Canada Boating Licence (PCOC) Study Guide 2026

The Pleasure Craft Operator Card and the test

In Canada, anyone who operates a pleasure craft fitted with a motor must carry proof of competency on board. The rule covers every motorized recreational boat, from a large cruiser to a small fishing boat with an electric trolling motor. Length and engine power do not matter.

Most boaters get a Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC). People often call it a boating licence, but it is really proof that the operator knows the basic rules. It is not the same as the pleasure craft licence, which identifies the boat (see the chapter on your boat).

Accepted proof of competency

• A Pleasure Craft Operator Card, issued after you pass an accredited test.
• Proof that you passed a Canadian boating safety course before April 1, 1999.
• Certain marine certificates listed in the regulations.
• A completed rental boat safety checklist, for a rental boat only and only for the rental period.

The accredited test

• The test has 36 questions, drawn at random from Transport Canada's question bank.
• You need at least 75% to pass. That is 27 correct answers out of 36.
• A supervisor watches the whole test. Notes, help from other people and copying are not allowed.
• If you fail, you cannot retake the test on the same day.
• An accredited course provider issues your card. The regulations set no expiry date for it.

Rental boats

If you rent from a company, including a boat-sharing website, you can complete a rental boat safety checklist instead of showing a card. You and the rental agent both sign it, and it must stay on the boat. It is valid only for the rental period. It cannot be used when a friend or neighbour lends you their boat.

Where the rules do not apply, and visitors

Proof of competency is not required on the waters of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. A non-resident whose own boat is in Canada for less than 45 consecutive days does not need Canadian proof of competency, but must carry proof of residency on board. Non-residents can also use a certificate that meets the rules of their home state or country.

The person in charge of a boat must not let anyone operate it unless that person meets the competency rules.

Age and engine power limits

Young operators may only drive boats up to a certain engine power. These limits are in the Safe Boating Guide:

Directly supervised means that a person 16 or older with proof of competency is in the boat with the young operator. The age and engine power limits do not apply in the Northwest Territories or Nunavut.

Your boat: licence, serial number and capacity

Pleasure craft licence

A pleasure craft licence is needed if your boat is mainly kept and used in Canada and has engines totalling 7.5 kW (10 hp) or more, unless it is registered in the Canadian Register of Vessels. The licence does not prove you own the boat, but it must be carried on board.

• A licence is valid for 5 years, as long as your contact information stays up to date.
• You have 30 days to get a licence, transfer one into your name, or report changes to your address or the boat.
• A temporary licence from an online application is valid for 30 days and must be kept on board.
• Show the licence number on both sides of the bow, above the waterline and as far forward as practical, in block characters at least 7.5 cm (3 in.) high, in a colour that contrasts with the hull.

Hull serial number

Pleasure craft built or imported after April 29, 1981 need a 12-character hull serial number. It is marked on the outside, upper starboard corner of the transom, or as close to it as possible.

Compliance notice and loading

Boats under 24 m that have a motor, or are made for one, need a compliance notice attached at the helm, where the operator can see it. For boats up to 6 m, it shows the maximum outboard motor power, the number of people and the total weight. The boat is full when it reaches the first of these limits.

These limits assume good weather and an evenly loaded boat. Carry less in rough water. An overloaded boat is unstable, lets small waves come aboard and is harder to recover if it rolls. Spread weight evenly, keep it low, secure your gear and keep your body low when you move around.

Minimum safety equipment

The equipment you must carry depends on the type and length of your boat. This table summarizes the main items for power-driven boats from the Safe Boating Guide. Sailboats, paddle craft and personal watercraft have their own lists, so check the guide for your boat.

You also need a reboarding device, such as a ladder, if the climb from the water back into the boat is more than 0.5 m. The table in the Safe Boating Guide also lists navigation lights, a magnetic compass and a radar reflector; some of these are only needed in certain conditions. If possible, install a radar reflector at least 4 m above the water so large ships can see you on radar.

Visual signals and flares

Visual signal options include a watertight flashlight, flares, or an electronic visual distress signal with a smoke signal. Check the guide for the options that fit your boat's length.

• Flares are not required on a river, canal or lake where you can never be more than 1 nautical mile from shore.
• You may carry 50% fewer flares if you have a two-way communication device, a 406 MHz personal locator beacon worn by the operator, or a 406 MHz EPIRB.

Fire extinguishers

• Up to 6 m: one 5BC extinguisher if the boat has an inboard engine, a fixed fuel tank of any size, or a fuel-burning cooking, heating or refrigerating appliance.
• Over 6 m to 9 m: one 5BC extinguisher under similar conditions, such as an inboard engine or a fuel-burning appliance.
• Over 9 m to 12 m: one 10BC extinguisher if the boat has a motor, and another 10BC if it has a fuel-burning appliance.
• Over 12 m to 24 m: 10BC extinguishers at set locations, plus an axe and two buckets of at least 10 L each.

The letters show the type of fire: A for ordinary materials such as wood and paper, B for flammable liquids such as gasoline, oil and grease, and C for electrical equipment. The number shows the size of fire it can handle, so a 10BC is larger than a 5BC.

Lifejackets and PFDs

You must carry a Canadian-approved lifejacket or PFD of the right size for each person on board. A lifejacket only helps if you are wearing it when you end up in the water.

Inflatable PFDs

An inflatable PFD does not float until it is inflated, so it must be worn to count as approved. Inflatables are not allowed for anyone under 16, not allowed on a personal watercraft, and not meant for high-impact activities. On a PWC, wear an inherently buoyant lifejacket or PFD.

Checking the fit

• If the zipper touches your nose or the lifejacket almost comes off in the lift test, it is too loose.
• For a child, a gap of more than 7.6 cm (3 in.) between the shoulders and the device means it is too big.
• There are no approved lifejackets or PFDs for infants under 9 kg (20 lb).
• Check every lifejacket and PFD at least once a year for fading, rips and broken straps or buckles.
• In water colder than 15°C, a PFD with thermal protection is a good choice.

Before you go: fuel, carbon monoxide, weather and trip plans

Fuelling safely

Gasoline vapours are heavier than air and can collect in the bottom of a boat, where one spark can cause an explosion. Follow these steps every time:

1. Moor the boat securely, shut off all engines and send passengers ashore.
2. Put out open flames, do not smoke, and turn off electrical switches and devices.
3. Close windows, portholes, hatches and cabin doors. Take portable tanks off the boat and fill them on shore.
4. Keep the nozzle in contact with the filler pipe to prevent static sparks, and do not overfill.
5. Run the engine compartment blower for at least 4 minutes right before starting a gasoline engine.
6. Check the engine compartment for fuel vapours before you start the engine.

Some boats use converted car or truck engines. Marine parts are ignition-protected so they will not spark fuel vapours, but car parts may not be. If you are not sure, have a certified marine technician check your engine.

Carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO) has no colour, smell or taste. Early symptoms such as headache, nausea and tiredness can look like seasickness or the flu. Run engines and appliances only with good airflow, since a tailwind can push exhaust back on board. Swimmers are at risk under swim platforms and between pontoons. Use a marine-grade CO detector and check its batteries before every trip.

Weather

Environment and Climate Change Canada issues marine forecasts several times a day. The Canadian Coast Guard broadcasts continuous weather on VHF 21B and 83B on the Atlantic coast and the Great Lakes, and on 21B and WX1 to WX3 on the Pacific coast.

Summer thunderstorms can build quickly. If the sky darkens and conditions change fast, head for shore.

Sail plan and pre-departure check

Before every trip, even a short one, leave a sail plan with someone you trust. Include your route and a description of your boat. If you are late, they should contact a Joint Rescue Coordination Centre. On long trips, give a daily position report. When you arrive, tell them you are safe so nobody starts a search for nothing.

Check that your boat is seaworthy before you leave; using a boat you know is unseaworthy is a crime. Show everyone where the safety equipment is and how to use it, and make sure at least one other person can operate the boat. Trained volunteers offer free pleasure craft courtesy checks with no penalties, but the owner is still responsible for meeting the rules.

Rules of the road

The Collision Regulations are the rules of the road on the water. They are law for every vessel on all navigable waters. Every operator must:

• Keep a proper lookout by sight and hearing at all times.
• Go at a safe speed, so you can stop or turn in time for the conditions, traffic and visibility.
• Watch the compass bearing of an approaching boat. If it hardly changes as the boat gets closer, there is a risk of collision.

Give-way and stand-on boats

When two boats could collide, one is the give-way boat and the other is the stand-on boat. The give-way boat must act early and make a large, obvious change of course or speed. The stand-on boat keeps its course and speed, but it must act to avoid a collision if the give-way boat does not.

Who keeps out of whose way

• A power-driven vessel keeps clear of vessels not under command, vessels restricted in their ability to manoeuvre, vessels engaged in fishing, and sailing vessels.
• A sailing vessel keeps clear of vessels not under command, vessels restricted in their ability to manoeuvre and vessels engaged in fishing.
• An overtaking vessel always keeps clear of the vessel it is passing.
• A sailboat using its engine counts as a power-driven vessel.

When two sailboats meet with the wind on different sides, the boat with the wind on its port side keeps clear. When the wind is on the same side, the boat upwind (to windward) keeps clear.

Channels, large ships and tugs

In a narrow channel, keep to the starboard side. Boats under 20 m and sailboats must not block or delay a vessel that can only navigate safely inside the channel, and must not block power-driven vessels in a traffic lane. Large ships are hard to see from, move faster than they look and need a long distance to stop. Stay out of shipping lanes and never cross close in front of them.

Never pass between a tug and its tow. The tow line is often just below the surface and can capsize a small boat. At night, a vessel towing from its stern shows a yellow towing light above its white sternlight.

Sound signals

A short blast lasts about 1 second. A prolonged blast lasts 4 to 6 seconds. Large vessels use these signals to tell you what they are doing. They may also flash lights in the same pattern.

Signals in fog and poor visibility

Powerboats of every size must carry a sound-signalling device, such as a whistle or a horn, so you can make these signals.

Navigation lights

Show navigation lights from sunset to sunrise and in restricted visibility, such as fog or heavy rain. Lights tell other boaters what kind of vessel you are and which way you are heading.

• A power-driven vessel under 12 m may show one all-round white light plus sidelights instead of a masthead light and sternlight.
• A sailboat under sail shows sidelights and a sternlight, with no masthead light. Under engine, it shows power-driven lights.
• A boat at anchor shows an all-round white light.
• A canoe, kayak or rowboat must have a white flashlight or lantern ready to show in time to prevent a collision.

Reading lights at night

• You see red and green together ahead: a boat is coming at you head-on. Turn to starboard.
• You see a red sidelight on your starboard side: the boat is crossing from your right. You give way.
• You see only a white light that you are catching up to: it is a sternlight, and you are overtaking.

Buoys and markers

Canada uses the lateral buoy system of the Americas, where the rule is "red, right, returning". Going upstream means travelling from the sea toward the head of a river, or into a harbour. When you go upstream, keep red buoys on your right (starboard) and green buoys on your left (port). Going downstream, reverse this.

If they are lit, port hand buoys show a green light and starboard hand buoys show a red light. Where a channel splits, a bifurcation buoy (green with a red band, or red with a green band) marks the main channel.

Cardinal buoys

A cardinal buoy shows where the safest water is, using the points of the compass. Pass on the side the buoy is named for. Cardinal buoys are black and yellow, carry two black cones on top, and show a white light.

Other navigation buoys

Regulatory buoys

Regulatory buoys are white with orange bands at the top and bottom, and show a yellow light if lit. The orange symbol tells you the message. A square shape is an information buoy with words or symbols.

Private buoys must show the letters "PRIV" and the owner's contact information.

Diving signals

Alcohol, drugs and your legal duties

Operating a boat while impaired by alcohol or drugs, including cannabis, is a crime under the Criminal Code, just like impaired driving. The Criminal Code applies to any "conveyance", which includes vessels. It is an offence to have a blood alcohol concentration of 80 mg or more per 100 mL of blood within two hours of operating.

The simplest rule is to boat sober.

Two other boating crimes to know: failing to stop at the scene of an accident, and operating an unseaworthy boat. If you are involved in an incident, stop and give help if you can do so safely.

Emergencies and cold water

Calling for help

If a life is in danger, call on VHF channel 16, the distress and calling channel. Say "Mayday" three times, then give your boat name, position, the problem and the number of people on board.

Other recognized distress signals include:

• Red hand flares, red parachute flares and orange smoke signals.
• A continuous sound from a horn or other fog-signal device.
• Slowly and repeatedly raising and lowering your arms, stretched out to each side.
• The signal SOS (··· – – – ···) by light or sound.

Person overboard

Shout "person overboard", throw something that floats, and have one person keep watching and pointing at the person in the water. Then turn back carefully and approach slowly.

Capsizing

If your boat capsizes but floats, stay with it. Climb onto it or hold on. A boat is easier for rescuers to see than a swimmer, and getting out of the water slows heat loss.

Cold water and the 1-10-1 principle

Much of Canada's water is cold for most of the year. The 1-10-1 principle describes what happens if you fall in:

If you cannot get out, pull your knees up and hold your arms tight to your chest. This is the HELP position (Heat Escape Lessening Posture). If several people are in the water, huddle together. Swim only if safety is very close.