Firearm Regulations

Canada has stringent laws governing how firearmA barrelled weapon capable of firing a projectile that can cause serious injury or death.s are purchased, stored, transported and used, which are contained in the Firearms Act and the Criminal Code. If you own a firearm in Canada you must be licensed, with the licensing program administered by the RCMP. The type of licence and whether registration is required depends on the class of firearm. Restricted and prohibited firearms (such as most handguns and automatic weapons) must be registered. Non-restricted firearms (most common rifles and shotguns) do not require registration, but you still need a valid licence to own them. Firearm ownership is not a right in Canada. It is a privilege that you have to earn by completing training programs.

It is difficult to say how many firearms are legally owned in Canada, though a Department of Justice (DOJ) document (Firearms, Accidental Deaths, Suicides and Violent Crime) estimates that one-quarter of Canadian households own some sort of gun, with the rate of ownership much higher in the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. The number of illegally purchased firearms in the country, usually handguns, is unknown.

The RCMP administers the Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) program, which you must complete to own a firearm. If this is your first time applying for the PAL, you must first pass the Canadian Firearms Safety Course, which includes safe handling and carry procedures, along with your responsibilities as a firearms owner/user. If you want to be licensed to own a restricted firearmInclude most handguns, you must complete the basic course plus another that deals with firing techniques for handguns and the safe handling of restricted firearms. 

As part of the basic PAL course, the RCMP will determine if you have a criminal record and look at your past behaviour for signs of violence or aggression. They will also ask for contact information for your spouse or partner, as they want to know if they would be concerned if you owned a firearm.

If you have a PAL and are convicted of a crime or enter into a peace bond, the Chief Firearms Officer may withdraw your PAL. Even if the criminal court Judge does not impose a firearm restriction or does not find that there was a risk of violence, the Chief Firearms Officer may decide that you no longer qualify for a PAL.

Some air guns are not treated as firearms for licensing and registration purposes because they do not exceed both federal thresholds: a muzzle velocity over 152.4 m/s (500 ft/s) and a muzzle energy over 5.7 joules. They may still be treated seriously if used in a crime, and realistic replica-style devices can raise separate prohibited-device issues. Devices such as signalling devices, distress flares, blank-cartridge devices, and tranquilizer guns have special treatment when used only for their intended purposes.

Section 84 of the Code divides firearms into three categories, mainly based on their design and capacity to fire shells or bullets. A prohibited firearmA firearm category that Canadian law treats as prohibited. includes all automatic weapons, which can fire bullets in rapid succession with one squeeze of the trigger. It is also illegal to own a semi-automatic weapon that has been altered so it fires like an automatic firearmA firearm capable of firing repeatedly with one pull of the trigger., or a handgun with a barrel length of 105 mm or shorter (roughly four inches). Handguns designed to discharge a 25 or 32 calibre cartridge are also prohibited.

In 2020, the federal government issued an Order-in-Council (SOR/2020-96) that prohibited a large number of assault-style firearms by model and variant. That list was further expanded by Bill C-21 (S.C. 2023, c. 32), which added a new category covering semi-automatic centre-fire firearms originally designed with a detachable magazine capacity of six rounds or more, manufactured after that law came into force. If you have a firearm that may fall into one of these categories, Public Safety Canada advises you to make arrangements to turn the firearm over to police.

The Department of Justice provides this listing (Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons, Components and Parts of Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or Restricted) of prohibited firearms.

You can also call the RCMP at 1-800-731-4000 to confirm if your firearm is prohibited.

Section 84 of the Criminal Code defines restricted firearms to include handguns that are not prohibited firearms, along with certain other short or folding firearms. A specific firearm's classification can change based on its design and federal regulations, so readers should check the RCMP classification for the exact model. Restricted firearms are generally limited to authorized purposes such as target shooting at an approved range or collecting. Recent federal changes have also sharply limited handgun transfers. Carrying a restricted firearm for personal protection is not permitted in most circumstances, and restricted firearms cannot be used for hunting.

Section 84 of the Code states that non-restricted firearmsMost ifles and shotguns in Canada are those that don't fall into the other two categories. That includes most shotguns and rifles that are commonly favoured by those living in rural or outlying areas.

You can only sell a firearm to another adult with a PAL, unless the weapon is going to a business, museum or other organization with a firearms business licence. There are two ways for citizens to transfer a firearm, the first is by telephone. If you own a non-restricted firearm, call the Canadian Firearms Program (CFP) at 1-800-731-4000 to confirm the validity of the buyer’s licence before handing over the firearm. With restricted and prohibited weapons, the CFP will want to speak to you and the buyer, though it does not have to be at the same time.

The second option is by mail. If you own restricted or prohibited weapons, use RCMP form 5492. Call the CFP at 1-800-731-4000 to get a form.

This page is not a single Criminal Code offence. It explains a legal concept or group of related sections. Specific charges, penalties, and defences depend on the section involved.

Some firearm offences still have mandatory minimum sentences in the Criminal Code. This page summarizes the Criminal Code wording. Some mandatory minimums have been challenged under the Charter, and a lawyer can advise how the law may apply in a specific case.

Some firearm offences still carry mandatory minimum sentences, including certain weapons-trafficking, automatic-firearm, and firearm-discharge offences. This overview flags those areas, but the exact penalty depends on the specific Criminal Code section.

The Criminal Code deals with firearms and other weapons through many separate sections. The main groups:

• Possession and unauthorized possession — unauthorized possession (s. 91, maximum 5 years by indictment); knowing unauthorized possession (s. 92, treated more seriously); possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm with accessible ammunition (s. 95, maximum 14 years by indictment); possession at an unauthorized place (s. 93) and related offences.
• Careless use, storage, and handling — careless use or storage (s. 86) and pointing a firearm (s. 87).
• Concealed or dangerous carrying — carrying a concealed weapon (s. 90, maximum 5 years by indictment); possession of a weapon for a purpose dangerous to the public peace (s. 88); carrying a weapon while attending a public meeting (s. 89).
• Trafficking and possession for trafficking — ss. 99 and 100: where the object is a firearm, prohibited device, firearm part, or ammunition, the maximum is 14 years with a mandatory minimum of 3 years (first offence) or 5 years (second or subsequent offence); in any other case, the maximum is 14 years with no mandatory minimum. Importing and exporting are covered by ss. 103 and 104.
• Making automatic firearms — s. 102 (maximum 10 years; mandatory minimum 1 year).
• Theft and robbery involving firearms — breaking and entering to steal a firearm (s. 98) and robbery to steal a firearm (s. 98.1, maximum life imprisonment).
• Prohibition-order breaches — possession contrary to a prohibition order (s. 117.01); prohibition orders themselves are made under ss. 109–110.
• Using or discharging firearms — using a firearm in the commission of an offence (s. 85, maximum 14 years); discharging a firearm with intent (s. 244) and reckless discharge (s. 244.2), each with a maximum of 14 years and, in the circumstances the sections describe, mandatory minimums of 5 years (first offence) or 7 years (second or subsequent offence).