The Pleasure Craft Operator Card is a new Transport Canada regulation that requires all boaters operating a pleasure craft equipped with a motor to have successfully passed the boater exam®.  The exam is administered by private third party companies that have been accredited by Transport Canada.

If you are considering being a pleasure craft operator this summer, you must carry the pleasure craft operators card.  The fine for not having the pleasure craft operators card is $250.

The boaters exam® will cost you $50, which is much less then the $250 fine you could have handed out to you.

To get the operators card, you study the free boat exam® study guide, then challenge the exam.  You will have to have a ‘supervisor’ to make sure there is no funny business (aka cheating) taking place during the boating test.

If you do not pass the boating exam the first time, many sites will let you re-take the boaters exam® as many times as you like (only once per 24 hour period).

You can download the boater exam® study guide here

No matter what you think, the bottom line is if you do not have your pleasure craft operator card this summer, you will potentially face a $250 fine.

Here is where I took the boater exam and got my pleasure craft operators card.