How-to: Pleasure Craft Licensing

• How do I license a previously unlicensed pleasure craft?
• How do I transfer the licence of a previously licensed pleasure craft to my name?
• How do I obtain a duplicate (replacement) licence?
• How do I fill out a declaration under oath? 

How do I license a previously unlicensed pleasure craft?

Make sure to follow these instructions carefully when you complete your application. Incomplete information may cause delays in processing, especially in the case of mail-in applications.

Fill out the form Application for Pleasure Craft Licence as described below.

1. Complete Part A.
2. In Part C, select "DOMESTIC" if your boat was purchased in Canada, or "FOREIGN" if it was purchased outside of Canada.
3. Since you are applying for a new Pleasure Craft Licence, select "New" in the "Make application for" section.
4. Complete Part D. Remember that this information will assist search-and-rescue personnel, should you ever need their services. Use the "Craft remarks" if you wish to provide more information that could be of use in an emergency.
   
   Note: Part D of the online application contains some fields (hull material, hull type, primary hull colour, and secondary hull colour fields) with drop-down menus. These menus offer suggestions on what to include in each field.
   
5. Sign and date the form.

There are two ways to submit your application: in person or by mail.

Option 1: In person

Visit a Service Canada Centre. In addition to the completed form, you will need to bring a document that establishes your ownership of the pleasure craft, such as a bill of sale. You will also need to provide personal identification. If all your information is complete, we will issue you a Pleasure Craft Licence on the spot.

Note: If you do not have a document establishing your ownership of the pleasure craft, you must provide a declaration under oath. Detailed information on how to fill out a declaration under oath is available below. There may be a cost associated with obtaining a declaration under oath.

Option 2: By mail

Mail your completed and signed Application for Pleasure Craft Licence along with:

• a document establishing your ownership of the pleasure craft, such as a bill of sale (or a declaration under oath); and
• a signed photocopy of your personal identification document (both sides of your identification document must be on the photocopy).

Mail your application and supporting documents to:

Pleasure Craft Licensing Centre
P.O. Box 2006
Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5G4

Note: If your application is incomplete or if it is missing any supporting documents, we will return the entire application package to you. To avoid delays, please make sure to carefully follow the steps outlined above.

How do I transfer the licence of a previously licensed pleasure craft into my name?

Make sure to follow these instructions carefully when you complete your application. Incomplete information may result in lengthy delays in processing, especially in the case of mail-in applications.

Fill out the form Application for Pleasure Craft Licence as described below.

1. Complete Part A.
2. Complete Part B by writing the current licence number of the pleasure craft in the space provided.
3. Since you are requesting a transfer of the licence to your name, select the "Transfer" box in the "Make application for" section.
4. Complete Part D. Remember that this information will assist search-and-rescue personnel should you ever need their services. Use the "Craft Remarks" area if you wish to provide more information that could be of use in an emergency.
   
   Note: Part D of the online application contains some fields (hull material, hull type, primary hull colour and secondary hull colour fields) with drop-down menus. These drop-down menus offer suggestions on what to include in each field.
   
5. Complete Part E.
6. Sign and date the form.

There are two ways to submit your application: in person or by mail.

Option 1: In person

Visit a Service Canada Centre. In addition to the completed application form, you will need to bring a document that establishes your ownership of the pleasure craft, such as a bill of sale. You will also need to provide personal identification. If all your information is complete, we will issue you a Pleasure Craft Licence on the spot.

If you do not have a document establishing your ownership of the pleasure craft, you must provide a declaration under oath. Detailed information on how to fill out a declaration under oath is available below. There may be a cost associated with obtaining a declaration under oath.

Option 2: By mail

Mail your completed and signed Application for Pleasure Craft Licence along with:

• a document establishing your ownership of the pleasure craft, such as a bill of sale or a declaration under oath; and
• a signed photocopy of your personal identification document (both sides of your identification document must be on the photocopy).

Mail your application and supporting documents to:

Pleasure Craft Licensing Centre
P.O. Box 2006
Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5G4

Note: If your application is incomplete or if it is missing any supporting documents, we will return the entire application package to you. To avoid delays, please make sure to carefully follow the steps outlined above.

How do I obtain a duplicate (replacement) licence?

Fill out the form Application for Pleasure Craft Licence as described below.

1. Complete Part A.
2. Complete Part B by writing the current licence number of the pleasure craft in the space provided.
3. Since you are requesting a duplicate Pleasure Craft Licence, select "Duplicate" in the "Make application for" section.
4. Sign and date the form.

There are two ways to submit your application: in person or by mail.

Option 1: In person

Visit a Service Canada Centre. In addition to the completed form, you will need to provide personal identification.

Before we can issue a duplicate licence, we have to establish the identity of the licensee on file. For this reason, we might ask you to return in 48 hours, to give us enough time to manually search our paper records to validate the information on file. If our search shows that you are the licensee on file, we will issue a duplicate licence to you. We have to perform manual searches until records of all pleasure craft licences that the Canada Border Services Agency issued are entered into the electronic database, which will allow for a faster search.

If the information we have on file does not indicate that you are the last licensee on file, we will ask you to produce a declaration under oath. Detailed information on how to fill out a declaration under oath is available below. There may be a cost associated with obtaining a declaration under oath.

Option 2: By mail

Mail your completed and signed Application for Pleasure Craft Licence along with:

• a signed photocopy of your personal identification document (both sides of your identification document must be on the photocopy); and
• a declaration under oath (if required)

Mail your application and supporting documents to:

Pleasure Craft Licensing Centre
P.O. Box 2006
Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5G4

Note: If your application is incomplete or if it is missing any supporting documents, we will return the entire application package to you. To avoid delays, please make sure to carefully follow the steps outlined above.

How do I fill out a declaration under oath?

You can make the declaration under oath on the sample form that the Office of Boating Safety issues. However, you can also make these declarations on another sworn document, as long as the document contains enough information to demonstrate that you are legally entitled to license a specific pleasure craft.

The declaration should include the following information:

• your name, date of birth, and address, as the new owner
• the licence number of the pleasure craft (if applicable)
• the make and model of the pleasure craft
• the hull identification number
• the hull material and colour
• the length of the pleasure craft
• the propulsion type
• the name of the previous owner of the pleasure craft
• a statement as to why proof of ownership or other document cannot be produced
• for an unlicensed pleasure craft, a statement that, to the best of your knowledge, the pleasure craft was not previously licensed
• the date the original licence was issued (if applicable)
• your signature, as the current pleasure craft owner
• the signature of a lawyer, notary, justice of the peace, or commissioner of oaths
• the printed name of the lawyer, notary, justice of the peace, or commissioner of oaths

Note: A lawyer, notary, justice of the peace, commissioner of oaths, or a person legally entitled to sign such documents in Canada must sign a declaration under oath. There may be a cost associated with obtaining a declaration under oath.