How to Get a Commercial Boat Licence to Operate Your Vessel Commercially

Commercial Boat Licence

If you’re trying to commercially operate a boat here in Canada, then you’re probably looking into how to get a commercial boat license with Transport Canada. Here’s what you need to know.

How to Get a Commercial Boat Licence

The first thing to know when figuring out how to get a commercial boat licence here in Canada is that there isn’t actually a commercial license. Instead, it’s called vessel registration, and it’s a mandatory document for commercial vessels that operate in Canadian waters under certain conditions. Here you will find everything you need to know in order to take care of this process and get started with your boat’s commercial operations. 

Commercial Vessel Registration

As the owner of a boat, 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.

File For Documentation

So, if you realize that you will need to register your commercial vessel with Transport Canada, all you need to do is head over to the corresponding form here on the National Vessel Registry Center website, fill it out, and submit it accordingly. Don’t worry, this won’t take that long. All you will need to provide is some pretty straightforward information about the vessel itself and about the registering owner. This will involve your contact information and the address to which the vessel will be registered, along with the manufacturing stats about the boat. Once you get this form in order and submit it through our platform, there will only be a brief waiting period before you get to enjoy the full proper use of your boat in accordance with the Canada Shipping Act of 2001.

Commercial Boat Licence

National Vessel Registry Center

Transport Canada documentation applications can be tedious and inconvenient to go through, but we don’t want that to be the case for you. Our platform is designed to make sure that all these processes are made easier for you, and that you have no trouble filing for any vessel documentation that you need. Not only that, but our team is always ready to provide you with the help that you need should you have any questions or doubts about any application process. Whether you are dealing with registration, licenses, transfers, or just about any other piece of documentation, you will find everything that you need right here at the National Vessel Registry Center.