Operating a boat in Canada, just like a car, needs to be done under certain legal and administrative circumstances. It’s important, after all, to know that those operating vessels are qualified to do so, and that the vessel itself is in order. Here’s how to licence a vessel in Canada and how to get a licence yourself.
What Vessels Need to be Licenced?
First of all, what vessels need to be registered and which ones need to be licenced? Well, in general terms, commercial vessels need to be registered, while recreational ones don’t necessarily have to be. However, you will most definitely need that licence if you’re not planning on getting that recreational vessel registered. This licence will essentially give you a permit to operate your vessel in accordance with Transport Canada’s rules and regulations. Now, what’s important to keep in mind that his process will come with requirements of its own, so let’s take a closer look at these.
What Do You Need to Get an Operators Licence?
When figuring out how to licence a vessel in Canada, you will learn that, as part of the application, you go through three different stages: a safety test, a temporary licence, and an operator card. The safety test is the official Transport Canada exam known as the Canada Boating Safety Test. After passing the test, you can get a temporary licence that you will be able to use while you wait for the actual licence. This temporary will be valid in all Canadian provinces. Between two to three weeks later, you will receive the actual licence operator card in the mail, which will allow you to operate the vessel going forward. However, how about licensing the vessel itself?
How to Licence a Vessel in Canada
Now, in order to get the licence for the vessel in and of itself, you will need to prove your claim over the boat and submit it as part of the application. This will serve, going forward, as a proof of ownership and permission to use the vessel, which means that it will be tied from now on. If you’re to sell the vessel to someone else, the licence will stay with the vessel, not with you as a former owner. If you’re looking for the application to receive the licence, you will find it readily available here on our website. You will be able to fill it out and submit it through our platform, after which it will be passed along to Transport Canada, going through our checkers to ensure that all information is correct and ready to be processed.
Submitting Vessel Documentation
Whether you’re looking into how to licence a vessel in Canada or to register your commercial boat, we want the process to be easy for you. This is why we make it so you can conveniently fill out and submit every relevant form through our website directly to Transport Canada. If you have any question about what the process you’re taking care of entails, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Just give us a call at +1 (800) 419-9569 or email us at info@canadianvesselregistry.ca and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
