If you are a Canadian boat owner, then you are probably familiar with the requirements from Transport Canada. To complete the duties involved with the ownership of a vessel you need to be well informed. That is the reason behind this article. To tell you exactly everything you need to know about the Small Vessel Registry and the difference with the Canadian Register of Vessels. How can one know if he or she needs to enroll the boat in one register or the other? If that is the information you are looking for, you have come to the right place.
The Small Vessel Registry
If your vessel is not big enough to be able to get a pleasure craft or enroll in the Canadian Register of Vessels, there is also a specific type of registration you can get: the Small Vessel Registry. How do you know if your vessel is considered for this type of license? There are a few items you need to check. You need to mandatorily inscribe into this registry on the following occasions:
- If your vessel is used for commercial purposes and has an engine with more than 10 horsepower and the gross tonnage is less than 15.
- If your vessel is a barge, commercial river raft, or a passenger vessel carrying 12 or more people, and with no engine or less than 10 HP motor and less than 15 gross tonnages.
Keep in mind that if you don’t have a valid registration for your vessel, you might end up being subject to fines under the Canada Shipping Act of 2001.
The Canadian Register of Vessels
The Canadian Register of Vessels manages the activity and status of all commercial non-pleasure vessels with a gross tonnage over 15 or more and a horsepower of 10 (7.5 kW) or more. It also monitors boats that will register a mortgage, those who want to reserve a name, or those planning to travel internationally (that is beyond Canada’s territorial waters, about 12 nautical miles).
Many other actions can be performed at this Registry. Some of them, are the following:
- Managing Ownership: Changing it, adding a new owner, or transferring the ownership in case of death or bankruptcy.
- Registering: Getting your initial documentation, and reserving a name.
- Reporting a change: Informing of any modifications of the vessel’s details. Change mortgagee or owner details, change the vessel name, modify the port of registry…
- Additionally, you can also manage registration, and marine mortgages, and record a vessel under construction (under a Canadian builder).
The National Vessel Registry Center
As you can see, whether you need to enroll in the Small Vessel Registry or the Canadian Register of Vessels, it is crucial for you to make sure that you accordingly comply with the requirements from Transport Canada. Regardless of the size, weight, motor, and use you give to your boat, our website, the National Vessel Registry Center, can help you out. We are a third-party agency that processes any type of vessel documentation, and we do so completely online. In addition to that, our experienced staff can clear any of the doubts you may have while filling out the forms, and they make sure you don’t make any mistakes on them. Contact us today for any other assistance you may need!
