Transport Canada’s Guidelines on How to Display Boat Numbers in Canada

Transport Canada has very specific display requirements for boats’ identification numbers, so, for your convenience, here’s how to properly display your hull boat numbers in Canada.

Boat Numbers in Canada
The implementation of your boat numbers in Canada will be regulated according to the specific situation. Is it a recreational boat that will need a license or a commercial one that will require registration? Per Transport Canada guidelines, recreational and commercial boats will have different requirements for the display of their identification numbers. With that in mind, let’s take a look at both situations and how you will have to display the number in each one of them.

Displaying Registered Boats’ Numbers
If what you are doing is registering your commercial vessel, you will have to display the corresponding number by the guidelines for boat numbers in Canada. So yes, registering your vessel will be very important, but so will making sure that the corresponding registration number is properly displayed on the vessel going forward. Let’s take a look at the specific requirements for these displays.

Both the name and the registration number need to be displayed on both sides of the vessel’s hull.
Letter markings have to be at least 10 centimetres or 4 inches.
Permanent markings need to be etched or affixed regarding tonnage and similar statistics.
For obvious reasons, the number needs to be above the waterline.
The colour of the letters needs to distinctly contrast with the colour of the bow.
Displaying Your Pleasure Craft Number
Just like with registered vessels, there are very particular guidelines that need to be taken into account at the time of properly displaying the pleasure craft number on your vessel. If you are not aware of where the pleasure craft number should be displayed or end up painting the digits in the wrong place, you might end up getting in trouble with the Transport Canada authorities. To avoid that, let’s make sure you have everything in order.

The licence number needs to be displayed on both sides of the bow.
For obvious reasons, the number needs to be above the waterline.
The digits need to be written in block characters that are at least 7.5 centimetres (or 3 inches) high.
The colour of the letters needs to distinctly contrast with the colour of the bow.

Apply to Get Your Boat Numbers
Filing any sort of registration or licence application with Transport Canada can be somewhat challenging for a variety of reasons. Requirements can get confusing, and forms can be frustrating. For that reason, we have set up this platform: to help you navigate the wide variety of processes handled by Transport Canada without any issues. Trust our team to assist you with getting your boat’s documentation processed quickly and easily. You can find all the forms you might need on our menu, but feel free to reach out to us if you have any doubts about any of them. We’re here to help you get your documentation in order.

Navigate the Small Vessel Registry Documentation With Transport Canada

Transport Canada has a special small vessel registry system meant for small-sized commercial boats. If you think you qualify for this particular registration, here’s what you need to do.

Small Vessel Registration
When it comes to registering vessels with Transport Canada, it’s good to know that not every boat is filed with them in the same way. Some will have certain specifics that call for an application process in particular. Among these, you will find small vessel registration, which applies to a very specific size-related modifier. If you have a boat that Transport Canada considers small, then you won’t have to submit the form corresponding to regular registration. Instead, there will be a simpler process intended for smaller boats. Let’s take a look at this process so that you can make use of the small vessel option for your boat.

Defining Small Vessels
Transport Canada’s small vessel registration is specifically meant for commercial boats that don’t exceed certain particular guidelines. These are:

The boat is used for either commercial or non-pleasure purposes.
The boat is powered by an engine of 10 horsepower (7.5 kW) or more.
The vessel is under 15 gross tons.
It’s important to remember that the commercial vessel category doesn’t exclusively refer to vessels operated for profit. Boats dedicated to research, passenger transportation, and similar non-recreational activities will also fit within this designation. In case it doesn’t, however, but you still consider your boat a small vessel, you will have to think about whether or not it will need a pleasure craft licence.

Small Recreational Vessels
Now, when it comes to pleasure boats and recreational vessels, you don’t have to register them with Transport Canada. However, it might be the case that you will need to get a pleasure craft licence for your boat. Keep in mind that there are also guidelines for this, meaning that the scope of the boat will determine whether or not it needs a license. This isn’t about gross tonnage, though. Instead, it’s about the motor’s power. Only those equipped with motors of 10 horsepower (7.5 kilowatts) or more will have to get a licence. If your pleasure craft falls short of this, you won’t have to get a licence for it to operate it in Canadian waters. If it does, you can get your licence processed through our site.

Navigate the Small Vessel Registry Documentation With Transport Canada
Small Vessel Registry
Transport Canada has a special small vessel registry system meant for small-sized commercial boats. If you think you qualify for this particular registration, here’s what you need to do.

Small Vessel Registration
When it comes to registering vessels with Transport Canada, it’s good to know that not every boat is filed with them in the same way. Some will have certain specifics that call for an application process in particular. Among these, you will find small vessel registration, which applies to a very specific size-related modifier. If you have a boat that Transport Canada considers small, then you won’t have to submit the form corresponding to regular registration. Instead, there will be a simpler process intended for smaller boats. Let’s take a look at this process so that you can make use of the small vessel option for your boat.

Defining Small Vessels
Transport Canada’s small vessel registration is specifically meant for commercial boats that don’t exceed certain particular guidelines. These are:

The boat is used for either commercial or non-pleasure purposes.
The boat is powered by an engine of 10 horsepower (7.5 kW) or more.
The vessel is under 15 gross tons.
It’s important to remember that the commercial vessel category doesn’t exclusively refer to vessels operated for profit. Boats dedicated to research, passenger transportation, and similar non-recreational activities will also fit within this designation. In case it doesn’t, however, but you still consider your boat a small vessel, you will have to think about whether or not it will need a pleasure craft licence.

Small Recreational Vessels
Now, when it comes to pleasure boats and recreational vessels, you don’t have to register them with Transport Canada. However, it might be the case that you will need to get a pleasure craft licence for your boat. Keep in mind that there are also guidelines for this, meaning that the scope of the boat will determine whether or not it needs a license. This isn’t about gross tonnage, though. Instead, it’s about the motor’s power. Only those equipped with motors of 10 horsepower (7.5 kilowatts) or more will have to get a licence. If your pleasure craft falls short of this, you won’t have to get a licence for it to operate it in Canadian waters. If it does, you can get your licence processed through our site.

Small Vessel Registry
Submit Forms For Registration
Filing any sort of registration or licence application with Transport Canada can be somewhat challenging for a variety of reasons. Requirements can get confusing, and forms can be frustrating. For that reason, we have set up this platform: to help you navigate the wide variety of processes handled by Transport Canada without any issues. Trust our team to assist you with getting your boat’s documentation processed quickly and easily. You can find all the forms you might need on our menu, but feel free to reach out to us if you have any doubts about any of them. We’re here to help you get your documentation in order.

The Transport Canada Pleasure Craft Licence Renewal Application Explained

The Transport Canada pleasure craft licence renewal process ensures that your recreational boat’s licence doesn’t expire on you, leaving you with a grounded vessel. Here’s what you should know.

Transport Canada Pleasure Craft License Renewal
When you first got your pleasure craft licence for your vessel you probably were well aware that you need this document to be in good standing with Transport Canada for you to be able to operate it. This is always going to be important, especially because your pleasure craft licence won’t be valid forever. You need to stay on top of its expiration date so that you don’t end up with an expired license. Let’s go over everything that this process will entail so that you’re ready to tackle it eventually.

When to Renew Your Licence?
If there is something that you need to stay on top of in regards to your pleasure craft licence it’s the expiration date, since this will determine whether or not your licence is in rule with Transport Canada. You will find the expiration date on the certificate that you received upon request of your pleasure craft licence, so double-check it in case you haven’t thought about it in a while. Now, if the expiration date is within three months from now, you should probably get started on the Transport Canada pleasure craft licence renewal process. The important thing is that you don’t do it any earlier than that and no later than a month ahead of the expiration date. This way, you’re not too early, nor are you at risk of having it come in too late.

What if Your Licence Expired?
Now, if your licence has already expired, then you have to approach this process differently. Once the expiration date has passed, you can no longer go through Transport Canada pleasure craft licence renewal, for this is only an option if you apply while your licence is still valid. Instead, you need to go through the reinstatement process, which, albeit similar, is not the same form or application. It’s different paperwork altogether, and you need to pay an additional reinstatement fee. Remember that you need your pleasure craft licence to be valid to operate your vessel in Canadian waters, so make sure you have it back in order before you head back out and sail away.

File Your Renewal
Filing any sort of registration or licence application with Transport Canada can be somewhat challenging for a variety of reasons. Requirements can get confusing, and forms can be frustrating. For that reason, we have set up this platform: to help you navigate the wide variety of processes handled by Transport Canada without any issues. Trust our team to assist you with getting your boat’s documentation processed quickly and easily. You can find all the forms you might need on our menu, but feel free to reach out to us if you have any doubts about any of them. We’re here to help you get your documentation in order.

Here’s What You Need to File For Transport Canada Boat Registration Online

Looking to file your Transport Canada boat registration online? Here you will find everything you need to know about how to file for registration, as well as the platform for you to submit it.

Transport Canada Boat Registration Online
If you’re looking to operate a boat commercially in Canadian waters, you are going to need to get it registered with Transport Canada. Now, there are different ways to approach this, but we have made it so that you can easily submit Transport Canada boat registration online. Here we explain everything you need to take care of this process and receive your certificate of registration as soon as possible. And, should you need help, let us know! We’re here to help you take care of your boating documentation needs.

Registration Needs
To register your commercial boat with Transport Canada, you won’t need much ahead of the process. The most important thing will be to have your bill of sale in order, which is the document that makes the sale of the boat official in an administrative capacity. This is the receipt of sorts that you receive upon purchasing your vessel, and it will serve as proof to Transport Canada that the boat does belong to you. Other than that, when filing your Transport Canada boat registration online, you will mostly need to have certain information about the vessel at hand, since these will inform the registry of the specifics of the boat and allow them to comprehensively identify it on the documentation.

Applying For Registration
Once you have all the information that you might need, it will be time to apply. Now, we are well aware that the mere thought of this kind of paperwork is probably enough to earn a deep beleaguered sigh, but we don’t want you to have to worry about that. After all, it’s the digital age, and you shouldn’t have to be put through time-consuming paper applications. This is why we at the National Vessel Registry Center have made it so that you’re able to send in all your applications for Transport Canada boat registration online. Simply head over to our sidebar menu and select the option for initial boat registration and you’ll be able to quickly and conveniently upload your bill of sale, fill out the form, and submit it to Transport Canada without issue.

File Your Registration Forms Online
Filing any sort of registration or license application with Transport Canada can be somewhat challenging for a variety of reasons. Requirements can get confusing, and forms can be frustrating. For that reason, we have set up this platform: to help you navigate the wide variety of processes handled by Transport Canada without any issues. Trust our team to assist you with getting your boat’s documentation processed quickly and easily. You can find all the forms you might need on our menu, but feel free to reach out to us if you have any doubts about any of them. We’re here to help you get your documentation in order.

A Used Boat History Report Helps You Access Information About a Vessel

A used boat history report can be an incredibly useful tool if you need to confirm or cross-check certain information about a given vessel documented with Transport Canada. Here’s how to request one.

Getting Your Used Boat History Report
You might already know that, when you register your vessel with Transport Canada, all the information that you submit as part of your application will be stored in their Vessel Registry’s database for quick access on the part of both Transport Canada and the owner. Of course, unlike them, you as the owner can’t access all this information whenever you want. It’s still available for you, but you have to go through a particular process to access it. If this sounds tedious, don’t worry, because it won’t have to be when you have our site on your side. Let’s take a look at this.

What’s in a Used Boat History Report?
When people register a boat with Transport Canada, the attached information is safely stored in their official database. This makes up a comprehensive set of information since the boat’s identifying number will remain the same throughout any changes in ownership, if any. So, a used boat history report with Transport Canada will have all the data regarding the vessel, including the past owners, potential financial claims, a history of hailing ports, and similar information that has been submitted to the vessel registry at some point or another. This comprehensive collection of information can be very useful should you need to provide any proof of ownership or financial standing at some point or evidence about ownership changes.

Request Your Report
Do you need access to relevant information about a given used boat? Do you feel like you could use a used boat history report to verify certain information? It’s easy to request it. All you will have to do is fill out the corresponding form to request the transcript from Transport Canada. This can often call for a fairly inconvenient bureaucratic process, but that’s not the case when you can count on our help. Through our site, you can find the form to request an abstract of the title, and the official name of this report. Simply find the form on our menu and fill it out with all the corresponding information about you and about the vessel itself. Then, you can pay for the application fee and submit it directly through our platform. In a matter of days, you will be receiving your used boat history report.

Filing For Boat Transcript
Filing any sort of registration or license application with Transport Canada can be somewhat challenging for a variety of reasons. Requirements can get confusing, and forms can be frustrating. For that reason, we have set up this platform: to help you navigate the wide variety of processes handled by Transport Canada without any issues. Trust our team to assist you with getting your boat’s documentation processed quickly and easily. You can find all the forms you might need on our menu, but feel free to reach out to us if you have any doubts about any of them. We’re here to help you get your documentation in order.

File For a Commercial and Pleasure Watercraft Ownership Transfer in Ontario

When you’re selling a vessel that’s been documented in Canada, you will also need to part ways with said documentation. Here’s how you can file for a watercraft ownership transfer in Ontario.

Watercraft Ownership Transfer in Ontario
If you are looking to sell your watercraft, you will have to worry about the administrative and bureaucratic side of the ownership transfer. When you first got the vessel, you had to either register it with Transport Canada or get a pleasure craft licence for it. Now, it’s important to remember that you don’t keep this documentation, but that it will have to go with the vessel to the new owner should you part ways with it. Of course, this won’t be automatic, though, and you will have to submit the corresponding form to get it done. Let’s guide you through a closer look at what these transfer applications will need from you.

Ontario Ownership Transfer of Commercial Watercraft
Commercial vessels, by the Canada Shipping Act of 2001, need to be registered with Transport Canada before operating. This allows the government agency to keep a consistent record of all vessels operating commercially across the country’s waters. Once you get the initial registration in the first place, it will be tied to the vessel going forward. This means that if you are selling it or passing it along to a new owner, the registration will go to them. To carry out that change, you will have to submit the form for a transfer of registration with Transport Canada. This way, the registry will be able to maintain updated information about the vessel itself and the new owner will be able to enjoy full use of the watercraft.

Ontario Ownership Transfer of Pleasure Craft
A similar concept will apply when you are transferring a pleasure craft licence. This is the document that serves as both the operating permit and proof of ownership for a recreational vessel. Just like with a commercial watercraft’s registration, this pleasure craft licence will stick with the watercraft if it switches hands at some point. This applies whether you are adding owners, removing them, or changing them altogether. If you are looking to transfer a licence, you will have to submit an application form for such. Once you submit the form for the transfer, providing all the information about the new owner, they will be able to make use of the pleasure craft licence going forward.

Transport Canada Transfer of Documentation
Filing any sort of registration or licence application with Transport Canada can be somewhat challenging for a variety of reasons. Requirements can get confusing, and forms can be frustrating. For that reason, we have set up this platform: to help you navigate the wide variety of processes handled by Transport Canada without any issues. Trust our team to assist you with getting your watercraft’s documentation processed quickly and easily. You can find all the forms you might need on our menu, but feel free to reach out to us if you have any doubts about any of them. We’re here to help you get your documentation in order.

What Are the Required Licence Number Display Guidelines? Here They Are

When it comes to vessel documentation, one of the most important components will be the displayed identification number. What are the required licence number display guidelines? Here, we have everything that you need to know about this.

What Are the Required Licence Number Display Guidelines?
If you’ve ever gone out to the ocean, you’ve probably seen the identification numbers on the hulls of ships and boats passing by. Well, these are a requirement from Transport Canada, the transportation agency of the Canadian government, to facilitate the identification of boats at first glance. This is mandatory for commercial boats, but not always for all recreational and other non-commercial vessels. Those that do have to, have to display their pleasure craft licence number.

What is Your Licence Number?
Your pleasure craft licence number will be the number that you receive, well, when you apply for a pleasure craft licence. Per the Canada Shipping Act of 2001, as well as Transport Canada regulations, owners of recreational and non-commercial vessels in the country over a certain size and horsepower will have to get a pleasure craft licence for it. This licence will come with a number that will have to be properly displayed on the outside of the boat in question. This is done to provide maritime authorities, both in Canadian and in foreign waters, with easy identification of the boat. What are the required licence number display guidelines? Well, let’s take a look.

How to Display the Number
As previously mentioned, there are very particular guidelines that need to be taken into account at the time of displaying the pleasure craft number on your boat. If you are not aware of where the pleasure craft number should be displayed or end up painting the digits in the wrong place, you might end up getting in trouble with the Transport Canada authorities. To avoid that, let’s make sure you have everything in order. What are the required licence number display guidelines?

The licence number needs to be displayed on both sides of the bow.
For obvious reasons, the number needs to be above the waterline.
The digits need to be written in block characters that are at least 7.5 centimetres (or 3 inches) high.
The colour of the letters needs to distinctly contrast with the colour of the bow.

Get Your Pleasure Craft Licence
Filing any sort of registration or licence application with Transport Canada can be somewhat challenging for a variety of reasons. Requirements can get confusing, and forms can be frustrating. For that reason, we have set up this platform: to help you navigate the wide variety of processes handled by Transport Canada without any issues. Trust our team to assist you with getting your watercraft’s documentation processed quickly and easily. You can find all the forms you might need on our menu, but feel free to reach out to us if you have any doubts about any of them. We’re here to help you get your documentation in order.

If You’re Selling a Pleasure Craft in Ontario, Keep the Following in Mind

If you’re planning on selling a pleasure craft in Ontario, you have to go through a transfer process for its ownership. Here’s everything that you need to know to take care of this.

Selling a Pleasure Craft in Ontario
If you are carrying out this process, it is because you are looking to transfer the registration, ownership, and property of the pleasure craft in question to another person, company, or entity, whether that means a full or partial claim. When selling a pleasure craft in Ontario, you will have to go through the administrative application process that transfers the Transport Canada documentation onto the new owner of the boat. Here at the National Vessel Registry Center, you will find everything that you need to take care of this filing with the help of our team. If you need assistance with any step of the transfer process, you can always reach out to us for help.

Selling Your Boat
The process of selling a pleasure craft in Ontario can take many different forms depending on how you approach the sale. Maybe you sell it through a broker to save yourself the trouble, or perhaps you take matters into your own hands and post ads everywhere to find a buyer. Regardless of how you end up taking care of the sale, you will always have to remember something very important: the bill of sale. You always need to provide a Transport Canada-formatted bill of sale. This way, you can certify that the sale is indeed taking place and make it official in the eyes of the transportation agency. In order to transfer ownership of the pleasure craft, you will need to upload the bill of sale as part of the application.

Filing For Transfer
Part of the process of selling your vessel will involve going through the transfer of ownership itself. This will make the process official in that, in the eyes of the national vessel registry, the vessel in question will no longer be yours and is being passed along to a new owner. While many people think that the sale alone is enough to make the new ownership official, in reality, there has to be an administrative process that reflects the change of ownership in Transport Canada’s registry. This process needs to be carried out by the seller in order to properly transfer the license to the new buyer.

Submitting Forms to Transport Canada
Filing any sort of registration or license application with Transport Canada can be somewhat challenging for a variety of reasons. Requirements can get confusing, and forms can be frustrating. For that reason, we have set up this platform: to help you navigate the wide variety of processes handled by Transport Canada without any issues. Trust our team to assist you with getting your watercraft’s documentation processed quickly and easily. You can find all the forms you might need on our menu, but feel free to reach out to us if you have any doubts about any of them. We’re here to help you get your documentation in order.