Is the AR-15 Legal in Canada?

Oct 24, 2026

Information & Education

By Travis Bader, founder of Silvercore Outdoors.

Last updated: 24 October 2026

No. The AR-15 and its variants have been prohibited firearms in Canada since 1 May 2020, when SOR/2020-96 added them to the federal classification regulations. Owners who met the amnesty conditions on that day are covered by an amnesty that ends 90 days after the Supreme Court of Canada appeals challenging the 2020 prohibition conclude. They cannot shoot it at a range, sell or transfer it to another individual, or import it.

What law prohibits the AR-15?

SOR/2020-96, registered and in force on 1 May 2020, amended the classification regulations, SOR/98-462. It added item 87 to Part 1 of the schedule: "The firearms of the designs commonly known as the M16, AR-10 and AR-15 rifles and the M4 carbine," and any variants or modified versions of them, other than one referred to in item 47, 49 or 50, followed by a list of named examples. Paragraph (d) of the "prohibited firearm" definition in section 84(1) of the Criminal Code covers any firearm prescribed as prohibited, which is how item 87 takes effect.

The RCMP also states that upper receivers of M16, AR-10, AR-15 and M4 pattern firearms are prohibited devices.

What was the AR-15's status before 2020?

The regulatory impact analysis statement published with SOR/2020-96 describes the prior classification of the M16, AR-10, AR-15 and M4 family as "Mostly restricted, some non-restricted." The RCMP states that registration certificates for previously registered restricted firearms affected by the prohibition became nullified, and that this did not result from any decision by the Registrar to revoke them.

What can current owners do?

The Order Declaring an Amnesty Period (2020), SOR/2020-97, protects an individual who owned or possessed the firearm on 1 May 2020 and held a Firearms Act licence. The owner must keep holding that licence while in possession. For a firearm that was restricted on 30 April 2020, the owner must have held a registration certificate for it, or later been issued one they would have been eligible to hold.

During the amnesty an owner may:

deactivate the firearm so it is no longer a firearm;
deliver it to a police officer for destruction or other disposal;
legally export it;
transport it to do any of the above, by a reasonably direct route, unloaded, with no ammunition in the vehicle, in the trunk or, if there is no trunk, not visible from outside the vehicle, and with the vehicle not left unattended;
for a previously non-restricted firearm, use it to hunt in the exercise of a section 35 right or to sustain themselves or their family, until another firearm can be obtained for that use.

The RCMP states that newly prohibited firearms cannot be used for sport shooting at a range or elsewhere, cannot be transferred to other individuals and cannot be imported.

When does the amnesty end?

The amnesty has no fixed calendar date. SOR/2026-114, registered 5 June 2026, replaced the previous expiry of 30 October 2026. Section 2(3) of the 2020 Amnesty Order now ends the amnesty on the 90th day after the Supreme Court of Canada appeals numbered 41858, 41859, 41860 and 41861 end by discontinuance, judgment or dismissal, or 90 days after the latest of them if they end on different days. The Supreme Court granted leave to appeal on 19 March 2026. Public Safety Canada stated in June 2026 that the decision "is expected next year."

What happened with the buyback?

The federal Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program took declarations from individuals from 19 January to 31 March 2026, according to Public Safety Canada's January 2026 announcement. The program page states that the declaration period for individuals has ended. As of its last update on 24 June 2026, the page stated that collection, deactivation and compensation were expected to run from spring to early fall 2026, and that participants may receive compensation subject to availability of program funds.

An owner who wants to surrender a firearm without compensation should call the local police non-emergency line and not bring the firearm to a station, according to the RCMP.

What can I shoot instead?

The Criminal Code classes any firearm that is neither prohibited nor restricted as non-restricted. Our page on non-restricted, restricted and prohibited firearms explains how classification works. To get a PAL, you pass the tests of the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC). Our PAL course teaches the CFSC and the restricted PAL course (CRFSC) together for $270 plus tax.

Frequently asked questions

Is the AR-15 banned in Canada?

Yes. The AR-15 and its variants have been prohibited firearms since 1 May 2020 under SOR/2020-96, which added them to item 87 of Part 1 of the schedule to the classification regulations.

Can I still shoot my AR-15 at the range?

No. The RCMP states that firearms prohibited in 2020 cannot be used for sport shooting, either at a range or elsewhere.

When does the AR-15 amnesty end?

The amnesty ends on the 90th day after the Supreme Court of Canada appeals numbered 41858, 41859, 41860 and 41861 end. It has no fixed calendar date.

Can I sell my AR-15 to another person?

No. The RCMP states that owners may not transfer these firearms to other individuals. Lawful options during the amnesty include deactivation, delivery to police and legal export.

Is the AR-15 buyback still open?

No. The declaration period for individuals ran from 19 January to 31 March 2026 and has ended, according to Public Safety Canada.

The Silvercore Path

The amnesty end date depends on a court process still under way. Silvercore Club members get regulatory updates by email. Membership is $59 a year, and anyone can join, with or without a PAL. Join the Silvercore Club.