Transport Canada accepts a bill of sale as proof of ownership when it lists both parties, their signatures, and the boat's make, model, colour, HIN and licence number. This one prompts you for each.
Pleasure craft licensing is federal, so the same proof-of-ownership details work whether the boat changes hands in Nova Scotia, Ontario or British Columbia. Make sure your bill of sale has:
Full name, address and signature of the person selling the boat.
Full name and signature of the person buying it.
Make, model, year and colour, so the boat can be identified.
The 12-character Hull Identification Number, if the boat has one. Check it against the transom.
The existing Pleasure Craft Licence number shown on the bow.
The date ownership changes hands and the agreed sale price.
If a trailer or motor goes with the boat, list it on the same bill of sale with its own serial or VIN. A trailer is usually a road vehicle under provincial rules, so the buyer may need to register it separately with the province.
Most private boat sales are as-is. Write down the problems you both saw during the walk-through and have both parties sign next to that list, so nobody is surprised later. The full kit keeps the inspection notes and the as-is disclosure beside the signatures.
The licence rules are national, but sales tax on a private sale is set by each province and territory. Check your province's rules before you register or insure the boat. Our province pages summarize what to look for:
Ontario · Quebec · British Columbia · Alberta · Manitoba · Saskatchewan · Nova Scotia · New Brunswick · Newfoundland and Labrador · Prince Edward Island · Yukon · Northwest Territories · Nunavut
Since December 31, 2025, Transport Canada charges a fee to transfer a pleasure craft licence, and the buyer has 30 days from the sale to apply. The seller should not cancel the licence. See the step-by-step licence transfer guide.
The basic bill of sale is free to download and print. The full kit (C$29) adds e-signatures, the dockside inspection report and the licence transfer checklist with reminders.