By Travis Bader, founder of Silvercore Outdoors.
Last updated: 24 October 2026
The CFSC handbook is the RCMP's student handbook for the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC), the course the Firearms Act requires before you can hold a PAL. Your course provider is the practical place to get it: Silvercore supplies the CFSC manual to students on its in-person PAL course. Government of Canada Publications also links PDF copies of the 2008 fourth editions of the CFSC and CRFSC student handbooks.
What is the CFSC handbook?
It is the student text for the course named in the Firearms Act. Section 7(1)(a) of the Firearms Act makes an individual eligible to hold a licence only if they "successfully completes the Canadian Firearms Safety Course, as given by an instructor who is designated by a chief firearms officer, and passes the tests, as administered by an instructor who is designated by a chief firearms officer, that form part of that Course".
The Government of Canada Publications catalogue record for the CFSC student handbook gives these details:
- Title: "Canadian firearms safety course : student handbook."
- Department: Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
- Publisher: Canada Firearms Centre, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ottawa.
- Edition and year: 4th ed., 2008.
- Length: 271 pages, with graphs and a glossary.
- Catalogue number: PS99-2/2-2008E-PDF.
- French edition: "Cours canadien dans le maniement des armes à feu, manuel de l'étudiant."
The restricted course has its own book. The CRFSC student handbook record lists "Canadian restricted firearms safety course : student handbook / Issued by the Canada Firearms Centre.", 4th ed., 2008, 212 pages, catalogue number PS99-2/1-2008E-PDF. That is the handbook for the restricted PAL course (CRFSC), which section 7(2) requires for a licence covering restricted or prohibited firearms.
Where do you get the CFSC handbook?
You have two sources.
- Your course. Silvercore supplies the CFSC manual to students on its in-person PAL course. You bring one piece of government-issued photo ID and a pen and notepad. Silvercore supplies everything else, including the training firearms and the CFSC manual.
- Government of Canada Publications. Each catalogue record above links a PDF download of the 2008 edition, with no price listed.
The RCMP's own safety courses page does not say where to buy the handbook. It directs students to the instructor: "To register for a course, find a qualified instructor in your area."
The PDFs are 2008 editions. Read them as background if you want a head start, and study from the manual your instructor supplies for the course you are taking.
Can you read the handbook and skip the course?
No. Section 7(1)(a) requires you to complete the course as given by a designated instructor and pass the tests that form part of it. No CFSC or CRFSC challenge option exists, and a foreign course does not satisfy the PAL training requirement. The handbook is a study tool for the course.
Each course ends in a written exam and a practical exam, and the pass mark is 80 percent on each exam. The CFSC pass mark explained covers how the scoring works.
What else helps you prepare?
The handbook is one input. These two Silvercore resources sit alongside it:
- The free PAL practice exam: 30 questions drawn from the same material the CFSC and CRFSC written tests cover, with an instant score.
- The online CFSC study course: videos, slides and quizzes that prepare you for the exams of your in-person course, with access for a full year from purchase. The course page states: "This course does not provide PAL certification and is used solely as a study tool when taking your in-person course."
How to study for the PAL exam sets out a study plan around the handbook and the practice questions.
Silvercore's in-person Canadian Firearms Safety Course runs two consecutive days for $190 plus tax, with the CFSC manual supplied. The combined CFSC and restricted PAL course (CRFSC) is $270 plus tax over two consecutive days or three consecutive evenings. Book your PAL course.
Frequently asked questions
Can you download the CFSC handbook?
Yes. Government of Canada Publications links PDF copies of the 2008 fourth edition CFSC and CRFSC student handbooks, with no price listed. Silvercore supplies the CFSC manual to students on its in-person PAL course, so you do not need to buy one separately to take the course with Silvercore.
Who publishes the CFSC student handbook?
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The Government of Canada Publications record lists the publisher of the 2008 fourth edition as the Canada Firearms Centre, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ottawa, under catalogue number PS99-2/2-2008E-PDF.
Is there a separate handbook for the restricted course?
Yes. The Canadian restricted firearms safety course student handbook is a separate book. The 2008 fourth edition runs 212 pages and is catalogued by Government of Canada Publications as PS99-2/1-2008E-PDF.
Do you need to read the handbook before the course?
No. Everything you are tested on is taught in class at Silvercore, so reading ahead is optional. Students who want to prepare in advance can use the 2008 handbook PDFs, the free PAL practice exam or the online CFSC study course.
Can you get a PAL by studying the handbook alone?
No. Section 7(1)(a) of the Firearms Act requires you to complete the Canadian Firearms Safety Course as given by an instructor designated by a chief firearms officer and to pass its tests. There is no challenge option for the CFSC or CRFSC.
