How to Register Your Drone in Canada (2026 Step-by-Step Guide)
Complete walkthrough of registering a drone with Transport Canada — eligibility, what you need, the Drone Management Portal process, and renewal.
Who Needs to Register a Drone in Canada?
Every drone (also called an RPA — Remotely Piloted Aircraft) weighing between 250g and 25kg must be registered with Transport Canada under CARs Part IX before it flies. This applies whether you fly recreationally, commercially, or under MAAC club rules.
Drones under 250g (toys, sub-250g micros like the DJI Mini series in some configurations) don’t require registration. Drones over 25kg require a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) instead of standard registration.
What You Need Before You Register
Have these ready in front of you — the registration takes about 5 minutes once you have everything:
- Manufacturer name (e.g. DJI, Autel, Skydio)
- Model name and number (e.g. Mavic 3 Pro, EVO Lite+)
- Serial number (printed on the aircraft, often inside the battery compartment or near the gimbal)
- Maximum takeoff weight (from the manufacturer spec sheet)
- Pilot certificate (Basic or Advanced) — you must hold one to register
- Credit card for the $5 CAD registration fee
If you’re registering a self-built or modified aircraft, you’ll need the unladen weight, max takeoff weight, and a brief description of modifications.
Step-by-Step Registration
Step 1 — Sign in to the Drone Management Portal (DMP) Go to the Transport Canada Drone Management Portal at tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/drone-management-portal. Sign in with your Government of Canada (GCKey) account or create one (free, takes ~10 minutes the first time).
Step 2 — Verify your pilot certificate is on file The DMP shows your active certificate (Basic or Advanced). If you haven’t passed the Small Basic exam yet, do that first — registration requires a valid certificate.
Step 3 — Select “Register a Drone” You’ll see a form asking for the drone details listed above.
Step 4 — Enter aircraft information Fill in manufacturer, model, serial number, weight, and a custom nickname if you want. The nickname helps you tell apart multiple aircraft of the same model.
Step 5 — Pay the $5 fee Per drone, one-time. Annual renewal is not required for the registration itself — your registration stays valid as long as you own the drone.
Step 6 — Receive your registration number
Transport Canada issues a registration number immediately. Format is C-XXXXXXX — for example C-1234567. Print or screenshot this; you must mark it on your drone before your first flight.
Marking Your Drone
Per CARs Part IX, the registration number must be marked on the exterior of the aircraft in a way that’s:
- Permanent (not just a peel-off label)
- Legible to the naked eye at close range
- Visible without disassembly
Most pilots use waterproof permanent marker, vinyl decal stickers, or laser-etched plates. Place it where it won’t peel off in flight — common spots are the underside of the airframe or the battery cover. The number doesn’t need to be readable from a distance, just present and legible to an inspector.
What If You Sell or Lose the Drone?
If you sell: deregister the drone in the DMP and the buyer registers under their own pilot certificate. Don’t transfer your registration — registrations are tied to the pilot, not the aircraft.
If lost or destroyed: log in, mark the drone as no longer in service. No fee.
If you buy a new drone: register it separately with its own $5 fee.
Adding Multiple Drones to Your Account
The DMP has no limit on the number of drones you can register. Many commercial operators have 5–10 aircraft registered. Use clear nicknames (e.g. “Mavic-3-Inspect-01”, “Phantom-4-Survey”) to keep them organized.
For commercial operations, an enterprise platform like RPAS WILCO lets you manage all your registered aircraft alongside flight logs, site surveys, and crew assignments — all in one place. See pricing options including the free tier for solo pilots.
Common Registration Mistakes
Wrong serial number — entered the controller serial, not the aircraft. Always use the aircraft body serial.
Wrong weight — used “flight weight with payload” instead of manufacturer’s max takeoff weight. Use the spec sheet number.
Forgetting to mark the drone — registration without marking is non-compliant. You can be fined for flying with a registered-but-unmarked drone.
Registering before holding a pilot certificate — the DMP won’t let you, but pilots sometimes assume registration is independent. It’s not.
Other Compliance Requirements
Registration is just one part of legal drone operation. You also need:
- A pilot certificate (Basic or Advanced) — see Advanced Pilot Certificate Guide
- A site survey for each operating location (CARs 901.27)
- For Advanced ops: a flight review every 24 months (How to Book)
- For controlled airspace: NAV CANADA RPAS Flight Planning authorization
Quick Reference
| Step | What | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GCKey account | Free | 10 min (first time) |
| 2 | Drone Management Portal sign-in | Free | < 1 min |
| 3 | Register drone | $5 CAD | 5 min |
| 4 | Mark drone with C-XXXXXXX | Materials cost | < 5 min |
| 5 | Annual renewal | None — registration is permanent | — |
Total: about 20 minutes for your first registration, $5 per drone.
For broader drone compliance — site surveys, NOTAMs, airspace authorizations, flight logs — see RPAS WILCO or browse the full resources library.