Quick answer When recorded information on a licensed pleasure craft changes, including after a repower if the motor details on the licence change, the boat owner must update the Pleasure Craft Licence (PCL) with Transport Canada within 30 days. Updates and cancellations are...
Quick answer
When recorded information on a licensed pleasure craft changes, including after a repower if the motor details on the licence change, the boat owner must update the Pleasure Craft Licence (PCL) with Transport Canada within 30 days. Updates and cancellations are free. As checked September 5, 2026, a $24.41 fee applies to a new, transferred, renewed or duplicate licence. Fees may change each April 1. New, transferred and renewed licences under the rules effective December 31, 2025 are valid for five years. A duplicate or an information update does not renew the licence. Licences issued April 29, 2010 through December 30, 2025 keep their stated 10-year expiry. Older issue-date cohorts follow the table below. At HBW, the repower invoice lists the motor specs so you can submit the update yourself.
What changed that you actually need to know
Transport Canada's Pleasure Craft Licence changes took effect on December 31, 2025. If you have not looked at your PCL lately, check the cohort that matches your licence instead of assuming every card is now a five-year document.
Key points, as checked September 5, 2026:
- New, transferred and renewed PCLs are valid for five years.
- A duplicate or an information update does not renew the licence or start a new five-year term.
- Licences issued April 29, 2010 through December 30, 2025 keep the stated 10-year expiry on that licence.
- Licences issued on or before April 28, 2010 follow the assigned expiry dates in the table below.
- The current fee is $24.41 for a new, transferred, renewed or duplicate licence. Updates and cancellations are free. Fees may change each April 1.
- You must update your PCL within 30 days of any change to recorded information (name, address, phone number, email, or pleasure craft details).
- Starting December 31, 2027, wind-powered pleasure craft over 6 metres will also need a PCL.
Use the issue date and transaction type to find the applicable expiry rule below.
| Licence issued or action |
Expiry or effect |
| December 31, 1974 or earlier |
March 31, 2026 |
| January 1, 1975 to December 31, 1985 |
December 31, 2026 |
| January 1, 1986 to December 31, 1995 |
December 31, 2027 |
| January 1, 1996 to December 31, 1999 |
December 31, 2028 |
| January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2005 |
December 31, 2029 |
| January 1, 2006 to April 28, 2010 |
December 31, 2030 |
| April 29, 2010 to December 30, 2025 |
Keep the stated 10-year expiry on that licence |
| New, transferred or renewed on or after December 31, 2025 |
Valid for 5 years |
| Duplicate or information update |
Does not renew or extend the licence |
If your licence issued before 1975, it may already be expired. Check it against the table and Transport Canada.
What is a Pleasure Craft Licence?
The PCL is Transport Canada's identification number for your boat, the federal equivalent of a licence plate. It appears on both sides of the bow.
A few important distinctions:
- The PCL is tied to the hull (identified by the Hull Identification Number, or HIN). It stays with the boat, not the owner.
- The Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) is one accepted proof of competency, alongside qualifying older course or professional certificates, a rental checklist in some rental situations, and visitor documentation. HBW's own rental-driver policy is stricter and is covered separately in our licence guide.
- The PCL is not proof of ownership. It is an identification document.
- A PCL is required where the craft qualifies. Transport Canada's current threshold is a pleasure craft with a motor totalling at least 10 hp (7.5 kW) operated principally in Canadian waters. Confirm the live rule on Transport Canada's PCL page.
Why a repower can require a PCL update
The PCL can record vessel details that include motor information. After a repower, review what is actually printed on your licence. Transport Canada requires changed licence information to be updated within 30 days. Do not assume that every horsepower, brand or model change maps to a listed field, and do not assume a same-spec swap never does. Check the recorded fields and the current Transport Canada form.
Most Mercury repowers at HBW are a good moment to do that review because the invoice has the new motor make, model, year, horsepower and serial number. Typical details owners compare against the licence include:
- Horsepower class
- Brand, including an Evinrude to Mercury swap
- Motor model
- Number of motors (single to twin, main plus kicker)
If recorded information changed, the owner submits the update. Updates are free. If you're still working out the repower budget, our Mercury repower cost guide lays out the Ontario numbers.
How to update your PCL
The process is online at Transport Canada's Pleasure Craft Licensing portal. Updates are free, no fee, no credit card required.
What you will need:
- Your existing PCL number (the ON XXXXX AB format on your bow)
- Your boat's HIN (Hull Identification Number, a 12-character alphanumeric code, usually on the starboard side of the transom)
- New motor make, model, year, HP, and serial number
- Your current name and address
- Email address for confirmation
Your PCL number stays the same. It is tied to the hull, not the motor. You are updating the specs on record, not getting a new number.
After the repower at HBW: your invoice includes the motor make, model, year, HP, and serial number. That is the motor data you need. The boat owner submits the update. If you have questions, call us at 905-342-2153.
What HBW does on every repower
PCL paperwork is not the exciting part of a repower. But it matters, so we make it easy:
- We document the new motor on your invoice: make, model, year, HP, serial number.
- We walk you through the update at pickup if you want, or provide the data and let you complete it on your own time.
- We answer questions afterward. If Transport Canada comes back with a question, call us.
The update itself is yours to submit. Transport Canada requires the boat owner to authorize it. But we do not hand you a new motor and wish you luck on the paperwork.
What happens if recorded information is out of date
Transport Canada requires an update within 30 days when recorded information changes. Updates are free. Check your licence and the current Transport Canada rules, then submit the update if the recorded information changed.
Common PCL mistakes we see every season
- Skipping the update when recorded information changed.
- Confusing PCL and PCOC. A Pleasure Craft Licence identifies the boat where one is required. Accepted proof of competency, which may be a Pleasure Craft Operator Card or another qualifying document, is the operator rule. You need the documents that apply to that craft and that operator, not a universal pair on every boat.
- Wrong HIN format. The HIN is a 12-character alphanumeric code on the hull, not the engine serial number.
- Outdated address. The PCL must reflect your current address.
- Not checking the expiry date. A lot of boats are operating on licences that are already expired or will be soon.
Sources
