By Travis Bader, founder of Silvercore Outdoors.

Last updated: 28 September 2026

Most rifles and shotguns are legal to own in Canada with a PAL, including bolt-action, lever-action, pump-action, single-shot and many semi-automatic models. Handguns are legal for existing owners to keep, but most individuals cannot buy new ones, and since May 2020 the federal government has prohibited more than 2,500 makes and models it calls "assault-style" firearms. (Public Safety Canada, March 2025)

I have taught firearms safety since 1994 and I have never seen more confusion about this question than in the last six years. The rules changed in stages, by regulation, with lists added in 2020, 2024 and 2025. So here is the whole picture in one place, with links to the primary sources.

The short answer

• Non-restricted (PAL): most rifles and shotguns, including popular semi-automatics like the SKS and the Ruger 10/22.
• Restricted (RPAL): most handguns, semi-automatic centre-fire rifles with barrels under 470 mm, and firearms named as restricted by regulation. New handgun purchases are frozen for most individuals.
• Prohibited: automatic firearms, handguns with barrels of 105 mm or less, sawed-off long guns, and the models prohibited by regulation since 2020. New owners cannot acquire them.
• Check any model in the RCMP Firearms Reference Table or by calling the Canadian Firearms Program at 1-800-731-4000.

How does Canada classify firearms?

Canada has three classes, set out in Criminal Code section 84 and the Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and Other Weapons (SOR/98-462). The RCMP summarizes them on its classes of firearms page.

Restricted firearms include handguns that are not prohibited, semi-automatic centre-fire firearms with a barrel shorter than 470 mm, firearms that can fire when folded or telescoped to less than 660 mm, and firearms named as restricted by regulation.

Prohibited firearms include handguns with a barrel of 105 mm or less and handguns chambered for .25 or .32 calibre (with an exception for certain handguns used in international sporting competition), rifles and shotguns cut down below 660 mm overall or to a barrel under 457 mm, automatic firearms, and firearms prescribed as prohibited by regulation.

Non-restricted is everything else. That covers the rifles and shotguns most Canadians hunt and shoot with. If you want the full explanation with examples, our guide to the difference between non-restricted and restricted firearms is the most-read page on our site for a reason.

What can I buy with a PAL in 2026?

With a non-restricted PAL you can buy and own:

• bolt-action, lever-action, pump-action and single-shot rifles
• break-action, pump and semi-automatic shotguns that are not prohibited
• semi-automatic rimfire rifles such as the Ruger 10/22
• semi-automatic centre-fire rifles that are not prohibited by name or by the December 2023 definition, such as the SKS

You also need to follow the magazine limits. Our page on magazine capacity limits in Canada covers the 5 and 10 round rules.

To buy anything restricted, you need a restricted licence (RPAL), which requires the CRFSC as well. Restricted firearms must be registered and need an Authorization to Transport to go to the range.

Which guns were banned in Canada?

The prohibitions came by Order in Council, amending SOR/98-462:

• 1 May 2020: about 1,500 makes and models and their variants, plus any firearm with a bore of 20 mm or more and any firearm capable of more than 10,000 joules of muzzle energy.
• 5 December 2024: 324 more makes and models. See our list of the 324 newly prohibited firearms.
• 7 March 2025: 179 more makes and models.

Our complete ban list puts them all together.

If you own a firearm on those lists, an amnesty protects you from criminal liability while the Supreme Court of Canada hears the appeal on the 2020 prohibition. In June 2026 Public Safety Canada extended the 2020, 2024 and 2025 amnesty orders so they expire 90 days after the Supreme Court rules, with a decision expected in 2027. The Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program is unchanged and remains the only route to compensation. (Public Safety Canada, June 2026) Our buyback explainer covers the program.

Are new semi-automatic rifles banned?

Some are. Since former Bill C-21, section 84 defines as prohibited any firearm, other than a handgun, that discharges centre-fire ammunition semi-automatically, was originally designed with a detachable magazine holding six or more cartridges, and was designed and manufactured on or after 15 December 2023. It does not reach back to existing models, and it does not cover rimfire.

How do I check if a specific gun is legal?

The RCMP Firearms Reference Table gives each make and model a classification and an FRT number. The online version is limited to police and authorized users, but the public can download the full table and the 2020, 2024 and 2025 prohibited lists as PDFs from the RCMP site. A licensed seller should be able to tell you the FRT number for anything they sell. If you are unsure, call the Canadian Firearms Program at 1-800-731-4000 before you buy.

Configuration matters. A barrel length, a folding stock or a conversion can change a firearm's class, so check the exact variant you are buying.

What about handguns?

Handguns are restricted or prohibited, and since 21 October 2022 most individuals cannot buy, sell or transfer them. Existing owners keep what they have. Our page on whether you can still buy a handgun in Canada explains the freeze and the short list of exemptions.

Where to start

Every legal path to ownership starts with the licence. Take the CFSC for a non-restricted PAL, or the combined CFSC and CRFSC if you want the restricted licence too. Most of our students take both together, because the rules keep moving and the restricted licence keeps your options open. If you own restricted firearms, the Silvercore Club is an approved club membership your Chief Firearms Officer recognizes for a long-term Authorization to Transport, and it includes member liability insurance.

Frequently asked questions

Are AR-15s legal in Canada?

No. The AR-15 and its variants were prohibited in May 2020. Existing owners are covered by the amnesty until 90 days after the Supreme Court decision.

Is the SKS legal in Canada?

Yes. The standard SKS is non-restricted and was not on the 2020, 2024 or 2025 lists. See our SKS page.

Are semi-automatic rifles legal in Canada?

Many are. Semi-automatic rimfire rifles are non-restricted unless a model is prohibited by name, and semi-automatic centre-fire rifles are legal unless prohibited by name, caught by the December 2023 definition, or restricted by barrel length.

Do I need a licence to buy a shotgun?

Yes. Acquiring any firearm in Canada requires a valid licence, and that includes shotguns.

Can I still get an RPAL?

Yes. The handgun freeze controls transfers, not licensing. The CRFSC runs and the RPAL is still issued.

Travis Bader, Silvercore Outdoors