) or more. Once licensed, your boat will be assigned a registration number, which must be affixed to both sides of your boat’s exterior bow in characters that are at least three inches in height. They should also clearly contrast with the color of your boat. A PCL in Canada is valid for 10 years, at which point it can be renewed.
Applying for a PCL with Us
With some basic information about yourself, and your boat, and some proof of ownership, you can apply for your PCL online. Simply select the correct option from our navigation menu and follow our easy prompts. If you would like to learn a bit more about our business and how we can help you, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page today.
