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Get Your Canadian Boating License Online
Comprehensive Online Course for a Lifetime Certification – Study at Your Own Pace, Anytime, Anywhere. Fast, Easy, and Approved by Transport Canada!
- One-time fee for safety course, test and card
- Group discounts available
- Lifetime certification
- Print your license immediately!
Boating Safety Course
Group & Family Discounts
Unbeatable group discounts! Pay once and get lifetime access.
- All-Canadian course in 5 chapters
- Videos and quizzes
- Transport Canada-approved Pleasure Craft Operator Card
Get Your Canada Boat License in 3 Easy Steps
Study the Course
- Study at your own pace
- Unlimited course access
- Videos and quizzes
- Complete the course in 3 hours (average)
Take the Test
- Available 24/7
- All devices
- Open book
- Unlimited retries
Get Your Card
- Instant Transport Canada-approved certification
- Print your temporary card & go boating immediately!
- Official PCOC shipped to your mailbox
- Valid throughout Canada and the US
The Boater Safety Course
A boater license is mandatory to boat on Canadian waters.
Take our Boating Safety Course to learn how to safely operate a motorized vessel on Canadian waterways.
- Pleasure craft terminology
- Laws and regulations
- PFDs
- Required safety equipment
- Visual signals
- Refueling your boat
- Carbon monoxide awareness
- Navigating responsibly
- Boating buoys
- Warning signs
- Emergency procedures
- Distress signals
- Navigation lights
The Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC)
Your Pleasure Craft Operator Card (also known as a Canadian boating license) is proof that you can legally operate a motorized recreational vessel.
- Proves knowledge to safely operate a motorized pleasure craft.
- Required by all operators of motorized recreational vessels.
- Valid for life and enforceable by law.
- Recognized across all Canadian provinces.
Instructional videos and interactive quizzes
It’s easier to learn if you can interact with dynamic content. Our methods are proven to work.
Instructional videos and interactive quizzes make concepts clear. Listen, watch, and engage with course materials designed to help you understand and remember easily!
Access videos any time on your smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop, and review instructions at your own pace. You’re in control.
Study at your own pace on any device
Access videos any time on your smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop, and review instructions at your own pace. You’re in control.
Made by qualified Canadian boat operators
Canadian boating professionals designed our course so you can get certified quickly and get out on the water. Learn from the best with Drive a Boat Canada™!
Start learning
Over 2,000,000 satisfied Canadian boaters since 1999
At Drive a Boat Canada™, our mission is to make getting your Pleasure Craft Operator Card as quick and easy as possible. See what certified Canadian boaters say about our offer!
Canadian Boating FAQs
What is a Pleasure Craft Operator Card?
In Canada, a Pleasure Craft Operator Card serves as proof of competency for operating a motorized recreational boat. This card is mandatory for all boats equipped with a motor, including those with auxiliary motors on sailboats.
Who needs a Pleasure Craft Operator Card?
As of September 15, 2009, all operators of all ages need a Pleasure Craft Operator Card (boating license) to operate a pleasure craft equipped with any type of motor, including personal watercrafts.
How long is the PCOC valid for?
Your Pleasure Craft Operator Card is good for life. Once you obtain it, you do not need to renew or replace it unless you want an extra copy.
Are there age restrictions or age exemptions?
There is no age exemption; the law applies to all operators, regardless of age.
Age restrictions are imposed on the horsepower (hp) (or kilowatt (kW)) capacity of the motor of the boat.
- Children under the age of 12 with no direct supervision may only operate a boat with a motor of up to 10 hp/7.5 kW
- Youth aged 12–15 with no direct supervision may only operate a boat with a motor of up to 40 hp/30 kW
- Youth under the age of 16, regardless of supervision, may not operate a personal watercraft (PWC)
These restrictions do not apply in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.
What is the fine for not carrying proof of competency?
The fine for not having the required proof of operator competency (Pleasure Craft Operator Card) while operating a motorboat or personal watercraft is $250 (does not include administrative fees).
How do I replace a lost boat license in Canada?
A Pleasure Craft Operator Card is good for life. Contact us to replace a lost or damaged Pleasure Craft Operator Card.
Do I need a boat license to rent a pleasure craft or PWC in Canada?
Yes. The Competency of Operators of Pleasure Craft Regulations apply to all pleasure craft fitted with a motor and state that proof of competency is required for operation, even for pleasure craft or PWC rentals.
Is my Canadian Boat License valid in the United States?
Yes. Canadian Pleasure Craft Operator Cards (PCOCs) are officially recognized by the US government as valid and equivalent to their own Boating Safety Education Certificates.
For more information on boating legally in the United States, visit Drive a Boat USA.
What is a pleasure craft?
A pleasure craft refers to any boat or watercraft used for recreational purposes.
Who is Transport Canada?
Transport Canada is the federal department responsible for implementing and enforcing transportation policies and programs in Canada.
Are there specific boating rules and regulations in each province?
With the exception of the Northern provinces, boating regulations are uniformly applied throughout the country.
Is my Pleasure Craft Operator Card valid in all provinces?
Yes, the Pleasure Craft Operator Card is valid in every Canadian province. To learn more, click on your city or province:
Over
2 000 000
certified Canadian boaters since 1999