Making waves in the sunshine, having great, memorable times with friends and loved ones, all while taking in the great Canadian outdoors–does this sound appealing to you? If so, you may want to take a long, hard look at the prospect of boat ownership. When you own your own vessel, you give yourself the freedom to leave the dock whenever the urge arises, and you can make lasting memories with your family during the summertime months. Of course, owning a boat also comes with a considerable amount of responsibility. As a vessel owner, you have an obligation to keep your boat clean, well-maintained, and current on its Transport Canada documentation. For many, this means obtaining a pleasure craft license (PCL). Other vessels, however, will call for entry into the vessel registry with Transport Canada, and at the National Vessel Registry Center, we can help you do this online.
Transport Canada is our country’s primary transportation agency concerning matters on both land and sea. Tasked with maintaining a safe infrastructure for our waterways, Transport Canada accomplishes this in a number of ways, one of which is by maintaining a thorough registry of vessels. In Canada, most motorized vessels will require some form of documentation. For most leisure crafts, a simple pleasure craft license will suffice–this is technically required for any boat featuring an engine of 10 horsepower (7.5 kW) or more. Boats that are traveling on international waters under the Canadian flag, engaging in commercial activity, or carrying a marine mortgage will need to enter the Small Vessel Registry. If your boat should fall under this category, there is a process that you will need to complete in order to obtain your vessel registration.
How to Enter the Vessel Registry with Transport Canada
If you have done some research and determined that it is a requirement for you to register your vessel, there are some perks that you will be able to access. For one, you will be able to obtain a completely unique name for your boat, which can let you truly put an individualized stamp on your vessel. Another advantage to vessel registration is that you will be able to proudly sail under the Canadian flag, which can allow for a smoother passage into international ports.
To register your vessel, you will need to complete a Form 1 – Application for Vessel Registration, along with a Form 3 – Statement of Qualification for Vessel Registration. You will also want to acquire a tonnage measurement and provide photographs of all four sides of your vessel to Transport Canada.
Register Your Vessel Online the Easy Way!
Instead of printing out forms, filling them out, and making a trip down to the post office, why not work with us? At the National Vessel Registry Center we have easy-to-complete forms for vessel registrations, PCLs, and much more. To learn more about how we can help you, take a few minutes to browse our site, and check our F.A.Q-section.
