CANADIAN FIREARMS LICENSING, EXPLAINED
Getting a Canadian firearms licence (PAL) means one safety course, two tests, and an RCMP application. We explain every step in plain language - no experience assumed.
The path from zero: what the CFSC is, which licence you need, and every acronym.
Age, citizenship, criminal records, hunters, farmers, military, newcomers, costs.
What happens in class, the written and practical tests, and how to prepare.
Applying, waiting periods, buying your first firearm, renewals, and moving.
Storage, transport, classes, ammunition, magazines, and what to do when things go wrong.
Course availability and city pages for every province and territory.
You must be 18 for a PAL (12–17 can get a Minor’s Licence). Citizenship isn’t required, and a record isn’t an automatic no.
The mandatory one-day safety course, in person, from a CFO-designated instructor. No experience needed.
50 written questions plus a practical handling test - 80% each. The course teaches everything they cover.
Form 5614 or online: course report, references, photo, fee. Complete applications move; incomplete ones restart.
Background review plus a minimum 28 days for first-time applicants. Budget 2–4 months end to end.
Your PAL lasts 5 years. Storage, transport, and address rules apply from day one.
Written for people starting from zero, sourced against RCMP material, and reviewed on a dated schedule.
Something else? Search the guides or browse all.
The information is free and always will be. When you’re ready to book the CFSC, start with your province.
Join the directory to connect with learners who are researching a course in your area.
Become a CFSC.ca partnerA CFSC course typically runs $200–$350 depending on province and what the quote includes, plus a separate RCMP licence fee set by regulation. Our cost guide breaks down what drives the price.
Not if you attend and pay attention - the written test (50 questions, 80% to pass) and the practical handling test only cover what the instructor teaches that day.
Budget roughly 2–4 months from booking the course to holding your licence: a first licence can’t be issued sooner than 28 days after applying, and RCMP processing runs alongside that wait.
Yes - most first-time adult applicants must pass the Canadian Firearms Safety Course before applying. The provider administers both tests and gives you the course report the RCMP application needs.
No. CFSC.ca is an independent information and course-finder service. For official requirements, forms, and licence decisions, use the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program and your provincial Chief Firearms Officer.