Reporting a change in the Canadian Register of Vessels: Vessel alteration

Fee: $100

If your vessel has been altered or modified to the point where the information on your Certificate of Registry is no longer accurate, you must report the changes to the Vessel Registration Office.

Examples of changes that need to be reported include changes to the vessel’s descriptor, tonnage, length, breadth, depth, or engine size (horsepower).

Contact your regional Marine Safety Service Center to speak to the technical services group if you have any questions regarding tonnage measurement.

If the vessel was measured by…

Do this…

Certificate of Survey

  • For a change of descriptor:
    • With no change to vessel tonnage, submit a letter signed by the owner
    • If the change affects the vessel’s tonnage, a new Certificate of Survey is required

Tabular Method

  • This method is no longer an option, choose a new method.
  • Send us a letter stating which method you will use and send us the new tonnage documents

Assigned Formal Tonnage

  • Submit any changes to the vessel, including a change of engine or descriptor, by a letter signed by the owner
  • Determine the new tonnage. If the vessel is:
    • Not more than 8.5 m, enter 4.99 as the gross tonnage
    • More than 8.5 m, but not more than 10 m, enter 9.99 as the gross tonnage
    • More than 10 m, but not more than 12 m, enter 14.99 as the gross tonnage

Simplified Method of Tonnage Measurement (Form 4A)

Tonnage Measurement of a Simple Multihull Vessel (Form 4B)

  1. Provide the following to make the alteration to the registry:
  2. Submit and pay

How long it may take to process your request

View the Vessel Registry service standards

Full re-build of a vessel

A full re-build is not considered to be an alteration. A Marine Safety Inspector must review the vessel changes. Based on their review, you may have to do the following:

Make an appointment with a Marine Safety Inspector

If your vessel has had a full re-build, you need a marine safety inspection.

Find a Marine Safety office near you