So, you have made it through another long Canadian winter, and you are more than eager to get your boat out for the season. Who can blame you? The summer months offer boundless opportunities for enjoying the great outdoors, and those afternoons and weekends tend to make the winter months more bearable. Before you can launch your boat for the year, though, there are likely some matters to address. First, you will want to make sure your boat is clean, especially if it has been sitting in storage. Next, you should assess your engine and make sure you are up-to-date on your maintenance. At this point, you are almost ready to head out and make waves. Before you untie from the dock, you should ask yourself, when was the last time you processed a pleasure craft license renewal? You are going to want to have current documentation for your vessel so that you can operate it with full peace of mind.
If you own a boat, you probably appreciate the sense of freedom it offers you. While it is true that having your own vessel allows you to head out on the lake whenever you want to, that is a privilege that comes with a fair amount of responsibility. If you intend to safely operate a motorized boat, you will likely need a boating license, which is officially referred to as a pleasure craft operator card (PCOC). You can get your PCOC from Transport Canada by completing an educational class and passing their basic competency exam. It is also likely that your boat will need to be licensed or registered with Transport Canada. If you already have your PCL, you are in pretty good shape–as long as it isn’t expired. If your PCL is due for renewal, we can help–read on to learn more.
Pleasure Craft License Renewal: The Facts
If you have a boat with an engine of 10 horsepower (7.5 kW) or more, it will require a PCL, provided it is only used for recreational purposes (commercial vessels require a registration). Once issued, your PCL will provide your boat with a registration number, which must be displayed on both sides of its bow. You should use characters of at least three inches in height that clearly contrast with the color of your boat. PCLs are valid in Canada for a period of 10 years, at which point you will need to process a renewal.
There are a couple of ways you can renew your PCL. You can fill out paper forms and mail them to Transport Canada’s office in Ottawa for processing. If you want to avoid a trip to the post office, though, you can use our service instead. We have web forms for this and a number of other Transport Canada documentation matters.
Use Our Web Forms–Save Yourself Some Time
Take a few minutes to explore our website. You will see that we have online forms for all of your vessel documentation needs. If you would like to learn more, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.