

All operators of motorized boats in Ontario are required by law to have a Pleasure Craft Operator Card. Commonly known as a boating license, a Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) is required for all ages, boat lengths and engine sizes (including electric trolling motors). Boaters who operate a motorized vessel without a boating license face a $250 fine.
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A Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC), more commonly known by Ontario’s boating community as a boating license, is a federally mandated boating competency card. You must obtain and carry your PCOC in order to legally operate any powerboat or motorized boat in Canada. Unlike your driver’s licence, your PCOC can not be suspended or revoked, and once obtained it’s good for life. Boaters must carry their permanent card onboard and photocopies are not considered legal.
You can obtain your official boating license by taking the BOATsmart! Course online and passing the Transport Canada Boating Safety test. Once you pass the open-book Test you can print your Temporary Card right away and go boating. Your Official BOATsmart! Card will arrive in the mail within 4 weeks at no charge.
There is no minimum age to obtain your boating license in Ontario. Boaters of all ages, including those less than 16 years of age, are required by law to obtain and carry a Pleasure Craft Operator Card while boating. In addition, certain Age and Horsepower Restrictions apply to boaters 16 years of age and under. See below.
The online boating safety course is standardized to a minimum of 3 hours. Once boaters complete the online course and pass the Transport Canada Boating Safety Test, they can print an official boating license. BOATsmart! then mails the permanent card within four weeks. Although boaters can complete an in-person classroom course and test, the online course is the fastest way to complete the process.
In order to rent a boat in Ontario, boaters are required to either have a Pleasure Craft Operator Card or complete an official rental boat safety checklist in order to prove their competency. Obtaining your PCOC is preferable, as you will learn all of the knowledge you need in order to boat with confidence. A checklist won’t teach you how to respond if your pontoon boat runs aground or if a passenger falls overboard.
No children under 12 years of age can operate a powerboat with a more than 10 horsepower engine. Youths, aged 12 to 15 may only operate a boat with a motor up to 40 horsepower unsupervised. Operators must be at least 16 years of age to operate a personal watercraft, such as a Jet Ski or Sea Doo.
Boating laws can change over time, and certain boating skills like docking your boat in the wind or anchoring your boat for an overnight stay often need revisiting. There’s also lots to know about the boating safety equipment you need onboard, as well as remembering the different types of marker buoys on Ontario waterways. That’s why we’ve created a free, comprehensive BOATsmart! Knowledge Base. Ontario boaters can also obtain a printed BOATsmart! Study Guide to keep on board as a reference guide. The BOATsmart! Study Guide is available online and at Canadian Tire.
Boating and Alchohol offences in Ontario are the same as those for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence. There is NO difference between drunk driving & drunk boating.
A boat operator’s Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level cannot exceed 80 mg. This is the legal alcohol limit in Ontario.
A drunk boater may have their driver’s license suspended for a minimum of 1 year.
Ontario’s Ignition Interlock Program will apply to those convicted of drunk boating.
Boat passengers may consume alcohol on board a boat in Ontario so long as the boat is licensed for alcohol consumption, or the boat has a permanent toilet, cooking facilities, sleeping facilities and it is anchored or docked.
Failure to carry a Pleasure Craft Operator Card
$250
Opearting a Personal Watercraft (PWC) under 16 years of age
$250
Violation of age and horsepower restrictions
Up to $500
Operating a vessel in an unsafe manner
$500
Insufficient number of Transport Canada Approved lifejackets or PFDs. Fine is applicable for EACH missing or improper lifejacket or PFD.
$200
Did you know that there are approximately 250,000 lakes and over 100,000 kms of rivers in Ontario? It’s no wonder this province is considered to have some of the very best boating in Canada! On top of that, Ontario is home to The Muskokas and surrounding lakeland areas, including the Kawartha Lakes and the Haliburton Highlands, where the term ‘cottage country’ originated.
With so many awesome spots to hit the water in Ontario, choosing a starting point may seem impossible! But no worries, there’s really no bad place to go boating in Ontario. Whether you’re exploring the breathtaking wilderness of Northern Ontario’s lakes, like the pristine Lake of the Woods, cruising the urban shorelines of Toronto or Kingston on Lake Ontario, exploring the Trent Severn waterway that features 386 kms of canal and Peterborough’s Lift Lock, the largest hydraulic boat lift in the world, or visiting one of Ontario’s Provincial Parks, you’ll find no shortage of boat launch locations. To find an Ontario boat launch near you, check out Discover Boating’s marina finder, then hook up the boat trailer and head out!
Going fishing in Ontario? It’s really awesome here – anglers from around the world come to take part in Ontario’s premier fishing. You can reel in record-breaking Largemouth Bass, Carp, Muskie and Pike! Don’t forget to find out about Ontario’s fishing regulations and pick up an Ontario fishing license.
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