With the holidays quickly upon us, you cannot be blamed if your mind starts drifting toward boating season. While it is true that winters in Canada can feel endless, they do, in fact, end, and it will be time to get your boat in the water before you know it. As you start thinking about all the activities you will want to do with your boat during the summer months, you should also consider what you will need to do to get your boat ready. First, it is always a good idea to thoroughly clean your boat, inside and out, before getting it in the water. Next, you should probably make sure you are current on your maintenance–that means checking your fuel and oil levels. Lastly, though equally as important, you should probably take a glance at your Transport Canada documentation to ensure that it is up-to-date. If your vessel currently holds a pleasure craft license (PCL), you are going to want to verify that it has not expired. If you do need to process a boat license renewal, though, a private service such as ours at the National Vessel Registry Center can help you do it online.
Owning a boat does afford you a degree of freedom. Of course, with that freedom does come a fair amount of responsibility. You owe it to yourself as well as your passengers to safely operate your vessel at all times. One way in which you can do this is by obtaining a boating license, which is also called a pleasure craft operator card (PCOC). You can get a PCOC by taking an educational course and passing Transport Canada’s requisite exam. A PCOC will essentially demonstrate that you have a basic competency for operating a motorized vessel. A boating license and boat license, while they do sound similar, are different documents. A boat license (PCL) applies to your boat itself, and there will be occasions when you will need to submit an application renewal.
What is a Boat License Renewal?
Any leisure craft in Canada with an engine of 10 horsepower (7.5 kW) or more will need to apply for a PCL. With a PCL, you receive a registration number from Transport Canada, and this number will need to be displayed on both sides of your boat’s bow in characters of at least three inches in height. Your registration number should also plainly contrast with the color of your boat’s exterior. Once issued, your PCL will be valid for 10 years, at which point you will need to submit a renewal application. Fortunately, you can do this online by using our fillable web forms and secure, SSL-encrypted web portal. Simply select the “Renew PCL” option from our navigation menu to get started.
Set Sail with Us!
We have fillable online forms for all of your Transport Canada paperwork needs. To get a sense of our many offerings, take a minute to explore our site. You can also visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for additional information.
