Lost, Stolen or Damaged PAL Card: How to Replace It

By Travis Bader, founder of Silvercore Outdoors.

Last updated: 15 November 2026

To replace a lost, stolen or damaged PAL card, report a loss or theft to your local police or the Chief Firearms Officer for your province or territory, then mail form RCMP 5515, the Firearms Documents Replacement Request, to the RCMP with the $25 replacement fee. The form goes to the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program in Miramichi, New Brunswick. There is no online replacement option on the RCMP's web services.

Your card is one of several documents you keep as a firearms owner. If you hold a Silvercore Club membership, your membership letter is available any time from your account dashboard under Account Details, with nothing to mail away for. See what the Silvercore Club includes.

How do I replace a lost or stolen PAL?

Four steps, in this order.

1. Report the loss or theft. The RCMP's firearms forms page says that before you submit the form, you must report the loss or theft of any firearms document to your local police or to the Chief Firearms Officer for your province or territory.
2. Get form RCMP 5515. Download the Firearms Documents Replacement Request from the RCMP. The forms page describes it as the form to use to replace a lost, stolen or damaged firearms licence or a firearms registration certificate.
3. Fill it in. Section A asks for your licence number, name and date of birth, and your place of birth if you do not know your licence number. Section D asks for the document you are replacing, its number and the reason: lost, stolen, destroyed, damaged or other. Section B is the fee and payment. Section C is your signature and date.
4. Mail it. Send the completed form and the fee to: Royal Canadian Mounted Police, P.O. Box 1200, Miramichi NB E1N 5Z3.

Questions about the form go to the Canadian Firearms Program at 1-800-731-4000.

How much does a replacement PAL card cost?

The replacement fee for a lost, stolen or destroyed licence is $25. That figure is set in section 21(1) of the Firearms Fees Regulations. A lost, stolen or destroyed possession licence for someone under 18 costs $10 to replace, under section 21(3).

The RCMP's fees report for fiscal year 2025-26 lists the replacement fee at $25.00 for 2025-26, 2026-27 and 2027-28, with no fee adjustment. A replacement costs less than a new licence or a renewal.

Form 5515 accepts a cheque, certified cheque or money order payable to the Receiver General for Canada, or Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Do not send cash. The fee is non-refundable. The information sheet also notes that the fee is waived for sustenance hunters replacing a licence with non-restricted privileges.

Can I replace my PAL card online?

No. The RCMP's Individual Web Services lets you renew your firearms licence, check your application status, register firearms, verify a buyer's licence for a non-restricted transfer, apply for an authorization to transport and update your information. Replacing a card is not on that list. Replacement goes by mail on form 5515.

If your card is fine and only your address has changed, that is an update to your information, and our guide on how to change the address on your PAL walks through it.

Why does the physical card matter while I wait?

Because a peace officer can ask to see it. Section 117.03 of the Criminal Code lets a peace officer seize a firearm from a person who fails, on demand, to produce a licence under which they may lawfully possess it, and for a restricted or prohibited firearm, the registration certificate. If you claim the firearm within 14 days and produce the licence, and the authorization and registration certificate for a restricted or prohibited firearm, it is returned to you without delay.

The card also matters at the counter. Section 25 of the Firearms Act allows ammunition to be transferred to an individual only if that person holds a licence authorizing them to possess firearms. For a non-restricted firearm transfer, section 23 requires the buyer to give the seller the information that relates to their licence, so the seller can get a reference number from the Registrar.

The practical answer is to mail form 5515 as soon as you know the card is gone, and to plan range trips, hunts and purchases around the wait.

What the Silvercore Club gives a licence holder

Silvercore Club members get regulatory updates by email, and the membership letter is issued the moment you join and stays in your account dashboard. Canadian Firearms Program policy looks for gun club or range membership when your Chief Firearms Officer approves a restricted firearm transfer, and the Silvercore Club meets that policy across Canada. Your Chief Firearms Officer decides each transfer application. Membership does not guarantee approval. Every member in good standing carries $5 million in individual third-party liability coverage. Membership is $59 a year, with or without a PAL. Join the Silvercore Club.

What if my card is damaged?

Use the same form. Form 5515 lists "Damaged" as a reason for replacement in Section D, next to lost, stolen and destroyed. The form and its information sheet give no instruction to send the damaged card in with the application, so call 1-800-731-4000 before you mail it if you are unsure what to do with the old card.

Do I need to replace an old-style PAL card?

No. The RCMP began issuing a new PAL card design in January 2023 with enhanced security features. The RCMP says previously issued cards remain valid until they expire, that no action is required if you already hold a valid card, and that new cards are issued on renewal. By December 2027, it expects all of the older cards to have expired.

If your licence is close to its expiry date, renewal is the step to take, and our pro tips for renewing your firearms licence cover the process. If it has already expired, read what to do about an expired PAL first.

Frequently asked questions

What do I do if I lose my PAL card?

Report the loss to your local police or the Chief Firearms Officer for your province or territory, then mail form RCMP 5515, the Firearms Documents Replacement Request, with the $25 fee to the RCMP at P.O. Box 1200, Miramichi NB E1N 5Z3. The RCMP forms page says the loss must be reported before you submit the form.

How much does it cost to replace a PAL card?

$25 for a lost, stolen or destroyed licence, under section 21(1) of the Firearms Fees Regulations. A possession licence for someone under 18 costs $10 to replace. The fee is non-refundable, and the form accepts a cheque, certified cheque, money order, Visa, MasterCard or American Express.

Can I replace my PAL card online?

No. The RCMP's Individual Web Services covers renewals, application status, firearm registration, buyer licence verification for non-restricted transfers, authorizations to transport and updates to your information. Replacing a lost, stolen or damaged card is done by mail on form RCMP 5515.

What happens if I can't show my PAL to police?

Under section 117.03 of the Criminal Code, a peace officer who finds you in possession of a firearm and asks to see your licence can seize the firearm if you fail to produce it. If you claim it within 14 days and produce the licence, and the authorization and registration certificate for a restricted or prohibited firearm, it is returned without delay.

Do I need to replace my old PAL card for the new design?

No. The RCMP says previously issued PAL cards remain valid until they expire, that no action is required if your card is valid, and that new cards are issued on renewal.

The Silvercore Path

• The Silvercore Club
• Pro tips for renewing your firearms licence
• Expired PAL: what happens and what to do
• How to change the address on your PAL
• How to check your PAL application status
• Canadian Firearms Safety Course (non-restricted and restricted)