It’s that time of year again. With the sun shining and warm weather encouraging everyone to get outdoors, there has never been a better time to head out on the lake with a boat of your own. When you purchase your own vessel, you can give yourself and your family countless hours of leisure and enjoyment. Whether you simply enjoy cruising or engaging in water sports, or if you are an avid fisherman, owning your own boat allows you to make the most of your hobbies. Buying a boat, though–and any boat owner will tell you this–can be an expensive endeavor. Once you get over the initial sticker shock that comes with the price tag of a new boat, you will also need to consider docking fees, and maintenance and fuel costs. For this reason, many opt to purchase used boats–and there is no shame in that! In fact, great deals can be found all over Canada’s bustling secondary marine marketplace. Once you have found the boat of your dreams, however, you may also need to sit down and apply for an Alberta boat license.
If you have finalized your transaction and the keys to your new boat are firmly in your hands, the last thing you want to do is fill out a bunch of paperwork. The reality is, though, boat ownership comes with a ton of responsibility. It may be necessary for you to work with Transport Canada–the nation’s primary transportation agency–to obtain a pleasure craft license (PCL), pleasure craft operator card (PCOC), or vessel registration. What you will need will largely depend on the type of vessel you have and what you plan to use it for. The good news, however, is that by working with a private service such as ours at the National Vessel Registry Center, you can get what you need online. Read on to learn more.
What is an Alberta Boat License?
Before you sit down to apply for a boat license, you should probably make sure you know what it is (and whether or not your boat requires it). In simple terms, a PCL applies to any pleasure craft that has an engine of 7.5 kW or more, though they are available to all boats. With a PCL, you will be assigned a registration number which should be placed on both sides of your boat’s bow in characters of at least three inches of height. PCLs are valid for a period of 10 years, and they can be transferred along with the ownership of a vessel.
To get your PCL, you will want to fill out an application, which you can do on our site. You will also need to provide a photograph of your vessel and proof of ownership, which is typically done with a bill of sale.
Get Your PCL Online
You can work with us to get all of the Transport Canada documentation you need online. Simply browse our navigation menu to get a feel for our offerings. To learn more, you can also visit our helpful Frequently Asked Questions page.