--- title: "Drone licence and drone registration in Canada" url: "https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/drone" description: "Register a drone and get a drone pilot certificate in Canada: handled by Transport Canada. Official links checked 13 October 2026. From official sources." 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." --- # Drone licence and drone registration in Canada 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 In Canada, any drone weighing 250 g or more must be registered with Transport Canada through the Drone Management Portal and marked with its registration number. The pilot also needs a drone pilot certificate, earned by passing an online exam; the basic one is open from age 14. Drones under 250 g usually need neither. Who handles it: [Transport Canada](https://canadaservicemap.ca/bodies/transport-canada). Handles it everywhere in Canada. ## Official links - [Drone safety](https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety), checked 13 October 2026 - [Register your drone](https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/registering-your-drone), checked 13 October 2026 - [Drone pilot licensing](https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/drone-pilot-licensing), checked 13 October 2026 ## Who can apply - Every drone that weighs 250 g or more must be registered, whether it was bought ready to fly, built from a kit or custom-built. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/registering-your-drone), checked 13 October 2026. - Drones under 250 g do not need to be registered, unless something attached to them, such as a camera, brings the weight to 250 g or more. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/registering-your-drone), checked 13 October 2026. - Anyone flying a drone with an operating weight from 250 g up to 150 kg must hold a drone pilot certificate. Getting one includes passing at least one online exam. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/drone-pilot-licensing/take-drone-pilot-online-exam), checked 13 October 2026. ## Steps 1. Register online through the Drone Management Portal. It takes about 3 minutes. Have the purchase date, the make, model, serial number and type of drone, and a credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/registering-your-drone), checked 13 October 2026. ## What you need - Carry your drone pilot certificate, printed or electronic, every time you fly. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/drone-pilot-licensing/keep-your-drone-pilot-skills), checked 13 October 2026. ## How long it takes - The certificate of registration is issued online right away. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/registering-your-drone), checked 13 October 2026. - The certificate does not expire, but before each flight you must have passed an exam or flight review, or done approved training, within the previous 24 months. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/drone-pilot-licensing/keep-your-drone-pilot-skills), checked 13 October 2026. ## Good to know - Mark your drone clearly with its registration number, using a permanent marker, a permanent label or engraving. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/registering-your-drone), checked 13 October 2026. - Flying without meeting the registration and marking rules can bring a fine: $5,000 for recreational users and $25,000 for commercial users. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/registering-your-drone), checked 13 October 2026. ## Questions people ask ### Do I need to register a drone under 250 g? No. Drones under 250 g do not need to be registered unless an attachment, like a camera, brings the operating weight to 250 g or more. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/registering-your-drone), checked 13 October 2026. ### How do I get a drone licence in Canada? Find the category of operation you will fly in, then pass the matching online exam: the Small Basic Exam for basic operations, the Advanced Exam for advanced operations, or two exams for Level 1 complex operations. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/drone-pilot-licensing/take-drone-pilot-online-exam), checked 13 October 2026. ### What happens if I fail the drone exam? Wait 24 hours and try again. You can retake the online exam as many times as you need, but each attempt costs the same fee. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/drone-pilot-licensing/take-drone-pilot-online-exam/small-basic), checked 13 October 2026. ### Does a drone pilot certificate expire? No, but you must be able to show that you passed an exam or flight review, or completed approved training, in the last 24 months whenever you fly. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/drone-pilot-licensing/keep-your-drone-pilot-skills), checked 13 October 2026. ### What is the fine for flying an unregistered drone? Transport Canada lists fines of $5,000 for recreational users and $25,000 for commercial users who fly without meeting the registration requirements. Source: [tc.canada.ca](https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/registering-your-drone), checked 13 October 2026. ## More - [Visit or camp in a national park](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/national-parks) - [Boating: operator card and pleasure craft licence](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/boating-licence) - [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, "Drone licence and drone registration in Canada", checked 13 October 2026, https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/drone