Apply for or manage a Pleasure Craft Licence (PCL)

How to apply

Find out how to:

Apply for a new PCL or transfer an existing PCL

If you buy or build an unlicensed pleasure craft, it will need a new Pleasure Craft Licence.

If you import a pleasure craft from another country to use in Canada, it will need a new Pleasure Craft Licence. A pleasure craft can’t be licensed or registered in multiple countries at the same time.

If you acquire a pleasure craft that already has a Canadian Pleasure Craft Licence, you need to transfer the licence into your name before operating the pleasure craft. You must do this within 30 days of the ownership change.

To apply:

  1. Gather these documents:
  2. Have your payment method ready (credit card Visa or Mastercard)
  3. Apply online

After you submit your online application, we will email you a temporary licence. This temporary licence is valid for 30 days. It lets you operate your pleasure craft right away until we issue your permanent Pleasure Craft Licence. The number on the temporary and permanent licence will be the same.

If you can’t apply online, you can apply by mail. You will need to include a money order made payable to Pleasure Craft Licensing.

Apply for a Dealer Demonstration Licence

Boat dealers can request a Dealer Demonstration Licence. This licence lets customers test drive unlicensed pleasure craft in the dealer's possession. It belongs to the dealer and doesn’t apply to any one pleasure craft.

The Dealer Demonstration licence must:

  • be in both the name of the business and a person with signing authority for the business
  • never be transferred to a consumer

There is a limit of 6 Dealer Licences per business. If you need more, contact Transport Canada, Office of Boating Safety directly to justify your request.

You can only apply for this by mail.

To apply:

1. Gather these documents:

2. Have your payment method ready (you must include a money order made payable to Pleasure Craft Licensing)

3. Apply by mail

Renew a PCL or update licence information

A Pleasure Craft Licence must be renewed every 5 years. The new expiry date is 5 years from the renewal date. You can check your licence expiry date using your Pleasure Craft Licence number. You can only renew your licence 3 months before the expiry date.

Pleasure craft licence information must be updated within 30 days if there are changes to your:

  • name
  • address
  • phone number
  • email address
  • pleasure craft details

Updating your licence does not change the expiry date. You will still need to renew your licence on its expiry date.

To renew or update:

  1. Gather these documents:
  2. If you are updating your information, there is no fee, but if you are renewing your licence, have your payment method ready (credit card Visa or Mastercard)
  3. Apply online

After you submit your online application, we’ll email you a temporary licence. This temporary licence is valid for 30 days. It lets you operate your pleasure craft right away until we issue your permanent Pleasure Craft Licence.

If you can’t apply online, you can apply by mail.

Get a duplicate of a PCL document (Replace a lost or damaged PCL document)

The Pleasure Craft Licence document must be kept on board. If your Pleasure Craft Licence document has been lost or damaged and you received your PCL by email, you can reprint it. If you applied by mail or if you lost your original email, you need to replace it by obtaining a duplicate.

Obtaining a duplicate licence document doesn’t change the expiry date. You’ll still need to renew your licence on its expiry date.

To replace a lost or damaged Pleasure Craft Licence document:

  1. Gather these documents:
  2. Have your payment method ready (credit card Visa or Mastercard)
  3. Apply online

After you submit your online application, we’ll email you a temporary licence. This temporary licence is valid for 30 days. It will let you operate your pleasure craft right away until we issue your permanent Pleasure Craft Licence.

If you can’t apply online, you can apply by mail.

Cancel a PCL

If you sell your pleasure craft, don’t cancel the licence. A Pleasure Craft Licence number stays with a pleasure craft for its entire life. The buyer must transfer the licence to their name.

You should cancel your Pleasure Craft Licence if:

  • you decide to register your pleasure craft (instead of licensing it)
  • it’s no longer seaworthy
  • it has been destroyed
  • it’s no longer primarily maintained or operated in Canada

To cancel a PCL:

There is no fee to cancel a licence

  1. Gather these documents:
  2. Apply online

If you can’t apply online, you can apply by mail.

Apply by mail
  1. Complete the Application for Pleasure Craft Licence, form 84-0172E (includes instructions).
    • If your application is missing information, we’ll return it to you by mail with a letter explaining what’s missing.
  2. Pay for your application, if applicable.

    You can pay 2 ways when applying by mail:

    • You can provide your credit card (Visa or Mastercard) information in the payment section on the application form
      • charges will appear on your card as Boat licence/permis embarcation
    • You can send a money order, made payable to Pleasure Craft Licensing
      • if mailing multiple applications, there must be a separate money order for each application

    We don’t accept cheques.

  3. Mail your application, payment, and document copies to:
    Pleasure Craft Licensing Centre
    PO Box 2006
    Fredericton NB E3B 5G4
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