Canadian Registered but New Zealand Owners

[Natalie Reeve]

As New Zealand citizens we purchased a Canadian Registered yacht that has had the NZ GST paid on it. The previous Canadian owners registration doesn't run out until December this year (2015)Can we, as New Zealand citizens have our name put on the registration papers? Obviously the seller of the boat will have to provide a bill of sale in order to do this.Our query really is can we have this done if we are not Canadians?

[travellerw]

Here is the Law verbatim..

Transport Canada registers vessels in Canada as set out in Part 2 of the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 (CSA 2001).

The Act states that to qualify as a registered owner(s), you must be :

- A Canadian citizen or a permanent resident within the meaning of subsection 2(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act; or
- A corporation incorporated under the laws of Canada or a province and that the vessel is not registered in a foreign country.
- A corporation incorporated under the laws of a foreign state if one of the following is acting with respect to all matters relating to the vessel, namely,
a subsidiary of the corporation incorporated under the laws of Canada or a province,
an employee or a director in Canada of a branch office of the corporation that is carrying on business in Canada, or
a ship management company incorporated under the laws of Canada or a province.

[travellerw]

Based on the above laws.. I would say NO you cannot do that. However you could create a corporation and have the corporation own the boat, but there is a ton of hassle with a foreign owned corporation. Not to mention the yearly paperwork (good standing, tax papers) that go with it.

[SVTatia]

To keep using the name and port of call you must re-register the boat on your name. However, since your are not a Canadian citizen you cannot do it.

What I don't know and did not find information on is how to un-register a boat in Canada. The US has an option to un-document or de-register a boat, I cannot find anything like that in Canada, only found change of ownership to another Canadian.
Therefore, I assume you could, upon receiving the bill of sale and after the custom formalities if any, register the boat to you in NZ with the same name.

[travellerw]

Transport Canada has a phone number and they are great to deal with, very helpful. There is absolutely process to deregister a boat and the will provide you with a certificate of deletion when completed.

You can only register under the same name if it is not taken in your country of registration (i.e. NZ). if it is taken, you will need to pick a new name.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[travellerw]

Here is the phone number to transport Canada..

Toll free: 1-877-242-8770

[Les Crawford]

Is your boat registered or Licensed? If licensed (by Province) They really don't care where you live.