A bill of sale is the paper that proves a boat changed hands in BC. Transport Canada says a Pleasure Craft Licence is used for identification and is not proof of ownership, so the bill of sale does that job. Get it right and the licence transfer, the PST and the trailer paperwork go smoothly. Leave something off and the buyer can get stuck at the licensing centre or the Autoplan counter.
This guide covers what Transport Canada needs to see, a free fill-in template you can copy, and how the same page is used for a licence transfer, a Canadian Register transfer, PST and an ICBC trailer transfer.
What Transport Canada needs on a bill of sale
Most recreational boats in BC carry a Pleasure Craft Licence (PCL). For a PCL transfer, Transport Canada accepts proof of ownership that includes:
- the name, address and signature of the person who sold you the boat
- the name and signature of the new owner
- a description of the boat (make, model, colour)
- the hull serial number (HIN), if available
- the Pleasure Craft Licence number, if the boat is already licensed
Transport Canada doesn't ask for a special form for a licensed boat. A bill of sale with those details works.
A boat on the Canadian Register of Vessels has a slightly different list. The Register needs bills of sale that show the name and signature of each seller and each buyer, a description of the vessel, and the date of the transaction.
Everything else on a good bill of sale is there to protect you. Here's what to add and why.
| Add this | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Price in CAD | The buyer's PST is based on it |
| Date of sale | Starts the 30-day licence transfer clock and the PST deadline |
| HIN | Ties the paper to one specific hull |
| Engine make, model and serial | An outboard can carry its own lien and is searched separately |
| Trailer VIN and its own price | ICBC handles the trailer and collects its PST |
| A "free of liens" statement | Puts the seller's promise in writing |
| An "as is" statement | Makes clear what the seller is and isn't promising |
Free BC boat bill of sale template
This is a general template, not legal advice. Copy it into a document, fill in the brackets, print two copies, and have everyone sign both. Each side keeps one. Delete any line that doesn't apply, and add a signature line for each co-owner.
BOAT BILL OF SALE (British Columbia)
Date of sale: [day, month, year]
Seller(s): [full legal name], [street address, city, province, postal code]
Buyer(s): [full legal name], [street address, city, province, postal code]
Purchase price: $[amount] CAD in total, made up of: boat, motor(s) and listed equipment $[amount] CAD; trailer $[amount] CAD. Paid by [bank draft / wire / escrow].
Boat: [year] [make] [model], [length] ft, [hull colour], [hull material]
Hull Identification Number (HIN): [12-character HIN]
Pleasure Craft Licence number: [number], or Official number (Canadian Register): [number]
Engine(s): [make] [model], [horsepower] hp, serial number [serial]. Repeat for each engine.
Trailer (if included): [year] [make], VIN [VIN], BC registration number [number]
Included equipment: [electronics, canvas, safety gear, tender, and so on]
Liens: The seller confirms they own the boat, motor(s) and trailer described above, have the right to sell them, and that they are free of any loans, liens, security interests or other claims, except: [none / describe].
Condition: The buyer accepts the boat, motor(s), trailer and equipment in their present condition, as is, where is. The seller makes no promises about condition beyond what is written here. Known issues disclosed to the buyer: [list, or "none"].
Seller signature: ____________ Printed name: [name] Date: [date]
Buyer signature: ____________ Printed name: [name] Date: [date]
Using it for a Pleasure Craft Licence transfer
The seller should not cancel the licence. The number stays with the boat for its entire life, and the buyer transfers it into their name within 30 days of the sale and before operating the boat.
For an online transfer, the buyer uploads:
- The signed bill of sale.
- A copy of valid, signed government ID for every owner. Health cards aren't accepted.
- A current colour photo showing a full side view of the boat. Stock images are refused.
Files must be PDF, JPG, TIFF or PNG, at least 300 DPI, and no bigger than 5 MB. The fee is $24.41 from April 1, 2026, and it can change with inflation each April 1. After an online application, Transport Canada emails a temporary licence valid for 30 days, so the buyer can use the boat right away. If you apply by mail, send copies, not your original bill of sale.
Our guide on how to transfer a pleasure craft licence walks through each step. If there's no bill of sale at all, Transport Canada accepts a declaration under oath signed by a lawyer, notary, Justice of the Peace or Commissioner of Oaths.
Using it for a Canadian Register transfer
A registered vessel has stricter paperwork. Transport Canada has its own template, Form 6, Bill of Sale (84-0015). You can use it or your own document, but the Register's rules apply either way:
- Ownership is counted in 64 shares. Form 6 asks how many shares are being transferred. All 64 shares means the whole vessel.
- Joint owners sign one bill of sale together. Individual owners who each hold shares each sign their own.
- The chain has to be complete. The Register needs every bill of sale from the registered owner to you. If the boat changed hands privately in between and nobody recorded it, you need those bills of sale too.
- A foreign seller's bill of sale must be notarized.
Form 6 carries a warning worth reading: a buyer of a registered vessel doesn't get complete title until the bill of sale is recorded in the Register by a Registrar. The buyer files it with Form 1 (Application for Registry) and Form 3 (Statement of Qualification), and the transfer fee is $208.89 from April 1, 2026. If a marine mortgage is registered, the lender must discharge it once the loan is paid. Make sure that happens before money changes hands.
Using it for the trailer at ICBC
In BC a boat trailer must be registered and insured like any other vehicle, so it transfers through ICBC, not Transport Canada. ICBC doesn't use your bill of sale as the transfer document. For a trailer already registered in BC, the buyer takes these to an Autoplan broker within 10 days of the sale:
- the seller's signed vehicle registration (APV250)
- a completed Transfer/Tax Form (APV9T), with original signatures from buyer and seller on all four pages
The seller removes their licence plates before handing the trailer over. ICBC strongly recommends that seller and buyer go to the broker together.
ICBC also collects PST on the trailer when the buyer registers it (Bulletin PST 108). The APV9T notes say PST on a private vehicle sale is charged on the greater of the purchase price and the average wholesale value. That's why the template gives the trailer its own price. Use the same number on the bill of sale and the APV9T.
The price on your bill of sale and PST
The buyer pays the PST, not the seller. Under Bulletin PST 108:
- A private sale is taxed at 12% of the purchase price, including accessories. Motors and gear sold with the boat are taxed at the boat's rate, even if they're priced separately.
- A sale from a GST registrant, such as a dealer, is taxed at 7%.
- On a private sale, a buyer without a PST number self-assesses on form FIN 405, due by the last day of the month after the month they got the boat.
On a $30,000 private sale, that's $3,600 of PST. The Ministry of Finance matches Transport Canada ownership changes against PST payments, so the price on the bill of sale should be the real one. A gifted boat is taxed on its fair market value unless an exemption applies, such as certain gifts between related individuals.
Before anyone signs
- Match the names. The seller's ID should match the owner named on the licence or registration.
- Match the numbers. Check the HIN on the transom against the paperwork. Our HIN guide shows where to look.
- Search for liens. A PCL doesn't record loans. Run a Personal Property Registry search on the boat, each outboard and the trailer by serial number, and on the seller by name. A search by government staff costs $10, at a Service BC office or by mail. Online searches cost $7, but BC Registries currently limits them to premium account holders.
- Check the Register for a registered vessel. The Vessel Registration Query System searches by official number, vessel name or owner name. For anything legal, order a certified transcript.
- Hand over the bill of sale when the money clears, along with the licence document, the keys and the trailer registration.
For licences, taxes and liens in one place, see our guide to selling a boat in BC.
Selling through Yachts & Bids
Yachts & Bids is a BC boat auction that hasn't run its first auctions yet. Listing is free, and the buyer pays a 5% premium (minimum CAD $250, maximum CAD $10,000). The purchase price goes through a third-party licensed escrow and title partner, never through us, and that partner prepares the closing documents, including the bill of sale. If you're thinking about selling, you can get a free value estimate.
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Fees and forms change. Check current requirements with Transport Canada, the BC Ministry of Finance and ICBC before you sign.