How to delete a Canadian vessel registration

1. When deletion (closure) is required

Close a Canadian vessel registration when:

• Selling to a non-eligible owner— typically a foreign buyer who’ll re-flag the vessel.
• Exporting the vessel out of Canada.
• Total loss — sinking, fire, or constructive total loss determined by insurance.
• Scrapped or otherwise permanently retired from service.
• Converting from Registry to PCL, where the owner has decided the licence is sufficient going forward.

You do not close the registration when selling to another eligible Canadian buyer who intends to keep the vessel registered. Instead, the buyer simply files a Transfer of Ownership (Form 6 — Bill of Sale) to keep the registration continuous.

2. Discharge mortgages before deletion

Transport Canada will not close a registration while a live registered mortgage exists on the vessel. The sequence is:

1. Pay off the mortgage at closing, with funds flowing directly to the lender.
2. Obtain a discharge of mortgage from the lender.
3. File the discharge with Transport Canada and confirm it’s recorded.
4. Then file the application to close the registration.

Closings to foreign buyers commonly stall here. Build the dependency explicitly into the PSA and timeline.

3. How to apply to close the registration

Unlike other marine transactions, Transport Canada does not publish a standardized application form for closing a registry. To close a registration, a written, signed request must be submitted to the Registrar. The request must include:

• The vessel’s name and Official Number (O.N.).
• The reason for the closure (e.g., sold to a foreign buyer, scrapped, etc.).
• A copy of the signed Bill of Sale (if the vessel is being sold).
• The Certificate of Registry: if you hold a physical paper certificate, you must mail the original back to Transport Canada’s office in Ottawa — if it’s been lost or destroyed, submit a Statutory Declaration sworn under oath explaining its absence. If you hold a digital Certificate of Registry, note that in your written request; Transport Canada will confirm the steps required to invalidate the record.

You can submit the closure request and supporting documents via any of these channels:

• Email: vr-ib@tc.gc.ca
• Fax: 1-833-983-1377
• Mail: Transport Canada, Vessel Registration (AMSED), 330 Sparks Street, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0N8

4. Supporting documents by reason

5. Sequence and timing for export sales

For sale to a non-eligible buyer or export, the standard sequence:

1. Buyer’s funds are securely received and cleared in the broker’s or notary’s trust account.
2. Both parties sign the Bill of Sale (Form 6) — ownership officially transfers.
3. The seller’s lender registers the mortgage discharge with Transport Canada.
4. The written closure request, Certificate of Registry details, and Bill of Sale are submitted to Transport Canada.
5. Transport Canada processes the closure and issues the official Certificate of Deletion. The buyer can now legally register the boat under their home country’s flag (e.g., USCG).

Out-of-order closings — delivering to a foreign buyer before the registration is closed — can create customs issues at the border and leave the boat in a flag-ambiguous state. Sequence matters.

6. Export certificates for foreign buyers

Foreign authorities receiving a vessel previously on the Canadian Register typically require:

• Transport Canada confirmation that the registration has been closed.
• The bill of sale to the foreign buyer.
• The discharge of any prior mortgages.
• A current marine survey.
• Where applicable, a CBSA export declaration.

Sellers should make these documents part of the closing package; buyers should confirm they have a complete set before wiring funds.

7. After closure: the Deletion Certificate

Once Transport Canada processes the request and closes the file, the vessel is officially purged from the Canadian Register of Vessels. Transport Canada will issue a physical or certified digital Certificate of Deletion. Closing the registry itself is free, but obtaining the official Certificate of Deletion carries a C$50 fee— mandatory if the buyer needs the certificate to clear foreign registration. Keep this document; it’s the proof that the vessel is no longer on the Canadian Register and the foundation for any subsequent foreign registration.

8. Re-registering later

A previously closed registration can be reopened in some circumstances — for example, a Canadian buyer reacquiring a vessel that was sold abroad and is being brought back into Canadian flag. The process treats it as a “re-registration” — you keep the vessel’s original Canadian Official Number, but you must provide the complete chain of ownership (notarized bills of sale) covering the entire period the boat was registered under a foreign flag, and the standard C$250 registration fee applies.

Common mistakes

• Closing before mortgages are discharged. Transport Canada will not process this — file the discharge first.
• Delivering to a foreign buyer before closure is complete.The buyer can’t re-flag and the boat is stuck in legal limbo.
• Losing the physical paper Certificate of Registry. If your boat uses an older paper certificate and you can’t find it, you must get a Statutory Declaration notarized by a Commissioner of Oaths. Doing this late will delay your closing by weeks.
• Using third-party scam portals. Unofficial sites look official but are private middlemen who will charge $250+ to send a simple email to Transport Canada on your behalf. Always deal directly with Transport Canada via email (vr-ib@tc.gc.ca), mail, or fax.