Do You Have to Register a Boat in Ontario or Do You Need a Licence?

Do you have to register a boat in Ontario

Do you have to register a boat in Ontario? Do you need to get a pleasure craft licence for the boat? Here’s how to know what Transport Canada documentation you will need for your vessel.

Do You Have to Register a Boat in Ontario?

If you as a boat owner fall between the guidelines for documentation with Transport Canada, it will be very important for you to get on top of it. Here’s what you need to know about this process.

When Will You Need Registration?

As the owner of a boat, do you have to register a boat in Ontario? Well, you need to be aware of when and how to get your Transport Canada boat registration in accordance with the Canada Shipping Act of 2001. This will apply to both commercial and recreational vessels, but it will be relevant in different situations. Let’s talk about when you will have to register the boat in question.

  • If you own a non-pleasure vessel powered by an engine of 10hp (7.5kw) or more, or commercial river rafts in Canada, you must register them with Transport Canada’s Canadian Register of Vessels or the Commercial Small Vessel Register.
  • You’re required to register a vessel in the Canadian Register of Vessels if it will have a marine mortgage, needs a reserved name, or will travel outside of Canada.

If you meet either of these requirements, then you must go on to register your boat with Transport Canada, which you can do right here on our site without any issues.

Do you have to register a boat in Ontario

When Will You Need a Pleasure Craft Licence?

Now, if you don’t operate a commercial but a recreational boat, do you have to register a boat in Ontario? Not exactly. What you do have to do is you will have to look into whether or not you might need to get a pleasure craft licence. There are actually very specific boating regulations set forth by Transport Canada for which ones do need the licence in question.

  • If you have a pleasure craft equipped with motors of 10 horsepower (7.5 kilowatts) or more, even if it is a personal watercraft, that is maintained or operated in Canada, you will need to obtain the corresponding licence.

Don’t worry, this process doesn’t have to be difficult or impossible, especially when you count with our team’s help throughout the process. We have made it so that you can easily apply for a pleasure craft licence through our site. Head over to the corresponding tab on our menu and get started.

Ontario Registration Forms

No one likes to do paperwork, especially when it comes to government agencies and complicated bureaucracies. As a boat owner here in Canada, you might feel like you have to put up with this in order to take care of your boat registration or your pleasure craft licence. However, it doesn’t have to be that complex or frustrating. Our team here at the National Vessel Registry Center have made it so that all these applications and paperwork submissions are a lot easier for you. Take a look at our menu and find the forms that you need to submit, and feel free to reach out to us should you need any help filling them out.