Important changes have been made to the Pleasure Craft Licensing (“PCL”) process. A pleasure craft licence is a document with a unique number that is displayed on both sides of the bow of a pleasure craft.
Learn about the recent Update to the PLEASURE CRAFT LICENCE Process to ensure compliance and safety.
This is NOT your Pleasure Craft Operator Card (“PCOC”).
In Canada, any pleasure craft, regardless of its length, equipped with one or more motors that total 10 horsepower (7.5 kW) or more requires a Pleasure Craft Licence (PCL). This applies to motorized boats, personal watercraft (jet skis), and tenders/dinghies, provided they are primarily used or maintained in Canadian waters.
Transport Canada has issued revisions to the Pleasure Craft Licence regulations, effective December 31, 2025. Your existing licence expiry date can be checked at:
https://www.pcl-pep.snbservices.ca/1001/PubWeb/CheckLicenseExpiryDate.aspx?lang=en-CA
Link to the new application – MAIL in
https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Corp-Serv-Gen/5/forms-formulaires/download/84-0172_BO_PX
Link to the new application – ON-LINE
Welcome to Transport Canada | Bienvenue à Transports Canada available January 6th, 2025.
What are the changes?
Here are the key updates you should be aware of:
• Expiry date: All new, transferred and renewed pleasure craft licences are valid for 5 years. Licences that previously didn’t have an expiry date will now have one (see table below).
• Fee: A $24 fee will apply to new, renewed, transferred or replaced pleasure craft licences.
• Updating your information: You must now update your licence information within 30 days of it changing (e.g., changes to name or phone number). Updating your information is free.
• Cancellation of a PCL: The criteria for cancelling a licence have expanded. A licence must be cancelled if the vessel is no longer seaworthy or for other specific reasons outlined by the Minister of Transport.
• Wind-powered craft: Starting December 31, 2027, wind-powered pleasure craft over 6 metres long will need a pleasure craft licence. This will not apply to human-powered boats like kayaks, canoes, or dragon boats.
Expiry date
| You can check your licence expiry date using your pleasure craft licence number. For older licences that didn’t have an expiry date, the following expiry dates will now apply: Licence issue date | Licence expiry date |
| December 31, 1974 or earlier | March 31, 2026 |
| January 1, 1975 to December 31, 1985 | December 31, 2026 |
| January 1, 1986 to December 31, 1995 | December 31, 2027 |
| January 1, 1996 to December 31, 1999 | December 31, 2028 |
| January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2005 | December 31, 2029 |
| January 1, 2006 to April 28, 2010 | December 31, 2030 |
I checked mine online and found this:
Fee
A $24 fee will be applied for new, renewed, transferred, or replaced pleasure craft licences. You will not be charged to update personal information like your address or phone number, or to cancel your licence.
You don’t have to pay the $24 fee to license your boat if you use your pleasure craft to exercise your Indigenous rights as recognized and affirmed under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, such as hunting, fishing, and trapping. You can make this declaration by using the checkbox on the licence application form.
Updating your information
If your pleasure craft does not have a valid licence (including up-to-date information) or is not registered, you may be liable to a fine. Having accurate information on file is essential for your safety. It allows search-and-rescue teams to find you in an emergency. As of January 6, 2026, you can update your information online at any time, free of charge at
https://www.pcl-pep.snbservices.ca/1001/PubWeb/Default.aspx?lang=en-CA.
Learn more
You can learn more about the new regulations by reading the Regulations Amending the Small Vessel Regulations in the Canada Gazette, Part II.
