The sale’s done. Keys handed over, handshakes exchanged, maybe even a photo for the memory. But now comes the part nobody talks about when they romanticize boat ownership, the paperwork. Somewhere between “smooth sailing” and “Transport Canada forms,” reality hits: you’ve got to make it official, or that shiny deal you just wrapped up is nothing more than a handshake and good faith.

Here’s the thing: transferring boat ownership in Ontario isn’t hard. It’s just wrapped in government language that makes it sound like docking a yacht in a hurricane. Strip it down, and it’s surprisingly simple, as long as you know which route your boat belongs to and what’s waiting on the other side.

Step 1: Licence or registration? Pick your lane

Before you even think about forms, figure out what your boat needs.

Most recreational boats fall under the Pleasure Craft Licence (PCL), if it has a motor over 10 horsepower and isn’t already registered, this is your lane. It’s free, fast, and done online.

If your boat is over 12 metres, weighs 15 tonnes or more, or is used commercially or internationally, you’re dealing with registration. This path involves more paperwork, fees, and a longer wait. Get this wrong, and you’ll be stuck in limbo before you even set foot on the dock.

Step 2: Pleasure Craft Licence transfer

For most boaters, this is the easy one. Gather what you need: a Bill of Sale with proper signatures and details, valid ID, a clear side-view photo of the boat, and the existing licence number. Upload it all through Transport Canada’s PCL portal and hit submit.

Within minutes, you’ll get a temporary licence emailed to you, valid for 90 days while they finalize the permanent one, usually in about five business days. Print it, keep it onboard, and remember: that licence number must be displayed on both sides of the bow in bold, 7.5 cm block letters. Skip that, and you’re looking at a $250 fine for sloppy stenciling.

Step 3: Registered vessel transfer

If you’ve got a bigger boat or plan to take it international, registration is the only way forward. You’ll need Transport Canada’s Bill of Sale form, proof of citizenship or permanent residency, and any mortgage discharge paperwork if there’s existing debt on the boat.

Submit it online and you’ll likely get a provisional certificate in two business days, enough to legally operate while you wait for the final Certificate of Registry. Full processing takes about 30 business days and costs $123.24 CAD for most small vessels. For anything commercial or headed overseas, this step isn’t optional; it’s what keeps your boat legally seaworthy.

Step 4: Avoid the common traps

Here’s where people trip themselves up. They cancel their licence too early, forgetting it stays with the boat, not them. They assume their Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) transfers with the sale, it doesn’t, it’s tied to the driver. Or worse, they buy without a clean Bill of Sale and inherit someone else’s lien from five years ago.

These mistakes don’t just slow things down, they can wreck insurance coverage, financing approvals, or worse, land you with a legal mess that’s more expensive than the boat itself.

Step 5: Why it’s worth doing properly

It’s not glamorous, but it matters. Clean paperwork keeps you legal, unlocks insurance coverage without a hitch, and ensures financing goes through without a snag. Skip it, and you’re one step away from an ugly surprise, like a loan that won’t fund because your boat still technically belongs to someone else.

Step 6: Let someone else handle it

If you don’t want to wrestle with PDFs and government forms, that’s where BuyAToy comes in. They check every document, flag missing signatures, and keep ownership transfers clean so your financing isn’t stalled by a typo. You just sign, submit, and get back to the part you actually bought the boat for: being on the water.

The final word

Think of this as the boring-but-essential step that clears the runway. Once the licence is sorted or the registration’s locked in, you’re free. The sun’s out, the keys are in your hand, and there’s nothing left to do but push off from shore.

Paperwork done. Water ahead. That’s how it should be.