Beautiful Alberta lies in the middle of the prairies, where some of the country’s most truly stunning lakes and nature scapes call home. In Alberta, you’ll find 600 lakes and over 200 rivers, making the province a breathtaking place to boat, fish, and relax.

From the picturesque Lake Louise to the glacier-fed Lake Minnewanka, any trip to Alberta is incomplete without a remarkably gorgeous day out on the water.

Boating and fishing for pleasure is simply one of the greatest things about living in and visiting Alberta. However, you’ll need to ensure that your pleasure craft is properly licenced and titled, whether you’re taking out a canoe to fish or a powerboat to visit your cottage.

While boat registration in Alberta isn’t necessary, the laws and regulations for pleasure crafts in Alberta require boats to be licenced with a Pleasure Craft Licence. Our guide to boat licencing in Alberta will have you enjoying the water legally in no time.

The view of a lake looking out the back of a boat, boat registration in Alberta concept.

How Do I Know If My Boat Needs to Be Registered?

When owning and operating a boat in any Canadian province, you’ll likely need to licence it.

Most recreational boats are considered “pleasure crafts” in Canada, which means that they’re used for simply that — pleasure! If you’re spending your time going back and forth to the cottage, sightseeing, or leisurely fishing, you’re probably operating a pleasure craft. And, if your boat has a motor of 7.5 kW (10 horsepower) or more, you’ll need to license it.

However, in Canada, boat registration is most likely not something you’ll need to deal with. Registration is required for government-owned vessels, commercial vessels, commercial river rafts, barges, vessels with a marine mortgage, and vessels traveling outside of Canada.

Pleasure (recreational) crafts do not need to registered —just licenced.

Are Any Boats Exempt from Boat Registration in Alberta?

Almost all pleasure crafts in Alberta are required to be properly licenced with a Pleasure Craft Licence, though there are some exceptions to this requirement.

Your boat is likely exempt if:

  • It has a motor of less than 10 horsepower (7.5 kW)
  • It’s already registered with Transport Canada
  • You’ve purchased it within the past 90 days

This last point is a 90-day grace period where you are not required to have a licence for your boat. However, after that 90 days, pleasure craft boaters are required to carry documentation with their name, address, and purchase date of the boat.

A boat on a trailer partially in the water on a boat ramp.

How Do I Licence My Boat in Alberta?

It’s a fairly simple process!

Complete a mail-in application or apply online for the pleasure craft licence. Print and mail the application along with the required documents. You can also complete the application electronically.

You’ll need the following documents to license a pleasure craft:

  • A signed photocopy of the valid government-issued identification for the owner (or owners)
  • The completed application
  • Proof of ownership or a copy of the bill of sale. Home-built boats without a bill of sale may submit a declaration under oath.
  • A current, full-side view photo of the vessel

Whether it’s a power boat or a fishing boat, make sure it’s licenced.

How Much Does it Cost?

There is no charge to get a Pleasure Craft License in Alberta. However, you’ll face a $250 fee if your vessel is caught operating without a licence.

How Do I Transfer Ownership To My New Boat?

To transfer ownership to a boat you’ve recently bought, complete the application for a Pleasure Craft Licence. When completing it, you’ll write “transfer ownership” in the field marked for “application reason.”

You’ll also need the following documents:

  • Proof of ownership (or a copy of the bill of sale)
  • The completed application
  • A signed photocopy of the valid government-issued identification for each owner (old owner and new owner)
  • A current, full-side view photo of the boat
Several boats moored at a dock, boat registration in Alberta concept.

What Else Do I Need to Know About Pleasure Craft Licences in Alberta?

Your Alberta boat must display the licence number at all times. It must be on both sides of the boat’s bow, in a contrasting color from the boat’s color, and at least 7.5 centimetres (or three inches) high.

You must always carry the Pleasure Craft Licence on the boat. 

Additionally, your boat’s licence is valid for ten years (if it was issued after 2010). However, you must update the licence with any name or address changes during that ten years.

A man in a blue shirt at the helm of a boat.

Don’t Forget Your Canada Boating Licence, Too

What about boaters? While boat registration in Alberta isn’t necessary, you need to be a legal boater. In addition to the pleasure craft licence you need for your boat, boaters must carry a licence (or a Pleasure Craft Operator Card).

To get your card, you’ll want to find a fun, info-packed course that will teach you everything you need to know when it comes to boating safely in Alberta. With the online boating education course from BOATsmart!, you’ll become the safe, trusted, and licensed Alberta boater you want to be with a curriculum designed to engage and educate.

First published in March 2021. Content most recently reviewed and updated for accuracy and relevancy October 29, 2024.