--- title: "Boating licence: Pleasure Craft Operator Card" url: "https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/boating-licence" description: "Boating: operator card and pleasure craft licence in Canada: handled by Transport Canada. Course providers set the price of the course, test and card." site: "Canada Service Map" author: "Mahmoud Halat" publisher: "Space & Story" lastReviewed: "2026-10-13" licence: "Built entirely from public data: open data and official government pages. Each record keeps the licence of its source, listed at https://canadaservicemap.ca/data." --- # Boating licence: Pleasure Craft Operator Card Federal service ยท Environment and outdoors Compiled by Mahmoud Halat, checked 13 October 2026. Not a government website. The official page always has the final word. ## Short answer To drive a motorboat for fun in Canada you need proof of competency, usually a Pleasure Craft Operator Card, which you get by passing a test with a course provider accredited by Transport Canada. Separately, a boat with 10 hp (7.5 kW) or more needs a Pleasure Craft Licence. Apply online; the licence now has a fee and lasts 5 years. Who handles it: [Transport Canada](https://canadaservicemap.ca/bodies/transport-canada). Handles it everywhere in Canada. ## Official links - [Apply for or manage a Pleasure Craft Licence](https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/vessel-licensing-registration/licensing-pleasure-craft/apply-manage-pleasure-craft-licence-pcl/apply-manage-pleasure-craft-licence-pcl), checked 13 October 2026 - [Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC)](https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/preparing-operate-your-vessel/pleasure-craft-operator-card-pcoc), checked 13 October 2026 - [Boating safety](https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/marine-safety/boating-safety), checked 13 October 2026 ## Who can apply - Anyone operating a motorized boat for recreation needs proof of competency. This includes electric trolling motors, and applies even when the motor is not running. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/preparing-operate-your-vessel/pleasure-craft-operator-card-pcoc), checked 13 October 2026. - Without direct supervision, children under 12 may only drive boats up to 10 hp, and youth aged 12 to 15 boats up to 40 hp. No one under 16 may drive a personal watercraft. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/preparing-operate-your-vessel/pleasure-craft-operator-card-pcoc), checked 13 October 2026. - A recreational boat needs a Pleasure Craft Licence (PCL) if its engines total 10 hp (7.5 kW) or more and it is mainly used in Canadian waters, unless it is registered instead. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/vessel-licensing-registration/licensing-pleasure-craft/apply-manage-pleasure-craft-licence-pcl/apply-manage-pleasure-craft-licence-pcl), checked 13 October 2026. ## Steps 1. To get a Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC), pass a boating safety test from a course provider accredited by Transport Canada. Courses are offered in class and online. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/preparing-operate-your-vessel/pleasure-craft-operator-card-pcoc), checked 13 October 2026. ## What you need - To apply for a PCL, have government ID for every owner, proof of ownership, a photo of the boat, and a Visa or Mastercard. Online applicants get an emailed temporary licence, valid for 30 days. You can apply by mail with a money order instead. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/vessel-licensing-registration/licensing-pleasure-craft/apply-manage-pleasure-craft-licence-pcl/how-apply), checked 13 October 2026. ## Cost - Course providers set the price of the course, test and card. The federal government does not charge or collect any of these fees. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/preparing-operate-your-vessel/pleasure-craft-operator-card-pcoc), checked 13 October 2026. - There is now a fee for a new, renewed, transferred or duplicate Pleasure Craft Licence. You must update your licence details within 30 days of a change, and updates are free. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/vessel-licensing-registration/licensing-pleasure-craft/apply-manage-pleasure-craft-licence-pcl/apply-manage-pleasure-craft-licence-pcl), checked 13 October 2026. ## How long it takes - Transport Canada aims to issue the licence within five business days of a complete application. The same standard applies to transfers, renewals and duplicates. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/vessel-licensing-registration/licensing-pleasure-craft/apply-manage-pleasure-craft-licence-pcl/fees-service-standards), checked 13 October 2026. - New, transferred and renewed licences are valid for 5 years. Older licences that had no expiry date now expire on a set schedule. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/vessel-licensing-registration/licensing-pleasure-craft/apply-manage-pleasure-craft-licence-pcl/apply-manage-pleasure-craft-licence-pcl), checked 13 October 2026. ## Good to know - A PCOC is valid for life. If you lose it, ask your course provider for a replacement; they charge a fee. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/preparing-operate-your-vessel/pleasure-craft-operator-card-pcoc), checked 13 October 2026. ## Questions people ask ### Do I need a licence to drive a boat in Canada? You need proof of competency, such as a Pleasure Craft Operator Card, to drive a power boat. It works like a driver's licence. The boat itself may also need a Pleasure Craft Licence, which is a separate document. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/vessel-licensing-registration/licensing-pleasure-craft/apply-manage-pleasure-craft-licence-pcl/apply-manage-pleasure-craft-licence-pcl), checked 13 October 2026. ### How much does a boating licence (PCOC) cost? It depends on the course provider. Each accredited provider sets its own fees for the course, test and card, and prices vary. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/preparing-operate-your-vessel/pleasure-craft-operator-card-pcoc), checked 13 October 2026. ### I bought a used boat. What do I do with its licence? If the boat already has a Canadian Pleasure Craft Licence, transfer it into your name before you use the boat, within 30 days of the ownership change. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/vessel-licensing-registration/licensing-pleasure-craft/apply-manage-pleasure-craft-licence-pcl/how-apply), checked 13 October 2026. ### What is the fine for an unlicensed boat? You may be fined $250 if a boat that needs a Pleasure Craft Licence does not have a valid one. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/vessel-licensing-registration/licensing-pleasure-craft/apply-manage-pleasure-craft-licence-pcl/apply-manage-pleasure-craft-licence-pcl), checked 13 October 2026. ### Do I need a boating card in Nunavut or the Northwest Territories? No. Proof of competency is not required on the waters of Nunavut or the Northwest Territories. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/preparing-operate-your-vessel/pleasure-craft-operator-card-pcoc), checked 13 October 2026. ### Can I show a photo or copy of my operator card? No. A paper or electronic copy of a PCOC is not accepted. Carry the card itself. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/marine-transportation/preparing-operate-your-vessel/pleasure-craft-operator-card-pcoc), checked 13 October 2026. ## More - [Visit or camp in a national park](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/national-parks) - [Register a drone and get a drone pilot certificate](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/drone) - [Weather forecasts and alerts](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/weather-alerts) - [Buy a fishing licence](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/fishing-licence) - [Buy a hunting licence](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/hunting-licence) - [Reserve a campsite in a provincial or territorial park](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/provincial-park-camping) ## Cite this page Canada Service Map, "Boating licence: Pleasure Craft Operator Card", checked 13 October 2026, https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/boating-licence