In Ontario, you do not need a boat license, also known as a Pleasure Craft License, for a boat that has a 9.9 hp engine.
A Pleasure Craft License is a document issued by Transport Canada that provides your vessel with a unique identification (ID) number. The license is valid for 10 years. This ID number allows police and search and rescue personnel to access important information in an emergency.
In Ontario, all pleasure craft powered by an engine of 10 horsepower (7.5 kW) or more must have a pleasure craft licence. This includes personal watercraft (PWC) and sailboats with an engine.
How To Obtain a Pleasure Craft License
You can obtain a 10-year Pleasure Craft License for free from the Transport Canada Pleasure Craft Licensing Centre. A Pleasure Craft License is valid for 10 years from the date of issuance, transfer, or renewal.
If you need to make any updates to your license, such as a change of name or address, you must do so within 90 days through the Pleasure Craft Licensing Center online or by mail.
Alternatively, instead of licensing your boat, you could register it with Transport Canada.
How To Display a Pleasure Craft License
Your pleasure craft license number must be displayed on both sides of your vessel’s bow. Pleasure craft license paperwork must be kept on board at all times when the boat is being operated.
What’s the difference between a Pleasure Craft License and a Boating License?
It’s important not to confuse the Pleasure Craft License with the Canadian boating license, also known as a Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC). These are two different documents.
The Pleasure Craft License is a document that has a unique number issued for the vessel itself, while the Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) is a boating license that is required for anyone operating a motorized vessel in Ontario. The PCOC never expires and is valid across Canada and recognized in the United States.
Do you need a boating license for a 9.9 hp in Ontario?
Yes – you are legally required to have a boating license, also known as a Pleasure Craft Operator Card, or other proof of competency to operate any recreational-powered watercraft in Ontario.
This includes all types of motorized boats, no matter their size or the horsepower of the engine (including small boats with electric trolling motors.)
Proof of competency can be any of the following:
- A Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC), that you received after passing a boating safety course approved by Transport Canada;
- A certificate that states you have completed a boating safety course in Canada before April 1, 1999;
- A completed and signed Boat Rental Safety Checklist (applicable only for the rental period); or
- A specified marine certificate or equivalency recognized by Transport Canada.
If you are a non-resident visiting Canada with your boat, you are not required to carry proof of competency on board as long as your boat is in Canada for less than 45 consecutive days.
The requirement to have a Pleasure Craft Operator Card or other proof of competency does not apply to operators in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
Be Safe, Get Certified.
It is illegal to operate a powered boat in Ontario without a boating license (or other proof of competency), and the fines for doing so can be significant. Additionally, obtaining a boating license is a good way to ensure that you are operating your boat safely and responsibly.
By completing a boating safety course and obtaining your boating license, you can gain the knowledge and skills needed to operate a boat safely, protect yourself and others, and avoid costly fines. If you want to test your knowledge – why not try out the free boating license practice test.
With the convenience and affordability of MyBoatCard.com’s online course, there is no reason not to get your boating license today.
Join the over 2 million certified Canadians, and get your Canadian boating license today!
