Do you call Canada home and want your boat registered with the federal government? You should be congratulated if this is the case; you now own a boat! It is always a good idea to register your Canadian vessel with the government, regardless of whether you have just purchased the boat or used it on the water for several years.
Registration not only ensures that your vessel is eligible for certain legal protections, but it also makes it easier to keep track of every boat in Canada. One thing that tends to bring the same type of delight and enthusiasm that owning a car does is having a boat, and boat ownership is one of those things. There is, however, another facet of boat ownership, especially for Canadians, and that is boat registration. Here they are:
Determine the Hull Identification Number (HIN) for your Boat
If you’re in the market for a boat, the last thing you want to consider is whether it complies with local regulations. That’s why it’s crucial to check the boat’s condition and ensure the documentation is in order before making the purchase. The next step is to check whether your ship has a Hull Identification Number (HIN). Locate this identification number on the vessel’s hull.
Your boat’s identification numbers are probably on the engine block if they aren’t already obvious (or other parts of the engine). Check the seller-provided paperwork for your vehicle(s) to determine whether a vehicle identification number (VIN) is listed. There may be none around if you have yet to be able to locate them. Consulting Transport Canada or a maritime lawyer is highly recommended in this situation. You should be good if your HIN is clearly visible and you’ve registered it with Transport Canada, so they know who you are and where you live.
Complete the Canadian Vessel Registration Application Form
It will take you about 10 minutes to fill out this form. A form will ask for your name, address, and phone number. In addition, please specify your boat’s make and model, its length in meters, and the marina at which it is kept. Recreational vessels are just some of the ones that need registration; fishing boats and work boats need them, too.
However, some boats fall outside this rule, and those exclusions depend on the waterway in question. You don’t need to register your boat in Canada if, for instance, it will never leave Canadian waters and will only be transferred inside Canada (i.e., not for foreign travel). You do not have to register a sailboat under seven meters (22 feet) in length if the mast is down before leaving the dock and the Canadian vessel is not being used as an auxiliary motor vehicle.
Pay the Registration Fees
In Canada, registering a boat involves notifying the government that you are the vessel’s owner. This is required before you are allowed to use the Canadian ship legally. It is easy to accomplish, but there are procedures you need to stick to ensure that your registration is genuine and that you are not breaching any restrictions. The fees required to register a vehicle differ from province to province and even city to city within the same region if you reside in an area served by more than one municipality.
This website will help assist people from Ontario who want to register their boat in Toronto, Ontario. This article should serve as a valuable introduction for anybody getting written anywhere in Canada, even if the conditions described here are only met in some Canadian provinces and territories.
Have Your Boat Inspected By a Transport Canada-Approved Inspector
Four easy procedures are required to register a boat in Canada, regardless of where it was manufactured. Getting a Transport Canada-approved inspector to go to the ship is the first order of business. Bring your proof of ownership documents and proof of insurance to the inspection. The inspector will provide a Certificate of Inspection when the check is complete, which states that your vessel meets all Transport Canada safety requirements. You may “self-inspect” your boat in the comfort of your home if it fails official inspection or you don’t want to wait. After 60 days, a vessel must have an official surveyor check it out.
Registering your boat is required to be legally allowed on Canada’s waterways. Thankfully, the process is straightforward and simple, and you can register your boat online or over the phone with the National Vessel Registry Center at +1 (800) 419-9569.
