Vessel License in Canada: Why You Need One & How It Helps

Did you recently purchase a pleasure craft in Canada and aren’t sure what to do next? Do you have your “Pleasure Craft Operator Card” and don’t know the next step? That card makes you eligible to operate a pleasure craft, but it’s not the same as a vessel license in Canada. For one, the latter is tied to the vessel, not the operator. If you have a pleasure craft in Canada, you’re going to need one of these licenses. The good news is: you apply for this form right here at our site.

Who Needs a Pleasure Craft License

Simply put, anyone who operates a vessel that they’re going to use for fun and recreation has a large enough engine. Specifically, that’s if your engine is larger than 7.5kW/10 horsepower. Now, if you have a vessel of that size but you’re going to use it in a commercial capacity (to make money, such as to use it for commercial fishing, transporting goods/people, and the like) then you’re going to want to register your vessel. You can do that through our site as well.

What to Do With Your License

The main thing you’re going to want to do with this license is to keep it on the vessel. You don’t need to have it in your pocket or something the entire time you’re operating the vessel, but you’re going to want to keep it on your vessel. In fact, you must carry the license on board the vessel at all times. If you’re caught operating the vessel without this license, then there’s a $250 fine that you do not want to have to pay.

Making Use of the License You Have

You do have ninety days from the time you purchase the vessel to apply for this license. That said, you’ll need documentation with your name, address, and the date you purchased the vessel on board until you get that license. Moreover, you’re also going to want to display the number on both sides of the bow. They have to be in “block” characters (use common sense here) and in a color that contrasts with the bow’s color so that they can be more easily seen. Speaking of, you’ll want to make them at least 7.5 centimeters (three inches) high as well.

Beyond the Pleasure Craft

The above are just some of the ways that we can help you with the licensing of pleasure craft. When the time comes, you can also renew this at our site, transfer them to a new owner, and so much more. Indeed, you’ll be able to find just about all of the different forms of vessel documentation that you could ever need for a Canadian vessel at our site. On top of that, we make it easier to apply for all of these forms as well. As long as you’re online, you can fill these out on any device as our website is mobile optimized. For more, check out our site.