Most PAL applications are not denied. They get delayed. There is a difference, and if you are sitting at the three or four month mark wondering what happened to yours, that difference matters.

The single most common reason an application stalls is something you can fix or prevent: a reference who does not pick up the phone. Outright refusals exist, but they are rare and they come with a written explanation and a formal way to challenge them. Most people reading this are not denied. They are stuck in a queue, and usually for a reason that has a name.

After teaching the CFSC and CRFSC for 30 years, we have watched a lot of students go through the application process. The delays follow patterns. Here is what those patterns are, what to do about each one, and what happens if the answer actually is no.

Why is my PAL application taking so long?

The RCMP Canadian Firearms Program estimates 45 days to process a complete application, with the mandatory 28-day waiting period sitting inside that window. In practice, most first-time applicants see three to six months from course completion to licence in hand. So before you assume something is wrong, check the calendar. If you are inside that three to six month range, your application is most likely moving normally and there is nothing to fix.

If you are past it, one of the causes below is usually the reason.

What are the most common reasons for PAL delays?

A reference who cannot be reached. This is the big one. The CFP contacts your references directly, and if they do not answer or do not return the call, your file waits. Your application does not fail. It just sits there until contact is made. This is the most preventable delay we see, and we will come back to it below because it is worth its own section.

Spousal or conjugal partner notification. If you currently have a spouse, common-law, or other conjugal partner, or have had one within the last two years, the RCMP needs their information. The partner's signature is not legally required, but if it is not provided, the Chief Firearms Officer has a duty to notify them of your application directly. That notification step takes time, and if the contact information you provided is wrong or out of date, it takes more.

Incomplete or inconsistent personal history. The personal history questions on the application cover several years. Answers that are incomplete, or that do not line up with information the RCMP already holds, get flagged for follow-up. Follow-up means a human has to look at your file, and that is slower than an application that sails through clean.

Course results not yet recorded. Some applicants submit before their CFSC or CRFSC results have been entered with the CFP. The RCMP cannot process an application without proof that you passed the course. If you applied the same day you finished, give the paperwork time to catch up.

Paperwork and photo problems. A photo that does not meet the specification, a missing guarantor signature on a mailed application, an unsigned section. Small things, but each one sends the file back to you and resets the clock.

What if my references can't be reached?

This is the delay we watch trip people up the most, and it is almost entirely in your control.

Your references will be contacted by the RCMP. Not maybe. They will be called. If your reference does not recognize the number, lets it go to voicemail, or never calls back, your application stops moving until that contact happens.

We tell our students the same thing every time. Talk to your references before you list them. Explain what the call is for, so they pick up instead of screening an unknown number. And think ahead about availability. If a reference is going to be out of town or hard to reach during the months your application is in process, sort that out now. Either choose a different reference who will be around, or give the RCMP an alternate way to reach the one you want. The time to figure this out is before you submit, not three months in when your file has been sitting because nobody answered the phone.

What if there's a problem with my photos or paperwork?

The fix here is prevention, and it costs you nothing but attention.

Read the photo specification before you take the photo, not after it is rejected. Sign every section that asks for a signature. If you are applying by mail, make sure your guarantor has signed the back. If you are missing anything, the RCMP sends it back, and a rejected submission does not just pause your timeline, it restarts a good chunk of it.

If you are not certain your application is complete, it is worth having someone who has been through it look it over before you send it. A clean application is the single biggest thing standing between you and a normal timeline.

What if I have a complicated background?

Some applicants worry that something in their past will sink the application before it starts. In my experience, a past criminal record is not always a game ender. Someone with an old fraud conviction or a DUI is in a very different position than someone with a history of weapons offences or violent offences.

The non-violent stuff often means a closer look rather than a refusal. A history that involves violence or firearms is where you should expect a much more thorough review, and depending on the specifics of the case, a real possibility of denial. That is the CFO's call, made on the individual file, and I am giving you my read from 30 years of watching applications go through, not a legal opinion on yours.

If your situation is serious enough that you are thinking about a lawyer, here is a piece of advice most people do not hear. You do not necessarily need a firearms lawyer. You need a lawyer who is solid in procedural law. A good procedural lawyer can always reach out to a firearms specialist for the technical points, and in my experience most of these files are won on solid procedural work, not firearms expertise.

What can I do to check the status of my application?

If you applied online, you can check your application status through the RCMP's online portal. If you applied by mail, or you want to speak to someone, the Canadian Firearms Program runs a national contact line at 1-800-731-4000.

Before you call, do two things. Confirm you are actually past the normal three to six month window, because the most common version of this call is someone checking on a file that is moving along exactly on schedule. And have your application or reference number ready so they can find your file quickly.

What if my PAL application is denied?

A denial is not a phone call and a shrug. If the Chief Firearms Officer refuses to issue your licence, you receive written notice, and that notice has to include the reasons for the decision and the information it relied on. The CFO can hold back specific details if releasing them would endanger someone's safety, but you are entitled to know why.

That notice also has to include a copy of sections 74 to 81 of the Firearms Act, which set out how to challenge the decision. That brings us to the part most people do not know about.

Can I appeal or reapply if I'm denied?

You have a formal path, and it is written into the law.

Under section 74 of the Firearms Act, if your licence is refused or revoked, you can refer the matter to a provincial court judge in the territorial division where you live. You have to do this within 30 days of receiving notice of the decision, though a judge can allow more time. The provincial court judge fixes a hearing date, hears the evidence, and decides whether the refusal or revocation was justified. The judge can confirm the decision or reverse it. If your firearms were turned over as part of the revocation and the judge sides with you, the judge can order them returned.

This is a court process, not a form you fill out. If you are going down this road, this is the point where proper legal advice stops being optional. As above, look for a lawyer strong in procedural law first.

Reapplying is the other option, and which one makes sense depends entirely on why you were refused. If the refusal was about something that can be addressed or has changed, a fresh application may be the cleaner path. If you believe the decision itself was wrong, the section 74 reference is the mechanism the law gives you.

Where to take your CFSC or CRFSC with Silvercore

Silvercore teaches across British Columbia from a permanent classroom in Delta and at established venues on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.

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 the in-person session, our online firearms safety course covers every concept on the written test and is included free with Silvercore Club membership. The Club also gets you the partner pricing, insurance, and access that come with membership, but the reason most people join while sorting out their licence is simple: the online course alone is worth more than the membership costs.

The Silvercore Path to Your PAL

• → How to get your PAL in Canada (the full guide)
• → 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?

Frequently asked questions

Why is my PAL application taking so long?

Most first-time applications take three to six months from course completion to licence in hand. The RCMP estimates 45 days to process a complete application, with the mandatory 28-day waiting period included. If you are inside the three to six month range, your application is most likely moving normally. If you are past it, the usual cause is a reference who could not be reached, a spousal notification step, or a flag in your personal history.

How long before I should worry about my PAL application?

If you are past the six month mark with no contact and no licence, that is the point to call the Canadian Firearms Program at 1-800-731-4000 with your application number ready. Before that, a quiet file is usually a normal file.

Can the RCMP deny my PAL?

Yes. The Chief Firearms Officer can refuse to issue a licence, but a refusal comes with written reasons and a formal way to challenge it. Outright denials are far less common than delays.

What can I do if my PAL is denied?

You can refer the decision to a provincial court judge under section 74 of the Firearms Act, within 30 days of receiving notice, where a judge decides whether the refusal was justified and can confirm or reverse it. Depending on the reason, reapplying may also be an option. Both are situation-specific, and the court reference is one where you should get legal advice, ideally from a lawyer strong in procedural law.

Does Silvercore handle my PAL application for me?

No. We teach the CFSC and CRFSC and certify that you passed. The application itself goes to the RCMP, and you submit it. What we can do is make sure you walk in prepared and walk out with a clean course result, which is one less thing that can hold your file up.

Travis Bader

Silvercore Outdoors