Dogs on BC Ferries, route by route
What BC Ferries allows for dogs: leashes, pet areas by ship, vehicle-deck rules and Northern differences.
Know before you sail On this page
Dogs on BC Ferries at a glance
| Question | BC Ferries says |
|---|---|
| Do dogs travel? | Pets are allowed on all vessels and travel for free (checked 26 Oct 2026) |
| Leash | Dogs on a leash no longer than 1 metre (3 ft), in terminals, onboard and in pet areas |
| Limit | A maximum of two pets per handler |
| Where can a dog be? | In your vehicle, an indoor pet area or an outer-deck pet area, where the ship has one |
| Not allowed | Passenger lounges, food service areas, terminal buildings and indoor waiting areas, walkways, cabins |
| Northern routes | No vehicle-deck access during the sailing; outer pet areas open at announced times, June to September |
Where your dog can be on the ship
BC Ferries gives dogs three places to be: in your vehicle on the vehicle deck, in an indoor pet area on ships that have one, or in an outer-deck pet area on ships that have one and only while it is open. Dogs have to stay inside the marked pet area, which is shown by yellow lines on the deck.
Everywhere else is off limits. The page lists indoor passenger lounges, cafeterias and other food service areas, terminal buildings and indoor waiting areas, passenger walkways and passenger cabins. Dogs go up and down by the stairwells marked with paw prints, because elevators are reserved for accessibility needs.
Guide and service animals are the exception: BC Ferries says they are exempt from the pet-area requirement and are permitted in all public spaces onboard. The page adds that service dogs must be well trained and under control.
Dogs must be on a leash no longer than 1 metre (3 ft), in terminals, onboard and in every pet area.
Leash, carrier and behaviour rules
The leash limit is 1 metre (3 ft) for dogs. Cats and other small animals must be in a secure carrier. Each handler can bring a maximum of two pets.
BC Ferries says dogs with a bite history or aggressive behaviour are prohibited in all pet areas. It recommends a muzzle for dogs that are reactive to other dogs or people, and says a reactive dog may be more comfortable in the vehicle or an indoor pet area. Crew may ask you to take a dog back to the car deck if it disturbs others. Owners are fully responsible for their pets, and the page says incidents may lead to denied access to pet areas or refused future travel. Grooming onboard is not permitted.
In a pet area you’ll find garbage bins, seating, waste bags and water bowls. Heating and kennels are in select pet areas only. If you use a kennel, BC Ferries asks you to remove the leash, check on your pet regularly, lock the kennel with your own padlock, and clean up after your pet.
Staying with the car: vehicle-deck rules
Pets may stay in your vehicle. BC Ferries asks you to keep it ventilated with the windows open slightly, and to disable your car alarm. Its travel tips page asks you to consider disarming the alarm “as a courtesy to our crew, passengers and especially pets.”
The part that catches people out is the people, not the dog. BC Ferries’ travel tips say passengers in vehicles on enclosed lower vehicle decks must leave their vehicles during the sailing, to comply with Transport Canada’s safety regulation. Passengers on the Horseshoe Bay to Langdale (Sunshine Coast) route can stay in their vehicle for the whole sailing, whichever deck they’re on. If your car is on an enclosed lower deck elsewhere, plan where you and the dog will go, and check which pet areas the ship has.
Pet areas by route and ship
Not every ship has the same setup. BC Ferries’ travel tips page says dogs on leashes have access to outdoor, upper-deck pet areas on 18 vessels, and that most vessels also have indoor pet areas. The pet page lists decks by ship:
| Route group | Ships | Outdoor | Indoor / kennels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earls Cove – Saltery Bay | Malaspina Sky | Deck 5 | Indoor, Deck 2 |
| Major routes (Vancouver Island, mainland, Sunshine Coast) | Coastal Renaissance, Coastal Inspiration, Coastal Celebration | Deck 7 | Indoor/kennels, Deck 4 |
| Major routes | Spirit of British Columbia, Spirit of Vancouver Island | Deck 6 | Indoor/kennels, Deck 4 |
| Major routes | Queen of Coquitlam, Queen of Cowichan, Queen of Oak Bay, Queen of Surrey | Outer Deck 6 | Indoor/kennels, Deck 4 |
| Major routes | Queen of New Westminster | Outer Deck 4 | Indoor, Deck 3 |
| Major routes | Queen of Alberni | Outer Deck 5 | Indoor, Deck 3 |
| Southern Gulf Islands; Comox – Powell River | Salish Orca, Salish Eagle, Salish Raven, Salish Heron | Deck 4 | Indoor/kennels, Deck 2 |
| Northern (Port Hardy – Prince Rupert – Skidegate) | Northern Expedition | Deck 5 | Indoor/kennels, Deck 2 |
| Northern | Northern Adventure | Deck 6 | Kennels on Car Deck 3 |
| Northern | Northern Sea Wolf | None | Kennels on Car Deck 2 |
Coastal versus Northern routes
On the coastal routes, the vehicle deck is a place your dog can stay with the car, subject to the enclosed-deck rule above. The Northern routes are different. BC Ferries says vehicle-deck access is not permitted during the sailing under Transport Canada safety regulations, and passengers may visit at announced opening times to check on their pets.
The page lists Northern outdoor pet areas as running June to September, open only at designated times and closed in winter. Northern Sea Wolf has no outer-deck pet area. Pets are not permitted in passenger cabins on Northern vessels, and pets must return to the vehicle deck when announced. Access can be restricted at any time for operational reasons.
On every ship, BC Ferries says outer pet areas may close because of weather, sea conditions or operations. Treat an open outdoor area as something that isn’t guaranteed.
Questions
Does BC Ferries charge for dogs?
BC Ferries’ pet page says pets are allowed on all vessels and travel for free (checked 26 Oct 2026). That’s about the pet itself; vehicle and passenger fares are separate and we haven’t listed them.
Can my dog go to the passenger lounge or café?
No. The pet page lists indoor passenger lounges, cafeterias and food service areas, terminal buildings, walkways and cabins as off limits to pets. Guide and service animals are permitted in all public spaces.
Can I stay in the car with my dog?
It depends on the route and deck. On enclosed lower vehicle decks passengers must leave their vehicles during the sailing, except Horseshoe Bay to Langdale. On Northern sailings vehicle-deck access isn’t permitted during the sailing at all.
How we chose
We read BC Ferries’ own Travelling with Pets and Travel Tips pages on 26 Oct 2026 and reported only what they say, using their wording where it matters. We haven’t sailed these routes with a dog for this guide, we haven’t checked individual ships’ signage, and we didn’t look at fares. We don’t earn commissions from any link here. Rules, ship assignments and pet-area access change, so confirm on the official page before you travel.
