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How to get a PAL in Canada: Step-by-step guide for beginners

Last reviewed July 15, 2026

Getting a PAL (Possession and Acquisition Licence) in Canada takes four things: pass the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC), pass its two tests, send an application to the RCMP, and wait out the background check. Most people finish the whole process in two to four months. No prior experience with firearms is needed - the course assumes you’re starting from zero.

This guide walks through every step in order. Where a step has its own complications - age limits, criminal records, costs, what’s on the test - we link to a detailed guide for that exact question.

Step 1: Check that you’re eligible

Before spending money on a course, confirm the basics:

• You must be 18 or older to get a PAL. Ages 12–17 can get a Minor’s Licence with limits, and you can take the CFSC before you turn 18. Details in What age can you get a firearms licence in Canada?
• You don’t have to be a Canadian citizen. Permanent residents apply the same way citizens do. See Can permanent residents and non-citizens get a PAL?
• A criminal record is not an automatic no - but a court-ordered weapons prohibition is. The RCMP reviews your history, especially the last five years. See Getting a PAL with a criminal record.

If none of those stop you, move to step 2.

Step 2: Decide between PAL and RPAL

A PAL covers non-restricted firearms - most ordinary rifles and shotguns used for hunting and target shooting. An RPAL (Restricted PAL) adds restricted firearms, mainly handguns and certain rifles.

Most first-time applicants only need the PAL. It requires one course: the CFSC. The RPAL requires a second course, the CRFSC, taken after or together with the CFSC. Note that Canada’s handgun transfer freeze (in effect since October 2022) means an RPAL currently doesn’t let you buy a handgun - read PAL vs RPAL: which licence do you need? before paying for the combined course.

Confused by the acronyms already? PAL, RPAL, CFSC, CRFSC explained in plain English sorts them all out in five minutes.

Step 3: Book the Canadian Firearms Safety Course

The CFSC is a one-day classroom course (roughly 8 hours; some providers split it across two evenings) taught by an instructor designated by the Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) of your province or territory. It covers safe handling, how firearms and ammunition work, and the storage and transport laws you’ll be legally bound by.

Three things to check before you book:

1. The instructor is CFO-designated for your province. An ad or a website is not proof - ask directly.
2. What the price includes. Course fees typically run about $200–$350 depending on province and provider (verify current pricing when you book). Some quotes exclude exam fees, the student handbook, or tax. See What does the CFSC cost?
3. It’s in person. The CFSC cannot be completed online. Online “courses” are study aids only - see Can you take the CFSC online?

Seats in busy regions book out weeks ahead, so book early. Find a CFSC course in your province.

Step 4: Pass the written and practical tests

The course ends with two tests, both requiring 80% to pass:

• a written test - 50 multiple-choice questions, so you can miss at most 10;
• a practical test - you demonstrate safe handling on real (deactivated-ammunition) firearms, including the ACTS and PROVE safety procedures.

The instructor teaches everything the tests cover during the course, and most attentive students pass on the first try. What to expect, question topics, and how to prepare: The CFSC test: what’s on it and how to pass. If it goes wrong, you can retest - see What happens if you fail the CFSC?

When you pass, you receive a course report. Keep it. It never expires, and it’s your proof of training for the licence application.

Step 5: Apply to the RCMP for your licence

Passing the course does not give you a licence - it makes you eligible to apply for one. You apply to the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program using form RCMP 5614 (or the online portal), with:

• your CFSC course report number,
• personal history answers covering the last five years,
• two references who have known you at least three years,
• a passport-style photo signed by a guarantor,
• the licence fee (set by regulation and adjusted over time - check the current amount on the RCMP fees page).

Your current spouse or common-law partner, and any former partner from the last two years, must be notified of the application. Full walkthrough: Applying for your PAL after the CFSC.

Step 6: Wait for the background check and the 28-day period

The Firearms Act imposes a minimum 28-day waiting period before a first licence can be issued. On top of that, the RCMP runs background checks and its published processing time applies only once your application is complete - errors and missing pages restart the clock. Realistic timelines, and what “in process” actually means: How long does it take to get a PAL?

While you wait: don’t buy a firearm, don’t accept one as a gift, and don’t store one for a friend. Possession without a licence is a criminal offence even if your application is in the mail.

Step 7: Receive your PAL - and know your obligations

Your PAL arrives by mail and is valid for five years. From day one you’re bound by rules the course covered:

• Storage: firearms must be stored unloaded and locked or made inoperable. See Firearm storage laws in Canada.
• Transport: non-restricted firearms travel unloaded; restricted firearms have stricter rules. See Transporting firearms in Canada.
• Address changes: tell the Canadian Firearms Program within 30 days of moving - including moves between provinces.
• Renewal: start well before the five-year expiry. See Renewing your PAL.

The short version

1. Confirm eligibility (18+, no prohibition order).
2. Choose PAL or RPAL.
3. Take the one-day CFSC from a CFO-designated instructor.
4. Pass the 50-question written test and the practical test (80% each).
5. Apply to the RCMP with your course report.
6. Wait out the 28-day minimum and background check.
7. Get your licence; follow storage, transport, and renewal rules.

The only step you can act on today is booking the course. Find a CFSC course near you - pick your province, compare providers, and reserve a seat.