Transporting Firearms in Canada (2026)

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

Of all the questions we field at the counter and in class, transport produces the most anxiety. Storage happens at home, on your own time. Transport happens on public roads, sometimes with a police cruiser in the mirror, and the rules change depending on what is in the case. The good news is that the law here is specific and learnable, and once you know which class of firearm you are moving, the requirements are short.

This page is the plain-language version of what the Storage, Display, Transportation and Handling of Firearms by Individuals Regulations (SOR/98-209) require for transport, plus how the Authorization to Transport system currently works. The regulation text at laws-lois.justice.gc.ca is the legal authority. This page is the working reference.

The short answer

How a firearm must be transported in Canada depends on its class. A non-restricted rifle or shotgun must be unloaded, and that is the core requirement while you are with it. A restricted firearm must be unloaded, fitted with a secure locking device, and carried in a locked opaque container, and you need authorization to transport it, which for most owners is built into their licence conditions for trips to an approved range in their province. A prohibited firearm follows the restricted rules, and if it is an automatic with a removable bolt or bolt carrier, the bolt comes out.

Unattended vehicle rules apply to every class: locked trunk if you have one, out of sight in a locked vehicle if you do not.

Continue on the Silvercore Path

• → Firearm Storage Laws in Canada
• → How to Get Your PAL in Canada (Complete Guide)
• → What Can You Do With a PAL?
• → Non-Restricted vs Restricted vs Prohibited Firearms in Canada

Transport rules by class

Here is the whole system at a glance. Every requirement below is drawn from sections 10 to 12 of SOR/98-209, and the sections that follow walk through each class in detail.

• Non-restricted: unloaded, always, with one exception: a muzzle-loading firearm moved between hunting sites may instead have its firing cap or flint removed. No locking device or container is required in normal transport. Unattended vehicle: locked in the trunk or a similar lockable compartment, or, if there is no trunk, out of sight inside the locked vehicle. Authorization: none. A valid PAL is all you need.
• Restricted: unloaded, rendered inoperable by a secure locking device, and inside a locked container made of opaque material, strong enough that it cannot readily be broken open or into, or accidentally opened in transit. Unattended vehicle: container locked in the trunk, or, with no trunk, vehicle locked and container out of sight. Authorization: an ATT. Routine range trips are covered by licence conditions; other destinations need a specific ATT. Details below.
• Prohibited: same as restricted, and an automatic with a removable bolt or bolt carrier has the bolt or bolt carrier removed. The ATT framework applies the same way.

Transporting non-restricted firearms

Under section 10, a non-restricted firearm must be unloaded during transport. That is the headline requirement. With a valid PAL, no additional authorization is needed to take a rifle or shotgun to the range, into the field, to a gunsmith, or to any other lawful destination.

The regulation carries one exception worth knowing if you shoot black powder: a muzzle-loading firearm being transported between hunting sites may have its firing cap or flint removed instead of being fully unloaded.

The unattended vehicle rule is where people slip. If you leave the vehicle, the firearm goes in a locked trunk or similar lockable compartment. If the vehicle has no trunk, the firearm must not be visible from outside and the vehicle, or the part containing the firearm, must be locked. In a remote wilderness area where the vehicle cannot be locked, the firearm must be out of sight and rendered inoperable with a secure locking device, unless you reasonably require it for predator control.

One definition matters here. "Unloaded" in the regulation means no propellant, projectile or cartridge in the breech, the firing chamber, or in a magazine that is attached to or inserted into the firearm. A loaded magazine sitting in the rifle fails the definition even with an empty chamber. Take the magazine out.

Transporting restricted firearms

Section 11 stacks three physical requirements. The firearm must be unloaded. It must be rendered inoperable by a secure locking device. And it must be inside a locked container made of opaque material, built so that it cannot readily be broken open or into, or accidentally opened during transportation. A quality hard case with lock points does this job properly, which is exactly what it was designed for.

If that container is in an unattended vehicle, it goes in the locked trunk. No trunk: the vehicle gets locked and the container stays out of sight.

On top of the physical requirements, you need authorization for the trip. That is the ATT system, covered next.

Transporting prohibited firearms

Section 12 mirrors the restricted requirements, with one addition: if the firearm is an automatic with a bolt or bolt carrier that is removable with reasonable facility, the bolt or bolt carrier must be removed for transport. Authorization requirements follow the same ATT framework.

What is an Authorization to Transport, and when do you need one?

An ATT is the authorization, issued under the Firearms Act by your provincial or territorial Chief Firearms Officer, that permits you to move a restricted or prohibited firearm between specified places. You never need one for non-restricted firearms.

The current mechanics date from July 7, 2021, when the changes to automatic authorizations came into force. Since then, the authorization built into your licence conditions covers exactly two situations: transporting the firearm to and from an approved shooting club or range within your province of residence, and transporting it to its place of storage after purchase.

Every other destination requires a specific ATT from your CFO before the trip: a gunsmith, a gun show, a new address when you move, a port of entry, a transfer to a new owner. You apply through the Canadian Firearms Program, and the CFP can be reached at 1-800-731-4000. If a licensed carrier ships the firearm on your behalf, no ATT is needed for that shipment.

There is a practical prerequisite sitting underneath the range authorization: club or range membership. Provincial CFOs treat membership in an approved club as the standing basis for range transport eligibility, and in most provinces the RPAL and ATT path runs through it. The Silvercore Club is an RCMP Canadian Firearms Program approved club, holds in-person and virtual events across Canada, and meets the policy requirements for ATT and RPAL issuance. That is the factual reason many RPAL holders join before their licence even arrives: it makes the authorization side a solved problem. Details at silvercore.ca/club.

Can someone without a PAL transport a firearm?

No. Transporting a firearm is possession of it, and possessing a firearm in Canada requires a valid licence for that class. This comes up most often with inheritances and estates, where someone suddenly has a relative's rifle and no licence. Do not put it in the vehicle and start driving. Call the Canadian Firearms Program at 1-800-731-4000 first and they will walk you through the lawful options for that exact situation. It is a common call and they handle it every day.

Loaded firearms and vehicles

Section 15 of the regulations permits loading a firearm, or handling a loaded firearm, only in a place where it may lawfully be discharged under federal, provincial and municipal law. A public road is not that place, which is why a loaded firearm in a vehicle is a problem under the transport rules and, for hunters, under provincial hunting regulations as well. Unload before the firearm goes in the truck. Chamber empty, magazine out or empty, every time.

Replica and antique firearms

Replica firearms have their own transport section. They travel locked in the trunk or, if the vehicle has no trunk, out of sight inside a locked vehicle.

Antique firearms, as defined in law, must be unloaded for storage, display and transportation, and in an unattended vehicle follow the same trunk and out-of-sight rules as non-restricted firearms. Antique handguns must additionally be transported in a locked, opaque container that cannot readily be broken open or accidentally opened. Not every old firearm is an antique in the legal sense; the definition is specific, so confirm classification with the RCMP CFP before relying on it.

Shipping a firearm

Within Canada, an individual may ship a non-restricted firearm, a restricted firearm, or a prohibited handgun by Canada Post, using the most secure means of transmission the corporation offers that requires a signature on delivery. Other prohibited firearms, and any firearm crossing the border, must move through an individual or a licensed carrier. When a licensed carrier handles the shipment, you do not need an ATT for it.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an ATT to transport my hunting rifle?

No. Non-restricted firearms never require an ATT. Your valid PAL and an unloaded firearm are the requirements.

Do I need paperwork every time I take my handgun to the range?

Your licence conditions authorize transport to and from approved shooting clubs and ranges within your province of residence, so there is no separate application per trip. Carry your PAL with restricted privileges. For any destination other than an approved range in your province or the trip home from a purchase, you need a specific ATT before you go.

Can I stop for gas or food on the way to the range?

The regulation does not prescribe your route, but your licence conditions govern the authorized trip, and the unattended vehicle rules apply the moment you step away: locked container in a locked trunk, or out of sight in a locked vehicle. Keep stops brief and reasonable, keep the trip recognizably between home and the range, and never leave a restricted firearm in a vehicle any longer than you have to.

What do I show police if I am stopped?

Your PAL, and for a restricted firearm, confirmation of your authorization for the trip. The firearm should already be unloaded and secured exactly as the regulation describes, which makes the conversation short.

Can I transport a firearm for a friend?

You need to be licensed for the class of firearm you are transporting, and for restricted firearms the authorization framework applies to the trip. If the situation is anything other than your own firearm moving between your own authorized places, sort it out with the CFP at 1-800-731-4000 before the firearm moves.

Can I fly with a firearm in Canada?

Yes, as checked baggage, subject to the transport rules above plus the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority and airline requirements, which include declaring the firearm at check-in. Check CATSA and your airline before you book. The SOR/98-209 requirements do not pause at the airport door.

What about transporting to a hotel on a trip?

The unattended vehicle rules and, for restricted firearms, the ATT framework still apply, and the storage rules apply once the firearm comes to rest in the room. Hotels, road trips and moving house have their own dedicated guide: Travelling With Firearms in Canada.

Is a soft case legal for my rifle?

For a non-restricted firearm, yes. The regulation requires no container at all during attended transport, only that the firearm be unloaded. The trunk and out-of-sight rules apply when the vehicle is unattended. For restricted and prohibited firearms, a soft case does not meet the locked opaque container requirement.

Trained, covered, and squared away

Transport is where good habits show. The owners who never have a problem are the ones who treat the case, the lock, and the paperwork as part of the trip, the same way we teach it in the CFSC and CRFSC. If you are heading toward restricted ownership, the club membership question is going to meet you at the ATT stage, and the Silvercore Club exists to have your back there and after: an RCMP-approved club for ATT and RPAL purposes, $5 million in liability coverage while you are engaged in lawful firearms activities, our online firearms safety course included, and a community that keeps you sharp long after the course certificate is printed. Membership is $59 a year at silvercore.ca/club.

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.
• Comox: Comox Valley Sports Centre, 3001 Vanier Drive, Courtenay.
• 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.

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. Travis hosts the Silvercore Podcast, where he explores firearms, hunting, and the outdoors with leaders from across the industry.

Travis Bader

Silvercore Outdoors