Drive a Boat Canada offers a fun and easy way to get your Pleasure Craft Operator Card with our online boat safety course. We are a trusted Transport Canada-accredited course provider. And the best part is, once you get your PCOC, it is good for life!
3 steps to obtain your Operator Card
Excited to start boating in Canada’s beautiful waters? Then you need the Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC), the mandatory proof of competency that shows you know how to boat safely and responsibly.
Register for the boat safety course
Visit our registration page to sign up for the Drive a Boat Canada safety course. The course costs $49.95 and we even offer group and family discounts.
You will get an email acknowledging receipt of payment once your details have been verified. Then you’re all set to begin the online boating course!
Study the safe boating course
Our Pleasure Craft Operator Card study guide is divided into 5 easy to learn chapters and can be accessed on desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile.
Once each chapter is done, you will be prompted to complete a short multiple-choice quiz. Each quiz is automatically scored and 8 out of 10 questions answered correctly will take you to the next chapter.
A minimum of 3 hours is required to learn all of the material. But don’t worry, you have plenty of time to do it. You can finish the course at your own pace.
Take the boat exam and print your card
Your final step is to take the official Transport Canada boating exam. Pass the exam and print your temporary Pleasure Craft Operator Card.
You will receive your permanent card by mail within a few weeks. Enjoy the water and boat with safety and confidence for life!
What’s included in our Canadian boater safety course
Transport Canada-approved safety course
Instructional videos and interactive quizzes
Engaging visual content
Accessible learning experience on all devices
Easy learning retention
Obtain your PCOC on the same day
Over 2 million satisfied Canadian boaters
Kim Lisanne
Very responsive and helpful customer service. The course was easy to navigate and I got my card quickly in the mail. Highly recommend.
Scott Semeniuk
Gabriele was amazing to work with on the phone, she answered all my questions and helped setup my family for their licenses. I've had my boat license for with Drive a Boat Canada for 15 years and would recommend them to anyone looking to get their course/license.
Sean Hazel
Most efficient service I've used in a long time. Sent and email inquiring about a lost card, received a call back within minutes and had new cards on the way! I sure wish every license service was this efficient!
Frequently asked questions
Transport Canada will test your boating knowledge with 50 questions that have multiple choices for each answer.
The Transport Canada-approved boating exam typically requires 3 to 5 hours to finish. Upon passing the exam, you will be issued a temporary boat license right away. Your Pleasure Craft Operator Card will be mailed to you within a few weeks after the exam.
The safe boating exam includes a standard one-time fee of $49.95 plus taxes to obtain your Canadian boat license.
This includes the issuance of a temporary Pleasure Craft Operator Card (upon successful completion of the test) and a permanent card that will be mailed to you. If you do not succeed, you can retry the boating course as much as you need at no extra cost.
Your Pleasure Craft Operator Card is valid for life! However, in the unfortunate event that your card is lost or damaged, you will need to contact the course provider who originally issued it for a replacement.
Drive a Boat Canada’s online boating safety course includes instructional videos and interactive quizzes to make your learning experience as fun and intuitive as possible. The course can be taken on any device and studied at your own pace. Obtaining your Pleasure Craft Operator Card has never been easier.
Canada’s favourite boater safety course since 1999
At Drive a Boat Canada, our mission is to make getting your Pleasure Craft Operator Card as easy and accessible as possible. Since 1999, we’ve helped over 2 million Canadians safely drive a boat in Canada with our fun and engaging safety course.
If you have any questions about applying and studying for the online boating exam, or if you need a Pleasure Craft Operator Card replacement, feel free to contact us today and we’ll be glad to answer you.