Transport Canada Canadian Boating License
The Official Transport Canada Approved Boating Safety Course to obtain your Pleasure Craft Operator Card. Unlimited test retries included & good for life.
The Official Transport Canada Approved Boating Safety Course to obtain your Pleasure Craft Operator Card. Unlimited test retries included & good for life.
All motorized boat operators in Canada must have proof of competency, such as a Pleasure Craft Operator Card, (more commonly known as a boating license) regardless of age, length of boat or engine horsepower, other than in waters of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Operating without proof of competency can result in a $250.00 fine. If your boat is equipped with a motor, even those smaller than 10hp or an electronic trolling motor, you need the card.
Not sure what to expect? Try the official Transport Canada Boating Safety Course for free.
We’ve been making smart boaters for more than 17 years and are proud to have certified more than 650,000 Canadians for their boating license.
BOATsmart! is accredited by Transport Canada to certify boaters for their Official Pleasure Craft Operator Card. The BOATsmart! Card is good for life and valid in all Canadian provinces and territories including Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nunavut, Northwest Territories and the Yukon.
BOATsmart! is also accredited and recognized by NASBLA and the US Coast Guard. Your BOATsmart! Card is valid in all US states.
Canada’s boating laws are governed federally by the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 as well as provincial laws, rules and regulations. Laws include the requirement for boaters to obtain their Pleasure Craft Operator Card as well as age and horsepower restrictions, equirements for boating safety equipment, impaired boating, vessel licensing and more. Find boating laws, rules and regulations in your province:
Comprehensive graphics and videos that help with understanding the content for visual learners like myself.
Erica J
Posted 1 day ago
What a great course! Material is clearly presented with videos that help you remember. Finished the course easily and passed my exam. I’ve got the whole family signed up.
Sarah K
Posted 3 days ago
Fine preparation for the Transport Canada Boating Licence! Thank you, it helped me score 94% on their exam!
Alex M
Posted 3 days ago
Great website
Iryna P
Posted 6 days ago
It was easy to use. Very educational and customer service was awesome
Dechairy L
Posted 1 week ago
The practice modules were very helpful
Anwaar S
Posted 1 week ago
Really well done curriculum!
Gilles M
Posted 1 week ago
Everything was good except I think the narrator could have moved along a bit faster. Reading was quite slow.
Jennifer N
Posted 1 week ago
I found the course to be informative and thorough. It seemed to provide all the information that was relevant with not too much extra, also I very much liked the option to complete it at my own leisure as opposed to all on one sitting. The only small complaint I would have is that not all the video segments seemed to work, however that might have been on my end as well.
Sean R
Posted 1 week ago
I chose the BOATsmart course over a different well respected course mainly because of the quality of the training materials shown in the sample videos. The customized graphics and animations are very well done, the content is very well structured to emphasize the most relevant info succinctly and each module is graphically summarized very effectively. The other option on my short list also had some sample material to view but it looked much more like a conventional powerpoint with generic images. As a student who used to always fall asleep in school out of boredom, and now a design instructor who likes to make sure his students are fully engaged, I demand a lot out of any learning experience and I think this course was delivered as well as anyone could. There's no fat to it, just meat. The only downside is that the mandatory timer to ensure you spend a minimum amount of time on each page is a real drag. As I read quite fast, I just used dual screens and read other stuff between questions. If this might be a problem then I would recommend looking for a self-study version using a hard copy book (not sure if there are untimed courses, but at least check it out). For the benefit of future users, I'd be curious if there's any way to make the 3 hour minimum training time be cumulative rather than be fragmented into specific durations per page. I ended up accruing 4 hours of logged-in time, so I did send more time in some areas, but could have done with much less in others.
Holden J
Posted 1 week ago
The PADDLERsmart! course is perfect for anyone participating in paddle sports including canoeing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding. Whether you’ve been paddling for years or just getting started, you’ll learn everything you need to stay safe on the water.
$24.95 value. Get it free when you purchase your BOATsmart! Course.
From anywhere, on any device at any time.
Our animated and narrated Boating Safety Course is perfect for all ages. Study from your Smartphone, Tablet or Desktop and switch between devices at any time. BOATsmart! automatically tracks your progress so you can study at your own pace.
– Brad McFarlane, Kelowna BC –
Official Pleasure Craft Operator Card Replacements
Lost? Damaged? Need some back-ups? Don’t sweat it! If you need to replace your Pleasure Craft Operator Card or want back-up copies for the cottage, cabin or boat we’ve got you covered.
Best-in-class coverage at a direct-to-consumer price.
BOATsmart! Assure® is a new way to buy boat insurance. By removing the middle-man we reduce your annual premium by up to 25%. You get premium coverages backed by the confidence of Aviva Canada. Smart boaters are making the switch every day. Learn more at BOATsmart! Assure.
Instant Online Quote
If you operate a motorized boat in Canad, you must have proof of competency, such as a Pleasure Craft Operator Card, (PCOC or Boating License) regardless of age, length of boat, or engine horsepower, other than in waters of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Operating without proof of competency can result in a minimum $250.00 fine. Once obtained from BOATsmart!®, your PCOC is good for life.
You can retry your official boating test once every 24 hours. If you fail the test more than once, Transport Canada requires that you retake the online boating course. Your one-time fee includes unlimited retries and unlimited access to the online boating course.
All motorized boat operators in Canada are required to obtain and carry a Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC). Many boaters commonly refer to the PCOC as a boating license, boat license or boat card.
The Pleasure Craft Operator Card is good for life, no renewal is required.
When you obtain your Pleasure Craft Operator Card from BOATsmart!® it’s valid in all provinces and territories.
There is no minimum age to take the online boating course. Boaters of all ages are required to obtain and carry a Pleasure Craft Operator Card when operating a motorized boat. Once obtained, your boating license is good for life.
The boating course includes all of the knowledge you need to prepare for the test and obtain your Pleasure Craft Operator Card. The course includes boating basics and terminology, rules & regulations, safety equipment, safe boat operation, navigation and right-of-way rules, marker buoys and emergency preparedness.
You can get your boating license in 3 easy steps. First, study and pass the official Transport Canada Boating Safety Course online. Then take the 50 questions multiple choice exam. Once passed, print a temporary card immediately and receive your PCOC by mail within 4 weeks.
The online boating test is open book and consists of 50 multiple choice questions. You’ll need at least 75% (38 out of 50) to pass. Everything you need to pass is covered in the BOATsmart!® Course.
BOATsmart!® is Canada’s Boating Educator and a Transport Canada Accredited Course Provider. Since 2003, we’ve educated and certified more than 650,000 Canadian boaters.
BOATsmart!® issues replacement boating licenses in Canada. Call toll free 1-877-792-3926 or replace your boating license online. You can print a valid temporary card immediately and your replacement card will arrive by mail within 4 weeks.
If you obtain your pleasure craft operator card from BOATsmart!® you are eligible for 25% off your annual policy premium, an exclusive benefit offered through BOATsmart! Assure™.
BOATsmart! is a proud member of the Campfire Collective. Campfire is an outdoor education that helps people have awesome outdoor adventures. We also fuel your outdoor pursuits with partner discounts and inspiring content.
– Campfire Ambassador Logan Dralle –