Registering vs licensing a boat in Canada

[stanfromhell]

What would be the advantage of spending the extra $250 to register my trawler, which i don't intend to charter or lease. When it comes time to sell, is it easier to sell a registerd Canadian boat in the USA?

[She-Kon]

Just off the top of my head, it's been awhile since I dealt with this, but Registering a boat with Transport Canada gives you a few advantages. 1. Unique name in the Registry. 2. The ability to register a mortgage on the boat. 3. Positive ownership documentation. It is a Federal Registry and the information is exchanged with other Governments when/where required. Licensing is a Provincial 'ownership' of the boat. It has no way of protecting a unique name and the boat will display an identifying number. You can call the boat anything you want and put any city, town, village as the hailing port.

Either registration, I don't think, would cause any problems selling the boat in the US.

Canadian Register of Vessels - Transport Canada

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by She-Kon

Just off the top of my head, it's been awhile since I dealt with this, but Registering a boat with Transport Canada gives you a few advantages. 1. Unique name in the Registry. 2. The ability to register a mortgage on the boat. 3. Positive ownership documentation. It is a Federal Registry and the information is exchanged with other Governments when/where required. Licensing is a Provincial 'ownership' of the boat. It has no way of protecting a unique name and the boat will display an identifying number. You can call the boat anything you want and put any city, town, village as the hailing port.

Either registration, I don't think, would cause any problems selling the boat in the US.

Canadian Register of Vessels - Transport Canada

Almost right ....

There is a list of available Ports of Register to choose from, you cannot choose just any city.

Licensing is also a Federal matter, not provincial and a license is not proof of ownership.

You cannot call the boat anything you want.The name must be approved by Transport Canada.

One further advantage of buying a registered boat is that liens can be checked with one phone call. Doing a lien check on a licensed boat is extremely difficult.

[She-Kon]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

Almost right ....

There is a list of available Ports of Register to choose from, you cannot choose just any city.

Licensing is also a Federal matter, not provincial and a license is not proof of ownership.

You cannot call the boat anything you want.The name must be approved by Transport Canada.

Distinction should be made between Registration (Federal Registering a Pleasure Craft and Pleasure Craft Licensing. Correct, both are federal and can be done online. Registering a Pleasure Craft must be done at a TC Port or Ottawa HQ. Licensing can be done at Provincial Service Locations (license bureau such as Service Ontario). Last time I had to deal with licensing it was Provincial, sorry.

A licensed pleasure craft can have 'any name and any port' the owner wants. Registered vessels, as stated cannot. You'll have to search the Canadian Register of Vessels to see if a name is already taken.

[koliver]

Huge difference between Regisration and License.

Security of title is the biggie. A Registered vessel has similar security of title to land. Mortgages are possible, transfers, whether in Canada or out, are secure.

Licenses prove nothing. There is no central registry to search to see who owns a licensed vessel, a call to the office for information will achieve nothing, on selling, a transfer gets you no security whatsoever.

Names: in the licensing system, you can paste on any name you want, even the same name as is already in use by a Registered vessel or a different licensed vessel. For example, if you want to call your ship the Ferry Queen of Nanaimo, nobody could stop you.

Cost: Here is why so many are licensing, there is no charge. To be registered, you need the $250 fee already mentioned to be paid, you need to have your name and markings properly "carved into the main beam" (or equivalent) and you need all of this to be "viewed" by someone with the proper credentials. All of these steps involve some further cost.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by She-Kon

Licensing can be done at Provincial Service Locations (license bureau such as Service Ontario). Last time I had to deal with licensing it was Provincial, sorry.

Licensing has always Been a Federal jurisdiction however applications (paperwork) were at one time seconded to Provincial Service offices. That has not been the case since 2006. Licensing is now done on line through Transport Canada.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by koliver

Cost: Here is why so many are licensing, there is no charge. To be registered, you need the $250 fee already mentioned to be paid, you need to have your name and markings properly "carved into the main beam" (or equivalent) and you need all of this to be "viewed" by someone with the proper credentials. All of these steps involve some further cost.

There are no other costs, no "viewing" required and "carving" a main beam is not a requirement under the "Standard For Tonnage Measurement Of Vessels, TP13430" or "Vessel Registration and Tonnage Regulations (SOR/2007-126)" . If the vessel is a multi-hull or over 15m you may have to hire a "Transport Canada Appointed Tonnage Surveyor" to do the tonnage measurement but for a monohull under 15m you can do your own "Simplified Tonnage Measurement", the forms are all on line.

[stanfromhell]

Thanks for all the info Guys.
I think I will spend the extra money and do it right.

[BandB]

Do boats have titles in Canada?

[Xsbank]

Sadly, you will still get screwed for PRovincial Sales Tax.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by BandB

Do boats have titles in Canada?

No, thank god or the parasites would want annual property taxes like some states.

[mbevins]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

No, thank god or the parasites would want annual property taxes like some states.

Great... Now someone will read this and next year here it comes.

[Peter B]

In Oz, all boats are registered like other vehicles. The owner in the one who is licensed.