So, after years of thinking about it, it is finally time to buy a boat of your own. You can hardly be blamed for pulling the trigger–with your own vessel, you are free to head out onto one of Canada’s thousands of lakes whenever the urge strikes you. There simply are not many better ways to enjoy a warm, sunny day than being out on the boat with your family catching fish or making waves. Of course, purchasing a vessel is no minor investment, as even boats on the secondary market can command a high price tag. There are also docking fees and maintenance costs to contend with, in addition to the costs associated with documenting your boat with Transport Canada. One thing you can do, however, to save yourself a bit of time and energy is apply for your Canada boat registration online, and at the National Vessel Registry Center, we can help.
As a boat owner, you can expect to work with Transport Canada for documentation matters on occasion. As a large government agency tasked with monitoring and regulating Canadian waters, Transport Canada issues pleasure craft operator cards (PCOCs), and pleasure craft licenses (PCLs), and manages the Small Vessel Registry. Staying on top of your registrations and licenses is a must as a responsible boater, and having current documentation on board your vessel at all times is just as important as your stock of life jackets and first aid supplies. Since different types of boats will require different modes of documentation, you will want to be sure to know which type is required for your boat–read on to learn more.
Do You Need a Canada Boat Registration?
Typically, a boat on Canadian wear will require a PCL or a vessel registration. To be a bit more specific, a PCL is necessary for any motorized vessel with an engine of 7.5 kW (10 horsepower) or more. PCLs are valid for 10 years, and they assign your vessel a registration number which must be displayed on your boat’s exterior. Commercial vessels, as well as boats traveling abroad while flying the Canadian flag, will require vessel registration. This will also be the case if your boat purchase was financed with a marine mortgage.
To get your vessel registration, you will need to complete Form 1 – Application for Vessel Registration and Form 3 – Statement of Qualification for Vessel Registration. You will also need to provide Transport Canada with photographs of all four sides of your vessel and tonnage measurement. Fortunately, we can save you the trouble of locating these forms, printing them out, and mailing them to Transport Canada’s office in Ottawa. By selecting the Vessel Registration option from our navigation menu, you will be brought to a streamlined, fillable form that you can submit via our SSL-encrypted web portal.
Get on the Water Today
Don’t waste valuable boating time filling out paperwork–apply for what you need online at our site. To learn more, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page, or spend a few minutes exploring our easy-to-navigate website.
