How to Get Your PAL in Canada: The Complete 2026 Guide

By Travis Bader, founder of Silvercore Outdoors. Personally teaching CFSC and CRFSC since 1994.

Over the past 30 years, we have taught the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course to more students than any other provider in the country, and we have trained and certified most of the instructors currently teaching in our area. In that time, the single most common question we hear, from people who have never touched a firearm and from people who have hunted their whole lives, is some version of the same thing. How do I actually get my PAL?

The answer is simple in outline and a bit longer in practice. Below is the whole process, end to end, written so you can follow it without guessing.

The short answer

To get a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) in Canada, you take the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC) for non-restricted firearms, and the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC) if you also want a restricted licence. Both courses are administered by the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program. After passing the written and practical tests with at least 80%, you submit your application to the RCMP with your course results, references, photo, and fee. There is a mandatory 28-day waiting period for first-time applicants. The RCMP estimates 45 days to process a complete application. In practice, most applicants see 3 to 6 months from start to finish.

The Silvercore Path to Your PAL

The Silvercore Path is the structured route from first interest to confident, licensed firearms owner, built on 30 years of teaching CFSC and CRFSC across Canada. Each piece below answers one of the questions students ask us most.

• → How to choose a CFSC/PAL course in BC
• → How long does it take to get your PAL in Canada?
• → PAL vs RPAL: what's the difference?
• → How much does a PAL cost in Canada?
• → Can non-citizens get a PAL in Canada?
• → Why was my PAL application denied or delayed?
• → What can you do with a PAL? (Restrictions, Storage, Transport)

What is a PAL and who needs one?

A PAL is the federal Possession and Acquisition Licence required to legally possess, acquire, or use firearms in Canada.

Without one, you cannot buy a firearm, you cannot buy ammunition, and you cannot legally have a firearm in your possession with the narrow exception of being under the direct, immediate supervision of a Range Safety Officer or a PAL holder at an approved range.

There are two classes of firearm licence relevant to most Canadians.

The standard PAL covers non-restricted firearms, which is most hunting rifles and shotguns. The Restricted PAL, often called an RPAL, covers restricted firearms, primarily handguns and certain other firearms. You can hold one, or both. The course requirements are separate, but the application paperwork and the licence card itself are combined into one document.

If you intend to hunt with a rifle or shotgun, you need a non-restricted PAL at minimum. If you intend to shoot handguns or specific restricted firearms at a range, you need the restricted endorsement as well.

Who can apply for a PAL in Canada?

You can apply for a PAL if you are at least 18 years old, a resident of Canada (with separate processes available for permanent residents and non-residents), and able to meet the RCMP's eligibility criteria covering your personal history, references, and identification.

Minors can apply for a Minor's Licence, which has different conditions, but the standard PAL we are discussing here is an adult licence.

The application asks about your personal history over the past five years, including any history of mental illness associated with violence, threatened or attempted suicide, domestic violence, substance abuse, and criminal charges. None of these are automatic disqualifiers, but each is reviewed individually.

You will also need:

• Two references who have known you for at least three years. A spouse cannot act as a reference.
• A photo guarantor if you are applying with a passport-style photo by mail, or a digital photo if you are applying online.
• Two pieces of government-issued identification.
• Information about your current or former spouse or common-law partner from the past two years. They will be notified by the CFP as part of the application.

Canadian citizenship is not required. Permanent residents and non-residents can apply, although the process differs. We have a dedicated page on that: Can non-citizens get a PAL in Canada?

What is the difference between a PAL and an RPAL?

A PAL is the standard licence covering non-restricted firearms. An RPAL is a restricted endorsement added to a PAL, required for handguns and certain other restricted firearms.

The RPAL is not a replacement for the PAL. It is an endorsement on top of it. If you want restricted firearms, you need both.

Practically, this means two courses. The CFSC for non-restricted, then the CRFSC for restricted. Most of our students take both as part of a combined program that runs across two consecutive days or three consecutive evenings, because the RCMP standard does not allow the two courses to be taught on the same day.

For a fuller breakdown of the differences in what each licence allows, what the courses cover, and what the storage and transport rules look like, see PAL vs RPAL: what's the difference?

How do you apply for a PAL? Step by step

There are six steps. Skipping any of them, or doing them out of order, is the most common reason applications get delayed.

Step 1. Take the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC).

The CFSC is the federal safety course for non-restricted firearms. The RCMP standard requires a minimum of 8 hours of classroom instruction, not counting breaks or exams. At Silvercore, we run the CFSC over two consecutive days. The course covers the evolution and operation of firearms, ammunition, safe handling, safe storage, safe transport, and Canadian firearms law. The practical portion covers the action types you will be tested on, including bolt action, lever action, pump action, semi-automatic, and break action.

The standard also caps class size at 12 students per instructor, requires disabled training firearms and dummy ammunition only, and prohibits skipping any portion of the course. If a provider you are considering offers a course that runs fewer hours, packs more students into a room, or compresses the modules to fit a shorter day, the course is not meeting the published standard. For a detailed walk-through of what every certified instructor agreed to deliver, see How to choose a CFSC/PAL course in BC.

We recommend students take our online firearms safety course before attending the in-person session. The online course covers every concept on the written test and lets you study at your own pace before you show up. When you arrive in person, your attention can go entirely to handling the training firearms with the instructor's guidance.

Step 2. Take the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC) if you want a restricted licence.

The CRFSC is the federal safety course for restricted firearms. The RCMP standard requires a minimum of 6 hours of classroom instruction, dropping to a minimum of 4 hours when the CRFSC is delivered within 7 days of the same provider's CFSC. The course covers what is unique to restricted firearms: classifications, additional storage and transport rules, and the handling tests for semi-automatic restricted firearms and revolvers.

The CFSC and the CRFSC cannot be taught on the same day. The standard prohibits it. A combined CFSC and CRFSC program must run across at least two days. If a provider is advertising a one-day combined course, they are not delivering what the standard requires.

Most of our students take both courses in a single combined program, either over two consecutive days or three consecutive evenings. If you intend to apply for both endorsements, this is the most efficient path and the most cost-effective.

Step 3. Pass the written and practical tests.

Both courses have a written test and a practical handling test, each requiring 80% to pass.

The written test is mostly true/false and multiple choice. The practical test is the part that catches people out. You will be asked to demonstrate ACTS and PROVE, the safety acronyms that govern every interaction with a firearm in Canada.

If you point a firearm at yourself or another person during the practical test, it is an automatic fail. Keep your finger clearly outside the trigger guard. Verbalize what you are doing if it helps. Your instructor can clarify a question for comprehension during the written test, but cannot lead you to an answer.

If you do not pass an exam on the first attempt, the standard allows you to retake the failed exam after a minimum of one day. If more than seven days pass before the retest, you have to retake the entire course. If you fail the retest, you have to retake the entire course.

For a detailed breakdown of how to prepare, see our Pro Tips to Pass Your CFSC/CRFSC.

Step 4. Submit your application to the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program.

You have two options.

Apply online (faster): Visit rcmp.ca/en/firearms/individual-web-services. You will need to create a GCKey account or sign in through a Sign-in Partner using your online banking credentials. You will upload a digital photo that meets the RCMP requirements (plain white or light background, full front view of head and shoulders, no hats or sunglasses, neutral expression, taken within the last 12 months). You will provide two references with valid email addresses and pay the application fee by credit card or Visa/MasterCard debit. Online applications are restricted to first-time applicants who have never held a PAL, POL, FAC, or Minor's Licence, are Canadian residents, and are not seeking certain exemptions.

Apply by mail: Download Form RCMP 5592 from the RCMP website. Complete it in blue or black ink with a handwritten signature (e-signatures are not accepted). Attach two identical passport-style photos with a guarantor signature on the back, include a copy of your course report showing successful completion, and mail the package with payment by certified cheque or money order made payable to the Receiver General for Canada.

Whichever method you choose, do not rush this step. Mistakes on the application form, including missing signatures, incomplete fields, and photos that do not meet specifications, are the most common cause of delays.

Step 5. Wait through the mandatory 28-day period.

Every first-time PAL application is subject to a mandatory 28-day waiting period written into the Firearms Act.

Most files are not actioned until after the 28 days are up. Licences are occasionally issued within the 28-day window, but those cases are rare. Plan on the 28 days being a floor, not a typical turnaround.

The purpose of the waiting period is to provide time for the CFP to conduct background checks, contact your references, and complete spousal notification where applicable.

Step 6. Receive your PAL card.

The RCMP estimates 45 days to process a complete application, with the 28-day waiting period included in that time. In practice, most of our students see 3 to 6 months from course start to PAL in hand.

The card arrives by mail. From that point, you are licensed.

For a deeper look at what drives the timeline and what to do if your file is taking longer, see How long does it take to get your PAL in Canada?

How much does a PAL cost in Canada?

The total cost has two components: your course fees and your federal application fee.

Course fees vary by provider. At Silvercore, our 2026 pricing is straightforward:

• Non-Restricted CFSC — $190 + tax
• Restricted CRFSC — $135 + tax
• Combined CFSC + CRFSC weekend — $270 + tax ($55 in savings)

The federal application fee paid to the RCMP is separate, and is adjusted annually under the Service Fees Act to reflect inflation. As of March 31, 2026, the fees are:

• Non-restricted PAL: $70.38 (five-year licence)
• Restricted PAL: $93.84 (five-year licence)
• Upgrade from existing PAL to add restricted privileges: $46.92

For the current official fee schedule and any future inflation adjustments, see the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program fee schedule.

For a full cost breakdown including the costs to budget for after your licence is issued, see How much does a PAL cost in Canada?

How long does it take to get a PAL?

Starting from zero, expect 3 to 6 months from the day you book your course to the day your PAL arrives in the mail.

That breaks down as: a week or two to find and book a course that fits your schedule, two consecutive days or three consecutive evenings to complete the in-person training and pass the tests, then the 28-day mandatory waiting period and however long the RCMP takes to process from there.

We hear from students every week who assumed they could take the course on Saturday and have their licence by Friday. That is not how the system works. The 28-day wait is non-negotiable, and RCMP processing times have varied considerably over the past several years.

What is the CFSC and CRFSC, and why are they required?

The CFSC and CRFSC are the federal safety courses administered solely through the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program (CFP). Both course content and instructor certification are administered through the CFP. Provincial bodies are not involved in CFSC or CRFSC instructor certification.

The courses exist because Parliament decided, in the Firearms Act of 1995, that firearms ownership in Canada would be conditional on demonstrated knowledge of safe handling and Canadian firearms law. The CFSC and CRFSC are how that demonstration is structured.

What each certified instructor agrees to deliver is published in two RCMP documents: the Canadian Firearms Safety Course & Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course Standards (Appendix 3) and the Instructor Requirements & Code of Conduct (Appendix 2). These are the baseline, not a Silvercore opinion. Every legitimate instructor signed up to meet them.

These are non-firing courses. There is no live range component in either the CFSC or the CRFSC. The practical test covers handling, proving the firearm safe, and demonstrating ACTS and PROVE. It does not cover shooting. Absolutely no live ammunition is permitted in the classroom. Bringing live firearms or live ammunition into the teaching area triggers automatic termination of the instructor's designation under the standard.

Anyone telling you they offer a one-day CFSC with a guaranteed pass and a live range component is selling you something that does not match the federal curriculum. We have written separately about how to evaluate any in-person CFSC against the published standard. See How to choose a CFSC/PAL course in BC for the full checklist.

What happens after you pass the course?

Three things happen, in this order: your instructor issues your course report, you submit your application to the RCMP, and you wait for your card to arrive by mail.

What you do not get is a firearm. Buying your first firearm is a separate step that happens after your licence is issued and in your hand. Until that card is in your wallet, you cannot legally take possession of a firearm or buy ammunition.

While you wait, you can prepare. Research what you want to purchase. Visit ranges that offer rental firearms to build experience under a Range Safety Officer. Complete additional training like the CORE Hunter Education Course if you plan to hunt. Drill the material until you are confident with the PAL Exam Mastery course, which works through 600 practice questions with clear explanations and is included free with Silvercore Club membership.

For what you can and cannot do once you have the licence, see What can you do with a PAL? (Restrictions, Storage, Transport)

What can disqualify you from getting a PAL?

Disqualifications fall into two categories: automatic and discretionary.

Automatic disqualifiers are rare. They include current firearms prohibition orders, current restraining orders, and certain recent criminal convictions related to violence, firearms, or offences with potential imprisonment of ten years or more.

Discretionary disqualifiers are much more common. The RCMP firearms officer reviewing your application has the authority to deny on the basis of the broader question: is it desirable, in the interest of public safety, that this person have a firearms licence? That language is broad and the answer depends on the totality of your history.

Areas the RCMP looks at carefully include:

• Recent history of threatened or attempted suicide
• Recent history of mental illness associated with violence
• Domestic violence allegations or charges, even without conviction
• Drug and alcohol abuse
• Recent criminal charges, even without conviction
• Past misrepresentation on a firearms application

Honesty on the application is critical. The application asks you to disclose. If you fail to disclose something the RCMP discovers independently, that misrepresentation itself becomes a disqualifier on top of whatever it was you tried to hide.

Common reasons PAL applications get delayed

After 30 years of teaching, the patterns are predictable. Most applications that get held up share one or more of these problems.

Mistakes on the application form. Missing signatures, incomplete fields, incorrect dates, or photos that do not meet specifications are the most frequent causes of delay. The CFP will mail your application back for corrections, adding weeks to the process. Review your form more than once before sending it. Fresh eyes the next day will catch what tired eyes missed.

References that cannot be reached. Your references will be contacted by the RCMP. If they do not respond, your application stalls. Pick references who answer their phone and email, tell them in advance to expect the contact, and confirm their information is current.

Spousal notification not completed. If you have a current or former spouse or common-law partner from the past two years, they must be notified. If you indicate that you have a partner who has not been notified, the RCMP will contact them directly. This can introduce delays and, in some cases, complications.

Incomplete or inconsistent personal history. The five-year personal history section asks about a range of issues. Inconsistent answers, or answers that contradict information the RCMP has from other sources, will trigger follow-up.

Background check flags. Even if you have a clean record, sharing a name with someone who does not can trigger additional scrutiny. Any history involving mental health interventions, protection orders, domestic incidents, or criminal charges will require further review.

For a deeper look at what causes delays and what to do if your application is held up, see Why was my PAL application denied or delayed?

Where to take your CFSC or CRFSC with Silvercore

Silvercore teaches across British Columbia from a permanent classroom in Delta and at established venues in Langley, New Westminster, Nanaimo, Parksville, and Victoria. All locations run the same RCMP-approved CFSC and CRFSC curriculum with Silvercore-certified instructors.

Lower Mainland

• Delta — Silvercore Training Facility, #115 – 7198 Vantage Way. Our permanent classroom and the home base for most of our weekend courses.
• Langley — The Range Langley, 9938 201 Street #2.
• New Westminster — Douglas College, 700 Royal Avenue.

Vancouver Island

• Nanaimo — Vancouver Island University, 900 Fifth Street.
• Parksville — Shelly Hall, 186 Shelly Road.
• Victoria — Quality Inn Downtown, 850 Blanshard Street.

To book your CFSC, CRFSC, or both in a single weekend, see the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (Non-Restricted and Restricted) at Silvercore.

If you want to prepare before attending the in-person session, our online firearms safety course covers every concept on the written test and is included free with Silvercore Club membership.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get my PAL in Canada?

You take the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC), pass the written and practical tests with at least 80%, submit your application to the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program with your course report, references, and application fee, and wait through the mandatory 28-day waiting period. Most applicants receive their licence within 3 to 6 months.

What is the difference between a PAL and an RPAL?

A PAL is the standard licence for non-restricted firearms, primarily hunting rifles and shotguns. An RPAL is the restricted endorsement on top of a PAL, required for handguns and certain other restricted firearms. To hold restricted firearms, you need both the CFSC and the CRFSC.

How long does it take to get a PAL in Canada?

The RCMP estimates 45 days to process a complete application, with the 28-day mandatory waiting period included in that time. In practice, most applicants see 3 to 6 months from course start to PAL in hand.

How much does a PAL cost in Canada?

As of March 31, 2026, the federal application fee for a non-restricted PAL is $70.38, and the restricted PAL is $93.84. Upgrading an existing PAL to add restricted privileges is $46.92. Course fees with Silvercore are $190 for the CFSC, $135 for the CRFSC, or $270 for the combined weekend.

How long is the CFSC?

The RCMP standard requires a minimum of 8 hours of classroom instruction, not counting breaks or exams. The written exam adds up to 3 hours and the practical exam up to 1 hour per student. At Silvercore, the CFSC runs over two consecutive days.

How long is the CRFSC?

The RCMP standard requires a minimum of 6 hours of classroom instruction, dropping to a minimum of 4 hours when the CRFSC is delivered within 7 days of the same provider's CFSC. The CFSC and CRFSC cannot be taught on the same day.

Do I have to take the CFSC in person?

Yes. While online theory preparation is highly recommended, the federal curriculum requires in-person instruction and a practical handling test. There is no fully online path to a PAL in Canada.

Is there live shooting in the CFSC or CRFSC?

No. Both courses are non-firing. The practical test covers safe handling, proving firearms safe, and demonstrating ACTS and PROVE. Live ammunition is not permitted in the classroom. Bringing live firearms or live ammunition into the teaching area triggers automatic termination of the instructor's designation.

What is the passing grade for the CFSC and CRFSC?

You need at least 80% on both the written test and the practical handling test. Each course is graded independently.

What happens if I fail the CFSC exam?

You can retake the failed exam after a minimum of one day. If more than seven days pass before the retest, you have to retake the entire course. If you fail the retest, you have to retake the entire course.

Can a non-citizen get a PAL in Canada?

Yes, although the process differs from a Canadian citizen application. Permanent residents apply through the standard route. Non-residents who want to import a firearm for hunting or sport shooting follow a separate process. See our dedicated guide: Can non-citizens get a PAL in Canada?

What is the 28-day waiting period?

For first-time PAL applicants, the Firearms Act requires a mandatory 28-day waiting period starting from the day the CFP receives your application. This is a federal statutory minimum, separate from RCMP processing time.

Can my PAL application be denied?

Yes. The RCMP firearms officer reviewing your application can deny on the basis of public safety. Common reasons include recent criminal charges, history of violence, untruthful answers on the application, and current firearms prohibition orders.

What do I do with my PAL once I have it?

Your PAL allows you to acquire and possess firearms within the licence's class. You can buy non-restricted firearms and ammunition. If you also hold the restricted endorsement, you can acquire restricted firearms with a separate registration. For storage, transport, and use rules, see What can you do with a PAL?

How often do I need to renew my PAL?

The standard PAL is valid for five years. The Canadian Firearms Program sends renewal notices three months before the date of expiry. We recommend renewing at least 3 months before your expiry date to avoid any gap in your licence. For a step-by-step guide, see How to renew your PAL in Canada.

About the author

Travis Bader is the founder of Silvercore Outdoors, Canada's largest firearms safety training company. He has personally taught the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course since 1994, and through Silvercore has trained and certified most of the firearms instructors currently teaching in British Columbia. Silvercore was established as a sole proprietorship in 2000 and incorporated in 2003. Travis hosts the Silvercore Podcast, where he explores firearms, hunting, and the outdoors with leaders from across the industry.

Travis Bader
Silvercore Outdoors