How to Get Your PAL in Canada

To legally own a firearm in Canada, you need a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL/RPAL). The process is the same no matter where you live: take the Canadian Firearms Safety Course, submit your application to the RCMP, and wait for approval. As of March 31, 2026, the federal application fees are $70.38 for a non-restricted PAL and $93.84 for a restricted PAL.

The process trips people up in small ways rather than large ones, so here it is in order.

Step 1: Pick the Licence You Need

Canada has two safety courses:

1. Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC) Covers non-restricted firearms, rifles and shotguns. This is the basic course everyone must take.

2. Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC) Covers restricted firearms, mainly handguns and a few specific rifles. It does not replace the basic course. To apply for an RPAL, you must pass both courses.

Good to know: You can take both courses before having any licence. You'll pay for two courses, but only one federal fee: $93.84 for the RPAL, which automatically includes non-restricted privileges.

Step 2: Take the course and pass both tests

The course runs for about eight hours and wraps up the same day with two exams: a written test and a hands-on practical test. You need 80% or higher on both. The practical portion isn't just a box to tick: you'll be handling real firearms, and instructors do fail people who don't follow safety rules.

Course pricing is set by individual instructors, not the government, and usually sits around $180, though it can vary a lot depending on where you live.

You don't need any licence to take the course.

Step 3: Apply to the RCMP

You submit your application to the Canadian Firearms Program along with your course report, two references, and a photo guarantor. Three details cause most of the delays:

• References must be reachable. They get called. Pick people who will answer an unknown number.
• Your conjugal history matters. Current partners and anyone from the past two years must be listed. Leaving someone out is the most common reason a file gets held up.
• Answer the background questions honestly. A "yes" about a past incident isn't an automatic refusal, but giving a false answer can create a bigger problem.

Step 4: Wait out the 28 days

Every first-time application includes a mandatory 28-day waiting period, and the RCMP only starts processing your file after that period, not during it. Some people get their licence within a few weeks, others wait a few months. Files that require extra verification naturally take longer.

What the licence allows

A valid PAL is required to buy or possess firearms in Canada. It's a federal licence, so it's recognized everywhere in the country.

Before you apply, a short checklist

• A booked course with a certified instructor in your province
• Two references who will actually pick up the phone
• A photo guarantor who has known you for at least one year
• Your complete relationship history for the past two years
• Application fees: $70.38 for non-restricted, $93.84 for restricted
• Realistic expectations about timelines: think months, not weeks

Once your licence shows up, the community side is what surprises most people: finding a range, choosing your first firearm, figuring out who to ask for advice. That's exactly why BrassNet exists.