Your Pleasure Craft Operator Card is good for life. Furthermore, there are no renewal fees and no annual fees. It will need to be replaced, with fees only if lost or damaged.

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.

• Youth 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.

The fine for not having the required proof of competency (Pleasure Craft Operator Card) while operating a motor boat or personal watercraft is $250 (doesn’t include administrative fees).

A Pleasure Craft Operator Card is good for life.

If you need to replace a lost or damaged Pleasure Craft Operator Card, you will need to contact the course provider who issued it.

Transport Canada can help you if:

• you don’t know the name of your original course provider,
• the course provider is no longer in business, or
• the course provider is suspended.

Simply call the Boating Safety Infoline at 1-800-267-6687.

An agent will look up your name in a national database of card holders and tell you what you need to do next.

Yes. The Competency of Operators of Pleasure Craft Regulations apply to all pleasure craft fitted with a motor.