If you are like many Canadians, you are spending your winter daydreaming about the warmer summer months, the days when you can get the boat out on the lake. Make no mistake about it, the winters here can feel endless, but with a new year comes a new boating season, and you will want to make sure that you are properly positioned to get your boat out as soon as the weather permits. If you are new to boat ownership, this means you will want to do your research and shop around for the boat that is right for you and your family. Once you purchase the vessel of your dreams–and this is true for current boat owners as well–you will also want to make sure that all of your paperwork with Transport Canada is in good standing. For some, this will mean applying for a boat name registration. Fear not, though–you can avoid tackling a mountain of paperwork by working with a private service such as ours to process your vessel registration documents online.
For those new to owning a boat, it is probably helpful to become familiar with Transport Canada as an agency. As Canada’s main transportation agency for all matters concerning the infrastructure of our waterways, Transport Canada aims to maintain a thorough ledger of the vessels accessing the country’s waters. This can mean issuing vessel registrations, pleasure craft licenses (PCLs), and even pleasure craft operator cards (PCOCs). During your years owning a boat, your paperwork needs with Transport Canada may evolve, but at the National Vessel Registry Center, we have fillable online forms for all of your documentation needs. Read on to learn more.
What is a Boat Name Registration?
In Canada, the type of documentation a vessel will require largely depends on the type of boat in question, as well as what it is used for. For instance, any boat used purely for leisure purposes with an engine of 10 horsepower (7.5 kW) or more, will need to apply for a PCL. If your boat will be used for commercial means, or you plan to sail internationally under the Canadian flag, you will need to process a vessel registration, which gives your boat an official, unique name. This process is also known as vessel name registration.
To register your boat, you will first need to fill out Form 1 – Application for Vessel Registration. Then, you will want to complete a Form 3 – Statement of Qualification for Vessel Registration. After that, you can create a tonnage measurement and submit photographs of all four sides of your vessel to Transport Canada.
Register Your Boat Using Our Forms
If your boat requires a PCL or a vessel registration, we can help. You can use our secure, online forms by selecting the appropriate documentation type from our navigation menu. If you would like to learn more, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
