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 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 IS FIRST TIME REGISTRY?WHAT IS SMALL VESSEL REGISTRY?WHAT IS REGISTRY?Which Vessels Have to Be Registered and Licenced?WHAT VESSELS ARE EXEMPT?MAY I RENEW A LOST CERTIFICATE OF DOCUMENTATION?WHAT IS A PLEASURE CRAFT LICENCE?CAN MY VESSEL BE REGISTERED AND LICENCED?What is a Bareboat Charter?SHOULD I RETURN THE CERTIFICATE OF DOCUMENTATION WITH THE RENEWAL NOTICE?HOW DO I CLOSE THE REGISTRY OF MY VESSEL?HOW DO I OBTAIN TITLE INFORMATION FOR A DOCUMENTED VESSEL?WHAT IS VESSEL TONNAGE?ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DOCUMENTATION?HOW CAN I SEND MY CREDIT CARD PAYMENT?What Vessels May Be Registered? HOW DO I RENEW MY CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRY?DO I NEED A PLEASURE CRAFT LICENCE?What Makes a Boat a “Pleasure Craft?”