Yes, if your vessel is over 10 hp and it has not been registered in the Canadian Register of Vessels. A pleasure craft licence provides a unique identification number – commonly referred to as the “licence number” – that you must display on your recreational vessel, as required under the Small Vessel Regulations of the Canada Shipping Act, 2001. This licence number helps law-enforcement and search and rescue officials trace a pleasure craft to its owner.
Vessel Registration FAQs
WHAT ARE THE MARKING REQUIREMENTS?WHAT IS VESSEL DOCUMENTATIONWHAT VESSELS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRY?WHAT VESSELS ARE EXEMPT?IS THERE A FINE IF I DO NOT HAVE A PLEASURE CRAFT LICENCE?WHAT IS VESSEL TONNAGE?WHAT IS REGISTRY?SHOULD I RETURN THE CERTIFICATE OF DOCUMENTATION WITH THE RENEWAL NOTICE?ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DOCUMENTATION?WHAT HAPPENS TO THE VESSEL WHEN ONE JOINT OWNER DIES?WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR DOCUMENTATION?CAN MY VESSEL BE REGISTERED AND LICENCED?WHAT IS FIRST TIME REGISTRY?WHAT CAN I DO IF I HAVE LOST OR MISPLACED MY CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRY?HOW LONG IS THE CERTIFICATE OF DOCUMENTATION VALID?WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A VESSEL WHOSE NUMBER BEGINS WITH THE LETTER ‘C’ (e.g., C00000BC) AS OPPOSED TO A VESSEL WHOSE NUMBER BEGINS WITH A NUMBER, AND/OR A LETTER AND NUMBERS (e.g., 32E 00000 OR BC 00000)?WHAT VESSELS CAN BE DOCUMENTED?ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DOCUMENTATION?HOW DO I ESTABLISH CANADIAN CITIZENSHIP?HOW DO I OBTAIN TITLE INFORMATION FOR A DOCUMENTED VESSEL?