PAL vs RPAL: What's the Difference?

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

People call our office every week trying to sort this out before they book a course. The question almost always comes in the same shape: "Do I need the PAL or the RPAL? And do I have to take both courses, or just one?" It's a fair question, and the answer decides which course you sit and how much you'll spend, so it's worth getting right the first time.

Here's the short version, then I'll break down each piece below.

Quick answer

A PAL (Possession and Acquisition Licence) lets you own and buy non-restricted firearms: most rifles and shotguns used for hunting and sport shooting. To get it, you pass the CFSC (Canadian Firearms Safety Course).

An RPAL is the same licence with restricted privileges added on. It lets you own handguns and certain restricted rifles on top of everything a PAL allows. To get it, you pass both the CFSC and the CRFSC (Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course).

So it isn't really "PAL or RPAL." The RPAL contains the PAL. The real decision is whether you stop at non-restricted or carry on and add restricted. Both licences are issued by the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program. Both are valid for five years.

What the letters actually stand for

PAL is your Possession and Acquisition Licence. The name tells you what it does: it covers both possessing firearms and acquiring them. Before the PAL existed, the old system (the FAC, or Firearms Acquisition Certificate) only covered the purchase. The PAL replaced it and covers ongoing possession too, which is why a lapsed licence is a real problem and not just a paperwork inconvenience.

RPAL is a Restricted Possession and Acquisition Licence. The "R" is the only difference in the name, and it's the only difference that matters: it adds the restricted class of firearm to your privileges.

People also shorten these in conversation. You'll hear "non-restricted PAL" and "restricted PAL." Same thing as PAL and RPAL respectively. Don't let the casual wording confuse you.

What a PAL lets you do

A standard PAL covers the non-restricted class. In practical terms, that's the bulk of what most hunters and sport shooters in Canada own:

• Most centrefire and rimfire rifles used for hunting
• Shotguns
• Most bolt-action, lever-action, and pump firearms

With a PAL you can buy these firearms, possess them, and buy ammunition. Since December 15, 2023, you also need a valid PAL to buy cartridge magazines, so even a magazine purchase now runs through your licence.

For a lot of people, a PAL is the whole picture. If you hunt, shoot clays, or target shoot with rifles and shotguns, a non-restricted PAL likely covers everything you intend to do. There's no rule that says you have to get the RPAL "just in case." Plenty of lifelong shooters never need it.

What an RPAL adds

An RPAL gives you everything a PAL does, plus the restricted class. That's primarily:

• Handguns (most non-prohibited handguns)
• Semi-automatic centrefire rifles or shotguns with a barrel under 470 mm that aren't prohibited
• Any other firearm specifically prescribed as restricted

The important thing to understand is that owning a restricted firearm comes with more obligations than owning a non-restricted one. Restricted firearms have stricter storage requirements, and you can't simply take one wherever you like. Transporting a restricted firearm to a range, a gunsmith, or anywhere else generally requires an Authorization to Transport (ATT), which is tied to where and why you're moving it.

This is where a lot of new RPAL holders get tripped up. The licence lets you own the handgun. It does not, on its own, let you drive it around freely. The transport and storage rules are part of the package, and they're a big reason we built the Silvercore Club the way we did. Club membership is structured to support RPAL holders with ATT eligibility and the kind of ongoing infrastructure that makes owning a restricted firearm practical rather than a constant administrative headache. If you're getting your RPAL, it's worth understanding the Silvercore Club before you're standing in a parking lot wondering whether you're allowed to drive your handgun home.

The course difference: this is the part that decides your day

This is usually the real reason people are asking the question, because it determines how long you're in a classroom and what you pay.

For a PAL, you take the CFSC (Canadian Firearms Safety Course). One course.

For an RPAL, you take the CFSC and the CRFSC (Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course). The CRFSC builds on the CFSC, so you do the non-restricted course first, then the restricted one. You cannot take the CRFSC on its own and skip the CFSC. The restricted course assumes you already have the non-restricted foundation.

Most people who want the RPAL take the two courses back to back as a combined course. That's the efficient way to do it, and it's what we run most often for students who already know they want both. You sit the material once, in order, and walk out having challenged both tests.

One thing worth saying plainly, because it surprises people: neither course is a live-fire course. There's no shooting in the CFSC or the CRFSC. The practical testing is about safely handling firearms and proving them safe using ACTS and PROVE, not about marksmanship. If you want live fire and actual range instruction, that's a separate path. The safety courses are about the knowledge and the handling discipline that the licence requires.

If you want the detail on passing either course, we wrote a separate piece on exactly that: Pro Tips to Pass Your CFSC/CRFSC.

The cost difference

There are two costs to keep separate in your head: the government licence fee you pay the RCMP, and the course fee you pay your instructor. People conflate these constantly.

Government licence fees (set by the RCMP, effective March 31, 2026):

• Non-restricted PAL application: $70.38
• Restricted (RPAL) application: $93.84

A point that catches people out: if you're applying for both non-restricted and restricted on a single licence, you pay the restricted fee, not both fees added together. It's one licence with the restricted privilege added, not two separate licences.

There's one more number worth knowing if you're on the fence. If you get your non-restricted PAL now and decide to add restricted later, you don't pay the full restricted fee again. The upgrade is set at half the higher fee, currently $46.92. So adding restricted down the road costs you the CRFSC course plus a $46.92 licence upgrade, not a second full application. The licence side of waiting is cheap. The course side is where the real cost-of-deciding-later sits.

Course fees are separate and paid to your instructor. At Silvercore, the combined CFSC/CRFSC course is $270 plus tax, including both exams. That's $55 less than booking the two courses separately. You can book it directly here: combined CFSC/CRFSC course.

So which one should you get?

Here's how I'd think it through if you called the office and asked me directly.

Get the PAL (CFSC only) if everything you plan to do involves rifles and shotguns. Hunting, clays, target shooting with non-restricted firearms. You can always add the restricted course later if your interests change. The CFSC you've already passed still counts.

Get the RPAL (combined CFSC/CRFSC) if you know you want a handgun, you're interested in restricted sport shooting, or you simply want the broader licence and would rather do both courses in one sitting than come back later. For a lot of people, the convenience of doing it once outweighs the extra cost, especially if there's any chance you'll want restricted down the road.

The mistake I see most often isn't people picking wrong. It's people not deciding at all, booking the CFSC, and then realizing two weeks later they actually wanted the handgun. Now they're booking and paying for a second course on a separate day. The licence upgrade itself is cheap ($46.92), but you're back in a classroom for the CRFSC and paying the course fee a second time, which is more than the $55 you'd have saved by doing the combined course up front. If there's any real chance you'll want restricted, the combined course is usually the more economical call.

If you're still not sure, that's exactly the kind of thing our office is happy to talk through before you book. We'd rather spend five minutes on the phone than have you sit the wrong course.

A note on what comes after

Getting either licence is the first milestone, not the finish line. Whether you stop at a PAL or carry on to an RPAL, the licence is permission to own and buy. Building real competence and, in the case of restricted firearms, staying on top of storage, transport, and ATT requirements, is the ongoing part. That's the part Silvercore exists to support, from the safety courses through to the Club.

FAQ

Is RPAL better than PAL? Neither is "better." An RPAL simply covers more: it includes everything a PAL does and adds restricted firearms like handguns. If you only want rifles and shotguns, a PAL is all you need. If you want handguns or restricted rifles, you need the RPAL.

Do I need a PAL before I can get an RPAL? You don't apply for them in two separate stages, but the courses are sequential. The CRFSC builds on the CFSC, so you take the CFSC first. Most people who want the RPAL take both courses combined, then apply once for the licence with restricted privileges included.

Can I take only the CRFSC and skip the CFSC? No. The restricted course assumes you've completed the non-restricted course. You take the CFSC first, then the CRFSC.

Does a PAL or RPAL let me carry a handgun? No. An RPAL lets you own and buy a handgun. It does not authorize you to carry it. Transporting a restricted firearm generally requires an Authorization to Transport (ATT), and concealed or open carry of handguns is not permitted outside of specific lawful professions.

How long are a PAL and RPAL valid? Both are valid for five years, then renewed.

What's the difference in cost between a PAL and RPAL? The government licence fee is $70.38 for non-restricted and $93.84 for restricted. If you get both classes on one licence, you pay the restricted fee, not both combined. Course fees are separate: Silvercore's combined CFSC/CRFSC is $270 plus tax, including both exams, which is $55 less than taking the two courses separately.

Is there live fire in the CFSC or CRFSC? No. Neither safety course involves shooting. The practical test is about safe handling and proving firearms safe, not marksmanship.

Can non-residents or non-citizens get a PAL or RPAL? That's a longer answer with its own requirements. We cover it separately in Can Non-Citizens Get a PAL in Canada?.

Continue on the Silvercore Path

• Start here: How to Get Your PAL in Canada (Complete Guide)
• How Long Does It Take to Get a PAL in Canada?
• How Much Does a PAL Cost in Canada?
• Pro Tips to Pass Your CFSC/CRFSC

Ready to start? Book your combined CFSC/CRFSC course with Silvercore.

Travis Bader

Silvercore Outdoors