How to Transfer Boat Ownership in Ontario: The Pleasure Craft Licence Step by Step

Last updated: October 29, 2026

How to Transfer Boat Ownership in Ontario: The Pleasure Craft Licence Step by Step

Quick answer: To transfer boat ownership in Ontario, you deal with Transport Canada, not ServiceOntario. If the boat already has a pleasure craft licence, the buyer transfers it into their name within 30 days of the sale, online or by mail, with a copy of each owner's government ID, proof of ownership and a current photo of the boat. If there is no bill of sale, or you built the boat yourself, Transport Canada lists a declaration under oath as acceptable proof; Minute Notary commissions it by video for $24.95 per declarant plus HST.

A boat ownership transfer in Ontario confuses people because the boat and the trailer it sits on are handled by two different governments. The pleasure craft licence is federal, so the steps are the same in every province. The trailer is a road vehicle, so it goes through ServiceOntario like a car. Sales tax is provincial too.

This guide follows a private sale from the buyer's side: what to check before you pay, how the licence transfer works, what to do when there is no bill of sale, and how to move the trailer into your name. If you have a question about a declaration or your appointment, contact us or call (613) 434-5555. We commission the declaration; we do not prepare it or advise on the purchase.

Caption: The hull serial number is on the upper right-hand (starboard) side of the transom. Match it to the bill of sale and the licence before you pay.

Key Takeaways

Registering a Boat in Canada: Licence or Registration?

When people talk about registering a boat in Canada, they usually mean one of two federal records.

• The pleasure craft licence (PCL) is what most recreational boats in Ontario have. Transport Canada describes it as a document with a unique number, displayed on both sides of the bow. A recreational boat needs one if it has one or more engines totalling at least 10 horsepower (7.5 kW), even temporarily, and is mainly operated and kept in Canadian waters. The fine for a boat without a valid licence can be $250.
• Registration in the Canadian Register of Vessels is a title system that tracks ownership. For a pleasure craft it is optional. A registered boat does not need a licence. You need registration if you want a name for the boat or need to register a marine mortgage, and that most countries require a registered boat if you travel outside Canada.

This guide covers the licence. If the boat you are buying has a boat registration rather than a licence, the transfer goes through Transport Canada's vessel registration process, which this guide does not cover.

Two more things are easy to mix up. The licence is not proof of ownership: Transport Canada compares it to a car's licence plate. And it belongs to the boat, while your Pleasure Craft Operator Card belongs to you. You need the card to operate a power-driven pleasure craft, whoever owns it.

Before You Hand Over the Money

A boat transfer of ownership goes smoothly when the paper and the boat agree. Check these before you pay:

• Match the hull serial number (HIN). The Small Vessel Regulations place it on the upper starboard quarter of the outside of the transom (s. 903(9)). Compare it with the bill of sale and the seller's licence. Nobody may alter, deface or remove a HIN (s. 902(1)). A boat built by an individual for personal use may not have one (s. 904).
• Look at the licence. Ask to see the seller's PCL document. You can check its expiry date online by the licence number.
• Ask the seller not to cancel the licence. Transport Canada says: "If you sell your pleasure craft, don't cancel the licence." The number stays with the boat for its whole life, and the buyer transfers it.
• Search for a lien. Ontario's Personal Property Security Registration system records liens on personal property, and ServiceOntario names boats as an example. An online search on Access Now costs $8.
• Get a bill of sale that will be accepted. It lists the seller's name, address and signature, the new owner's name and signature, the make, model and colour, the HIN if there is one, and the PCL number if the boat is licensed. Our free boat bill of sale for Ontario has a field for each.
• Get the trailer's papers in the same handover: the signed vehicle portion of its permit and its own bill of sale (see the trailer section below).

Transfer Boat Ownership in Ontario: The Licence, Step by Step

This is the Transport Canada boat ownership transfer: a pleasure craft licence transfer. The buyer applies, not the seller.

1. Gather your documents. You need a copy of valid, signed government ID for every owner (a licence can show two owner names), proof of ownership, and a current colour photo of the boat. Provincial health cards are not accepted as ID.
2. Take the photo properly. It must be your actual boat, in colour, well lit, showing the full side view, with nothing blocking it. Stock images are refused.
3. Apply online and pay. Uploads must be PDF, JPG, TIFF or PNG, at least 300 DPI and no more than 5 MB. Payment is by Visa or Mastercard. The transfer fee is $24.41 for applications from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027, and Transport Canada adjusts it for inflation every April 1.
4. Keep the temporary licence. After an online application, you get an emailed temporary licence valid for 30 days. It carries the same number as the permanent one.
5. Wait for the permanent licence. The service standard is five business days from a complete application. If something is missing, you get an email with an upload link. An online application with documents still missing after 90 days is rejected.
6. Keep the licence document on board and the number on the bow. The number stays with the boat, so the characters already on the bow normally stay too. They must be on both sides of the bow, above the waterline, in block characters at least 7.5 cm (3 inches) tall, in a contrasting colour.

By mail instead. If you cannot transfer boat ownership online, send form 84-0172E with copies of your documents to the Pleasure Craft Licensing Centre in Fredericton, paying by card on the form or by money order (cheques are not accepted).

The 30-day window

Transport Canada's page says you must transfer the licence into your name before operating the boat, and within 30 days of the ownership change. Section 103 of the Small Vessel Regulations, as replaced in 2025 (SOR/2025-272), adds the detail: you may operate the boat until you receive the transferred licence or until the 30th day after the transfer, whichever comes first, if documents confirming your name, address and the date of the transfer are on board.

The simple way to meet both: apply online on the day of the sale, then carry the emailed temporary licence and the bill of sale. A transferred licence is valid for five years from the transfer (s. 105). During those five years, report any change to your name, address or the boat's details within 30 days. There is no fee to update.

No Bill of Sale? The Declaration Under Oath

Several kinds of proof of ownership are accepted: bills of sale, wills and bequests, separation or divorce agreements, court judgments, and signed transfer agreements. So an inherited boat may need only the will.

You need a declaration under oath if you have no other proof of ownership, or you built the boat yourself. A claimed abandoned boat needs one too, with extra papers.

The declaration should include:

• the name and address of each new owner
• the licence number, if there is one, and the date the original licence was issued, if applicable
• the make and model, the hull serial number, the hull material and colour, and the propulsion type
• the name of the person who sold you the boat, if you know it
• why you cannot provide proof of ownership
• for a boat that was never licensed, a statement that to your knowledge it was not previously licensed
• your signature, and the printed name and signature of the lawyer, notary, justice of the peace or commissioner of oaths

You can use Transport Canada's sample Declaration Under Oath (PDF) or any other sworn document with enough information. Our free declaration under oath template asks for each item on the list and produces a clean PDF.

Despite the name, the sample is worded as a solemn declaration: it ends "knowing it to have the same effect and force as evidence given under the Canada Evidence Act." You solemnly declare that it is true rather than swear an oath.

An Indigenous owner who cannot provide a bill of sale can use a letter from a community elder confirming the ownership instead.

What a notary can and cannot do: A notary public or commissioner confirms your identity, asks you to declare that the contents are true, watches you sign, and completes and seals the declaration. A notary does not write your explanation, check who owns the boat, inspect it, or decide whether Transport Canada will accept the declaration. If the ownership itself is disputed, for example in an estate or a separation, speak to a lawyer first.

Caption: The declaration is signed on the call, after you declare out loud that it is true. Leave it unsigned until then.

The Boat Trailer Is a Separate ServiceOntario Transfer

ServiceOntario treats a trailer as a separate vehicle from the car that tows it. Before you tow it on a public road in Ontario it must be registered. You only register a trailer once, so its plate carries no sticker. Registration is in person only at a ServiceOntario centre.

For a used trailer already registered in Ontario, bring:

• the vehicle portion of the trailer's permit
• the bill of sale
• your driver's licence or other government-issued ID
• the plate portion of the permit from a trailer you owned before, if you have one

ServiceOntario's page lists $72 for the plate and permit, plus the applicable tax (retail sales tax or HST). Any defaulted fines against the person registering must be paid first. You can fill in the Application for Vehicle Registration (SR-LV-006) before you go. A trailer from another province or the U.S. needs its original registration or certificate of title and the original bill of sale, plus an empty weigh slip if it is over 900 kg (and the Vehicle Import Form, Form 1, from the Registrar of Imported Vehicles if it comes from outside Canada).

Our free trailer bill of sale covers the trailer side. How a permit splits between seller and buyer is explained in our car ownership transfer guide.

Caption: The boat goes to Transport Canada, the trailer to ServiceOntario. Bring the trailer's own permit and bill of sale to the counter.

Sales Tax on a Private Boat Purchase in Ontario

The Ministry of Finance lists boats (motor boats, personal watercraft, sailboats, canoes) as specified vehicles. A specified vehicle bought privately in Ontario, from a seller who is not a GST/HST registrant, is taxed at 13% retail sales tax on its fair market value, and for a boat that means the purchase price. Anything traded counts as part of the price.

• Where to pay: boats are not registered at ServiceOntario, but you can pay the tax at any ServiceOntario centre, or by cheque or money order to the Minister of Finance with a copy of the bill of sale, mailed to 33 King Street West, PO Box 623, Oshawa ON L1H 8H7.
• The Ministry checks: it routinely reviews Transport Canada's records and may contact a buyer to confirm the tax was paid. Unpaid tax can bring penalties and interest.
• Bought from a dealer: retail sales tax does not apply when the seller is a GST/HST registrant; the dealer charges HST instead.
• Exemptions: ask the Ministry (1-866-668-8297) whether an exemption, such as a gift between family members, applies to your boat and how to document it.

Buying a Boat in Another Province

Because the licence is federal, the steps above are the same in every province. If you are looking up how to transfer boat ownership in BC, the licence part is identical; only the sales tax and the trailer differ, and each province sets its own. For an Ontario resident, a boat bought privately in another province and brought home generally attracts 13% retail sales tax on the purchase price. A boat imported from another country needs a new Canadian licence, because a boat cannot be licensed or registered in two countries at once.

Common Mistakes in a Boat Ownership Transfer in Ontario

• The seller cancels the licence. Sellers are asked not to. The buyer transfers it.
• Treating the licence as proof of ownership. Keep the bill of sale or other proof.
• Running past day 30. Apply on the day of the sale and carry the temporary licence and the bill of sale.
• A stock photo, or a health card as ID. Both are refused.
• Signing the declaration before the appointment. It is signed in front of the commissioner, after you declare it true.
• Forgetting the trailer. It needs its own ServiceOntario transfer before you tow it home.
• Skipping the sales tax. The Ministry reviews Transport Canada's records.

How the Signing Works with Minute Notary

Why it can be done by video. The Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act requires a declaration to be made in the commissioner's physical presence unless the regulations provide otherwise (s. 9(1) and (2)). O. Reg. 431/20 provides otherwise: you and the notary must be able to see, hear and talk to each other in real time for the whole appointment, the notary confirms your identity, and the notary makes sure you understand what you are signing. The declaration then carries a modified jurat stating it was taken under the regulation and where each of you was.

1. Fill in the declaration first. Use the federal sample or our template, and leave it unsigned.
2. Book the appointment. When you book, choose General statutory declaration - subject to notary review: the notary reviews the document before confirming it can be completed remotely. You can also contact us or call (613) 434-5555. Appointments run every day, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Ottawa time).
3. Upload the unsigned declaration and your photo ID when you book. If the boat has two owners, both join the same call, each with ID.
4. On the call: show your ID, declare out loud that the contents are true, and sign while the notary watches.
5. The notary completes the jurat, signs and applies the seal. You receive the commissioned declaration as a PDF.
6. Upload it to Transport Canada with your licence application. The online form takes PDF scans, and mailed applications take copies. Whether Transport Canada accepts it is its decision.

If you want a notary to witness the signatures on a bill of sale instead, that is done in person on a mobile visit. We do not witness a signature over video.

Pricing

Note: prices are before HST. Example: two co-owners making one declaration online is 2 seals, $49.90 plus HST. Transport Canada's licence fee is separate and paid to Transport Canada. We commission the declaration; we do not prepare it or give legal advice.

See every posted rate on our pricing page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to transfer the pleasure craft licence when I buy a used boat?

Yes, if the boat already has a Canadian pleasure craft licence. Transport Canada says the buyer must transfer the licence into their own name. The seller should not cancel it, because the licence number stays with the boat for its whole life.

How long do I have to transfer a boat licence after buying a boat?

30 days from the change of ownership. Transport Canada's page says to transfer it before you operate the boat. The Small Vessel Regulations (s. 103) let you operate it for up to 30 days, or until the transferred licence arrives if that comes first, as long as documents showing your name, address and the date of the transfer are on board.

How much does a pleasure craft licence transfer cost?

Transport Canada lists the transfer fee at $24.41 for applications from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027. The fee is adjusted for inflation every April 1. Updating your name or address on a licence is free.

Can I transfer boat ownership online?

The licence part, yes. Transport Canada takes transfer applications online and emails a temporary licence valid for 30 days. You can also apply by mail. The boat trailer is different: ServiceOntario registers trailers in person only.

Is a pleasure craft licence proof of ownership?

No. Transport Canada compares it to a car's licence plate: it identifies the boat but does not prove who owns it. That is why the transfer application asks for proof of ownership, such as a bill of sale.

What if the seller never gave me a bill of sale?

Transport Canada accepts other proof, such as a will, a separation agreement or a court judgment. If you have none, or you built the boat yourself, it accepts a declaration under oath that describes the boat and explains why you cannot provide proof of ownership.

Who can take the declaration, and can it be done online?

A lawyer, notary, justice of the peace or commissioner of oaths, or another person who can legally take such declarations in Canada. An Ontario commissioner can take it by video under O. Reg. 431/20 when you can see, hear and talk to each other the whole time and your identity is confirmed. Minute Notary does this for $24.95 per declarant plus HST, wherever in Canada you are. Transport Canada decides what it accepts.

Do you pay tax on a used boat bought privately in Ontario?

Yes. A boat bought from a private seller in Ontario is taxed at 13% retail sales tax on the purchase price. You can pay it at any ServiceOntario centre or send it to the Ministry of Finance with a copy of the bill of sale. A dealer registered for GST/HST charges HST instead.

Do I need to register my boat in the Canadian Register of Vessels?

Usually not. A pleasure craft can carry a licence instead. Transport Canada says registration is needed if you want a name for the boat or need to register a marine mortgage, and that most countries require a registered boat if you travel outside Canada.

How do I transfer the boat trailer in Ontario?

At a ServiceOntario centre, in person. For a used trailer already registered in Ontario, bring the vehicle portion of its permit, the bill of sale, your driver's licence or other government ID, and the plate portion from a trailer you owned before, if you want to use those plates.

Final Recommendation

Treat a boat ownership transfer in Ontario as two transfers and a tax payment. Before you pay, match the hull serial number to the paper, ask the seller to leave the licence active, and get a bill of sale with the details Transport Canada lists. On the day of the sale, apply online to transfer the licence and keep the temporary licence on board. Take the trailer's permit and bill of sale to ServiceOntario before you tow, and pay the 13% retail sales tax on a private purchase. If there is no bill of sale, or you built the boat, prepare the declaration under oath and have it commissioned before you apply.

Book Your Appointment

Need a declaration under oath for a pleasure craft licence commissioned? Minute Notary takes it by secure video for $24.95 per declarant plus HST, wherever in Canada you are.

• Contact us: Ask a question or request an appointment
• Call: (613) 434-5555
• Service page: Statutory declarations
• Free templates: Declaration under oath for a pleasure craft licence and boat bill of sale for Ontario
• Related guide: Statutory declarations, commissioned online anywhere in Canada
• Hours: Every day, Saturday and Sunday included, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Ottawa time)

Sources

• Transport Canada — Apply for or manage a Pleasure Craft Licence (PCL)
• Transport Canada — PCL: Before you apply (documents, proof of ownership, declaration under oath)
• Transport Canada — PCL: How to apply
• Transport Canada — PCL: Fees and service standards
• Transport Canada — PCL: After you apply
• Transport Canada — Sample Declaration Under Oath (PDF)
• Transport Canada — Apply for or manage a vessel registration
• Small Vessel Regulations, SOR/2010-91, ss. 100–105, 112 and 902–904
• ServiceOntario — Register a trailer
• ServiceOntario — Register a security interest or search for a lien on Access Now
• Ontario Ministry of Finance — Retail Sales Tax, Specified Vehicles
• Commissioners for Taking Affidavits Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. C.17 (Ontario), s. 9
• O. Reg. 431/20: Administering Oath or Declaration Remotely (Ontario)