FAQs: Update Pleasure Craft Licence

Are you thinking about purchasing a new boat? Whether you are upgrading from your current vessel or experiencing boat ownership for the first time, this can be cause for excitement. With your new boat, you will be able to take to the waters of Canada whenever you would like, free to untie from the dock with your friends and family to make lasting memories. Of course, there is a lot of preparation that needs to take place first: you will need to browse online and print listings, locate a seller, negotiate a price, and finalize the deal. From there, you will also need to complete a bit of paperwork, most likely in the form of obtaining a Pleasure Craft License (PCL). If you are new to boat ownership, however, you may be wondering how you obtain a PCL, or when does a Pleasure Craft Licence expire? By gaining a bit of knowledge about PCLs, you can spend less time on paperwork, and more time out on the water.

As you probably already know, boating comes with a high degree of responsibility. You owe it to both your passengers and the environment to operate your vessel in a safe and responsible way. While part of this is keeping your boat well-maintained and stocked with safety supplies, it also means maintaining the proper licensing with Transport Canada. As our nation’s premier transportation agency, Transport Canada maintains an accurate registry of all motorized boats on our waters. By doing your part to keep your boat license, you can aid this important agency and prevent your vessel from going missing or being stolen.
What Is a Pleasure Craft Licence? Do I Need One?
A Pleasure Craft License also called a boat license, registers your vessel with Transport Canada. A PCL is required for all boats with engines of 10 or more horsepower (7.5 kW), which includes personal watercraft such as jet skis. It is worth noting, though, that PCLs are available to all boaters who want them, and they do offer the peace of mind of giving your vessel an identification number. This number, once issued, must be applied to both sides of your boat’s exterior in contrasting alphanumeric digits. Your number should also be at least three inches in height and positioned well above the water line.
When Does a Pleasure Craft Licence Expire?
Once processed, your Pleasure Craft License will be valid for a period of 10 years. You will have the option to renew it at that point. Should you sell your boat, or if you are purchasing a previously owned vessel, it is possible to sign over a PCL to a different owner. You will need a bill of sale and a valid copy of your identification to complete this process.


Apply for a PCL Online Using Our Forms
Instead of filling out a paper application for a PCL with Transport Canada, why not work with us at the National Vessel Registry Center? We are a private service that offers easy-to-complete web forms for all of your vessel documentation needs. To learn more, visit our FAQ page, or contact us by email or phone.

All documentation registered in Canada has an expiration date. The pleasure craft licence is by no means an exemption. It’s important you know what to do before the time comes. You should check the expiration date on the license once in a while to be aware when the time limit is close at hand.

Transport Canada makes it mandatory for vessel owners to keep their documentation up to date. This is a way to keep track of boats that operate within the local maritime transport system and to check once in a while if the owners have valid licenses for their ships. It’s very important to comply with the authorities and to present your papers to the Coast Guard officers whenever they require them.


Basic Information You Should Know
A Pleasure Craft Licence is a document with a unique license number for a pleasure craft. The number serves as identification for the vessel and allows search and rescue personnel to access important information in an emergency. A vessel used for pleasure, recreation, or daily living is a pleasure craft. You must carry the Pleasure Craft Licence on board the vessel at all times, and display the number on both sides of your boat's bow.

A Pleasure Craft Licence that was issued or updated after 2010 is valid for 10 years. At the end of that period, you must renew your license. If you change your name, address, or particulars of the pleasure craft after you obtain a Pleasure Craft Licence, you must update it as well. An updated license proves your responsibility and helps to build consciousness for the community.
How To Renew Pleasure Craft Licence 
Although dealing with your ship’s documentation may sound like a hassle, it doesn’t have to be so. No longer do you have to spend hours looking for the right forms or taking your whole day off from work to do so.

Head to our website, where you can find the application form to get started. Look for the ‘Licence Forms’ tab on the upper side, and click on the option ‘Renew Pleasure Craft Licence’. Start by writing your license number and the date of expiration as it is shown on the license card.

State the particulars of the applicant. Provide your full name, check the authorization box, and draw your signature in the digital drawing box provided for it. Don’t worry if it’s not as precise as the one you write by hand. As long as it is similar enough, it should be good. Point out if the vessel is co-owned.

Next up comes the address details: street name, city, province, zip code, and country. It’s important to put down your contact details such as email and telephone number. The birth date is also required.

The second part of the form consists of the pleasure craft’s details and specifics. You can choose to change the prefix on the license number in case you need it, that’s to say if you have moved somewhere else. Point out the propulsion type, length, and the hull’s type, material, and colors. Write down the make and model as well.
Get Your License Renewed Today
Is your pleasure craft paperwork on the verge of expiration? Don’ wait any longer. Avoid fees and penalties from the authorities by using our SSL encrypted three-step process application portal to get your license renewed for 10 more years.

If you have any questions about license renewal, feel free to contact us at any time.

Did you just get a Canadian pleasure craft and want to make sure that you have all of your documentation taken care of? Do you know that there’s something you have to do with your Canadian Pleasure Craft License, but you aren’t necessarily sure of how to go about it? That’s perfectly understandable. After all, when someone gets a pleasure craft, they get it for, well, pleasure. They want to have a good time with it, not to spend hours upon hours filling out vessel documentation. To that end, you can find all of the forms you’ll need at our site for the course of owning your pleasure craft. 
Who Needs a Canadian Pleasure Craft License (and How to Get One) 
If your vessel has an engine that’s more than ten horsepower (or 7.5 kilowatts) and you’re not using it in a commercial capacity, then odds are that you’re going to need a pleasure craft license. You can find the form for this at our site. You’ll be provided with a license number that you have to display on the vessel itself. Something important to keep in mind here: the license itself does not qualify as proof of ownership in and of itself. So, if you’re going to take your pleasure craft out, make sure to have ownership documents in a secure place on the vessel at all times. 


Transferring a Pleasure Craft License and More 
The good news is if you have your pleasure craft license, you have some time before you have to worry about renewing your license. Specifically, you have a decade to do so. That said, if you’re going to transfer your pleasure craft license to someone else, then we have the forms for that as well. A word to the wise: if you’re buying a vessel, hang onto as many of the ownership documents as you can, as it will make the process easier. Should you be selling the pleasure craft, then you’re going to want to give the new vessel owner the bill of sale. 
If You Lose Your License 
Should you lose your license, you want to replace that as quickly as possible. Indeed, you don’t want to take your vessel out without a proper pleasure craft license. In fact, you’ll need a replacement if your pleasure craft l incense has been destroyed or even damaged (in addition to lost). To that end, you can utilize the “Duplicate of Pleasure Craft License” form at our site. 
Help With More Than Just Pleasure Craft 
This blog has provided information about what to do for your pleasure craft, but we offer far more than that at our site. In fact, you can find just about everything you’ll need for your registered vessel or even if your vessel is on the Small Vessel Registry. To see everything that we have to offer, just head on over to our site. 

It’s very important that, should you purchase a pleasure craft number, you have its documentation in place. After all, your pleasure craft licence will be the document that officially ties you to the vessel in legal ownership terms. Now, this process might come with a lot of trouble for a lot of people. You might be asking yourself a lot of questions about it. “How do I get my pleasure craft licence?” “What do I do once I get it?” “Where should the pleasure craft number be displayed?” These are all understandable, so let’s go over some of these matters.
Pleasure Craft Licence
Under Transport Canada’s boating documentation guidelines, a pleasure craft license is a document with a unique identifying number for a vessel, specifically, well, a pleasure craft. This allows you to have a distinct number attached to your vessel in order to properly identify it in situations such as searches and rescues, and qualifying personnel will be able to find and access relevant information in a quick and prompt manner. 
Obtaining Your Licence
In order to have a number to display on the boat, you will first have to get the license with the number. Now, all you need to do in order to get your own licence for your pleasure craft will be to apply for one. As part of this process, you will need to provide some contact information about yourself (or the owner, if you are acting on their behalf), as well as information about the boat itself. This will involve some sort of proof of ownership, most likely a bill of sale. Once you go through this process, you will eventually receive your pleasure craft licence with its pertinent data. Once you get this, you will be instructed to paint the number on the boat, which might lead you to wonder, “where should the pleasure craft number be displayed?”
Where Should the Pleasure Craft Number Be Displayed?
There are very particular guidelines that need to be taken into account at the time of properly displaying the pleasure craft number on your vessel. If you are not aware of where the pleasure craft number should be displayed or end up painting the digits on the wrong place, you might end up getting in trouble with the Transport Canada authorities. In order to avoid that, let's make sure you have everything in order.

The license number needs to be displayed on both sides of the bow.
For obvious reasons, the number needs to be above the waterline.
The digits need to be written in block characters that are at least 7.5 centimetres (or 3 inches) high.
The colour of the letters needs to distinctly contrast with the colour of the bow

National Vessel Registry Center
If asking yourself where should the pleasure craft number be displayed, or getting the license itself is proving challenging, don’t worry. Our team here at the National Vessel Registry Center is here to help you with any process relevant to Transport Canada applications. Give us a call at +1 (800) 419-9569, email us at info@canadianvesselregistry.ca, or fill out the contact form on our website should you need any help.

Are you looking to purchase a new boat? Whether you are a seasoned sailor or a first-time boat owner, getting a new boat may be a thrilling experience. You'll likely be ready to get on the water after your purchase is complete. However, similar to a new car or big item purchase, you should be aware that there can be some paperwork to complete before you can start enjoying your new vessel. Keep reading to learn more about what kind of licence you need and how to process an application for a pleasure craft licence.

It is important that you take care of your registration and licensing obligations in order to avoid getting into any kind of legal trouble with the authorities. Having all the papers in order is a good way to make the most of the hours of freedom that come with boat ownership. The amount of paperwork your boat will need will primarily depend on how big it is and what you plan to use it for. Fortunately, the National Vessel Registry Center can assist you with all of your documentation needs.
Do I Need to Apply for a Pleasure Craft Licence?
A good way to know if you need to apply for a PCL is to try to answer the following question: "Are you planning to use the vessel to earn money?" If you answer yes, then you might instead need to look for a commercial licence. Otherwise, it is a leisure craft. It qualifies as a pleasure craft if you're using it only for amusement and pleasure. For example, you can have friends and family over as long as you’re not making a business out of it. Additionally, if your pleasure vessel has more than 7.5 kW or 10 horsepower, you must obtain this license.
Who Should Not Submit an Application for a PCL?
As we mentioned previously, if you intend to operate your vessel for business purposes, you won’t need to process an application for a pleasure craft licence. Instead, you're going to find the application to register your boat. Your boat is not a pleasure craft if, for example, you intend to use it as a paid ferry across a body of water, for the transportation of products, or for commercial fishing. Remember that you can also find all the necessary forms on our website under the registry section. Once you’re there, scroll down until you see the drop-down menu for the first time registration options. Please contact us if you need any assistance. 
Fill Out This Form Using Your Phone
It's quite easy to complete it on your phone whenever you want. Go to our website, choose "licence forms," and then choose "New Pleasure Craft License" from the drop-down menu. Fill out the form after that with the information that will be requested. This simple process is possible because of our website’s optimization, which makes it phone-friendly. You can quickly and effectively open this form on your phone as a result. You can then complete it whenever and however you'd like. To that end, we not only make it simple to fill out these forms, but we also protect your information. We've made it possible for you to fill out our forms on anything, including your phone, and be confident that your information will be secure thanks to our SSL encryption.
Duplicates and lost PCL
Should the situation arise in which your license is destroyed, lost, or stolen, it is important that you request a duplicate as soon as possible. Other situations where you might also need to request a duplicate are if you write anything on it or even if you laminate it, which can make it difficult to read, thus rendering it ineffective and invalid. The request for a duplicate must be accompanied by the information required to identify you and some characteristics of your vessel. 


Application Process, Anytime, and Anywhere With Our Online Forms 
At the National Vessel Registry Center, we make it simple to submit your PCL application online. You can submit your extra documents and finish an application in just a few minutes by using our SSL-encrypted website. Why take the time to go to the post office when our straightforward web forms can make things much simpler? You can work on the online application for a pleasure craft licence during lunch breaks at work or anytime you have access to the internet with the peace of mind that your data is secure and in good hands.

For all of your vessel's paperwork requirements, we also offer a wide variety of different online encrypted forms. If you would like to learn more about the services we offer, visit our detailed FAQs page at the National Vessel Registry’s website. You may also contact us by phone or email right now to find out more about how we can assist you. 

 

Your pleasure craft licence must be displayed on the forward half of your boat, positioned where it remains clearly visible to marine enforcement officers during inspections. The licence should be mounted on the starboard side when possible, though either side of the forward section meets regulatory requirements. 



Our service provides the forms you need to obtain your licence properly, ensuring you have the correct documentation to display according to federal standards.

Proper licence display protects you from potential fines and demonstrates compliance with Canadian boating regulations. Marine enforcement officers regularly check for visible licence placement during routine patrols, making correct positioning essential for every boat owner.
Optimal Placement Locations for Your Licence
Finding the perfect spot for your pleasure craft licence requires balancing visibility requirements with practical boating considerations. The forward half rule provides flexibility while ensuring enforcement officers can easily spot your documentation.

The starboard side traditionally serves as the preferred location for licence display. This convention stems from maritime traditions and makes inspections more predictable for both boaters and enforcement personnel. However, port side placement remains completely acceptable under current regulations.

Consider your boat's design when selecting the exact mounting location. The goal is maximum visibility without interfering with boat operation or safety equipment.

Weather protection plays a crucial role in licence longevity. While the licence must remain visible, protecting it from direct spray and excessive sun exposure helps maintain its readability over time. Strategic placement near overhangs or in recessed areas can provide some protection while meeting visibility requirements.

Our forms ensure you receive a properly formatted licence that meets all display standards. We help streamline the application process so you can focus on finding the ideal mounting location for your specific boat.
Interior vs Exterior Display Options
Current regulations permit both options as long as the licence remains visible to inspecting officers without requiring them to board your boat.

Exterior mounting offers the clearest compliance with visibility requirements. Officers can immediately see your licence from their patrol boats or docks without any question about accessibility. This approach eliminates potential confusion during inspections.

Interior mounting through windows or glass doors can work effectively on many boats. The licence must be positioned so officers can read it clearly from outside the boat, which typically means mounting it flat against a window or clear panel.

Hardtop boats with enclosed cabins might find interior mounting more practical for weather protection. Ensure the mounting location provides unobstructed views from multiple angles, as officers might approach from different directions.
Mounting Methods and Materials
Selecting appropriate mounting hardware ensures your licence stays securely positioned while remaining easily readable. The mounting method should account for your boat's materials, typical weather exposure, and ease of replacement needs.

Marine-grade adhesive strips work well for temporary mounting or frequent licence updates. These strips resist saltwater exposure and UV damage while allowing clean removal when necessary. They're particularly useful for pleasure craft licence transfer situations where the licence might change hands.

Permanent mounting brackets suit boats where the licence location won't need frequent adjustment. These brackets can be fabricated from stainless steel or marine aluminum to resist corrosion. They offer superior security against weather and vibration.

Magnetic mounts provide an interesting option for steel-hulled boats. Marine-grade magnetic holders resist corrosion while allowing easy removal for cleaning or replacement. However, ensure the magnetic strength adequately secures the licence against wind and spray.

Lamination or protective covers extend licence life significantly. Clear marine-grade covers protect against UV fading, water damage, and physical wear while maintaining readability. These covers often include mounting provisions that simplify installation.
Compliance with Maritime Regulations
Licence display requirements stem from Canadian maritime laws designed to facilitate marine enforcement and safety operations. These regulations balance practical boating needs with law enforcement requirements.

Enforcement officers need quick licence verification during routine patrols and emergency responses. Proper display helps expedite these interactions, allowing officers to confirm your boat's legal status without extended inspections.

Regular compliance checks occur throughout the boating season. Officers patrol popular boating areas and conduct random inspections to ensure all boats carry proper documentation. Visible licence display demonstrates your commitment to following regulations.

Non-compliance can result in significant penalties including fines and potential boat detention. These consequences far outweigh the effort required for proper licence display, making compliance a practical necessity for all boat owners.

Documentation requirements extend beyond simple licence display. Officers may request additional paperwork during inspections, so keeping all boat documentation organized and accessible proves beneficial for smooth encounters.


Inspection Procedures and Expectations
Marine enforcement officers follow standardized procedures during boat inspections that rely on visible licence display. These procedures help ensure consistent enforcement while minimizing disruption to your boating activities. Proper placement can sometimes eliminate the need for boarding inspections.

Boarding inspections involve officers coming aboard to examine documentation more closely. They'll verify licence information against boat specifications and owner identification. Having your licence properly displayed and easily accessible speeds this process considerably.

Documentation verification includes checking licence validity, owner information, and boat specifications. Officers may also request additional documentation such as registration papers or safety equipment certificates during comprehensive inspections.

Courteous cooperation during inspections benefits everyone involved. Officers appreciate boaters who maintain proper documentation and display, while compliant boaters experience smoother, faster inspection processes.
Special Circumstances and Exceptions
Certain boating situations create unique licence display challenges that require creative solutions while maintaining regulatory compliance. Our forms help you obtain proper documentation regardless of your specific circumstances.

Racing boats often modify their appearance significantly for competition purposes. Temporary licence mounting solutions allow compliance during normal operation while permitting race configuration changes. Magnetic or adhesive mounting works well for these applications.

Commercial operators using pleasure craft for business purposes face additional documentation requirements. While the basic licence display rules apply, these operators might also need Canadian Ship Registry documentation depending on their specific activities.

Shared ownership situations require clear licence display showing current operator information. The person operating the boat must ensure proper documentation is visible, regardless of who actually owns the boat.

Rental boats present unique challenges since operators change frequently. Rental companies typically handle licence display as part of their operational procedures, but renters should verify proper documentation before departing.
Maintenance and Replacement Procedures
Regular licence maintenance ensures continued compliance and readability throughout its validity period. Proactive care prevents emergency replacement situations and maintains professional appearance.

Monthly inspections help identify developing problems before they become serious. Check for fading, cracking, moisture damage, or loosening mounting hardware during routine boat maintenance periods.

Cleaning procedures should use marine-safe products that won't damage licence materials or mounting hardware. Gentle soap solutions and soft cloths typically suffice for routine cleaning without causing deterioration.

Replacement timing depends on licence condition and regulatory requirements. Don't wait until the licence becomes completely unreadable before ordering replacement documentation through our forms service.

Emergency replacement situations require expedited processing to maintain legal compliance. Keep backup documentation information readily available to speed replacement orders when necessary.
Damage Prevention Strategies
Preventing licence damage proves more cost-effective than frequent replacements while ensuring continuous regulatory compliance. Simple preventive measures significantly extend licence life and readability.

Protective covers shield licences from direct weather exposure while maintaining required visibility. Marine-grade clear covers resist UV damage, scratching, and chemical exposure from cleaning products.

Strategic positioning away from high-wear areas reduces accidental damage from dock lines, fenders, and normal boat operations. Consider traffic patterns around your chosen mounting location.

Regular hardware inspection prevents mounting failures that could result in licence loss overboard. Saltwater environments accelerate corrosion of mounting hardware, requiring periodic replacement.

Documentation backup through photographing or scanning provides emergency reference if the physical licence becomes damaged or lost. Store backup copies in waterproof containers separate from the original.
Pleasure Craft Licence Vs. Registration for Your Situation
Our service simplifies the pleasure craft licence application process by providing the correct forms for your specific boat and circumstances. We eliminate guesswork by matching you with appropriate documentation based on your boat's specifications.

Whether you're obtaining your first licence, handling a pleasure craft licence transfer, or replacing damaged documentation, our forms provide the foundation for successful applications. We make the bureaucratic process straightforward so you can focus on enjoying your time on the water with properly displayed documentation.