With springtime right around the corner, you may find yourself contemplating the idea of picking up a new hobby. Maybe you are looking for ways to unwind from the stresses of office life, and wish to explore the great Canadian outdoors? Perhaps you are looking for new and engaging ways to spend time with your family and friends? Well, in that case, it is hard to beat boating. By buying a boat of your own, you can truly maximize your free time and make waves in the sunshine. Purchasing a vessel, though, is a major investment, and even used boats can be pretty expensive. With this in mind, you are going to want to perform ample due diligence before pulling the trigger. Once you have found the boat of your dreams, however, the possibilities are endless–provided you have the proper Transport Canada documentation. Keeping your boat’s documents current is an essential duty for a responsible boat owner, and at the National Vessel Registry Center, we can help.
Home to hundreds of thousands of lakes and a considerable amount of coastline, Canada has a vast area of water to maintain and regulate. The national agency tasked with this is Transport Canada, and they manage our nation’s infrastructure matters on both land and sea. Headquartered in Ottawa and accountable to parliament, this agency issues licenses and registrations to boaters across Canada. As boats can come in a wide variety of different sizes and uses, it makes sense that there are different modes of documentation. By understanding what documents your vessel will require, as well as how you can get them online, you can spend more time on the water and less time filling out paperwork. Read on to learn more.
What Type of Transport Canada Documentation Does Your Vessel Need?
Most recreational boaters in Canada will need to obtain a boat license, which is also called a pleasure craft license (PCL). A PCL is required for any motorized vessel with an engine of 7.5 kW (10 horsepower) or more, though they are available to all vessels. With a PCL, you are assigned a registration number that must be affixed to the exterior of both sides of your boat’s bow in letters of at least three inches in height.
If you plan to use your boat for commercial means, or if it is financed with a marine mortgage, you will need to acquire a vessel registration. This is also compulsory for boats traveling on international waters under the Canadian flag. With a vessel registration, you are assigned a completely unique name and official number, and you will no longer need to obtain or renew a PCL.
We Have the Forms You Need
Whether you need a PCL or a vessel registration, we can help. We have easy-to-fill online forms for these and a number of other documentation matters. To learn more, take a few minutes to browse our site, or check the F.A.Q-section.
