Canadian Firearms Licence Renewal Application

• Posted on 26 April 2025
• By Jenna Poirier
• 4

Firearms licences in Canada, including the Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL), must be renewed every five years. The Canadian Firearms Program sends renewal notices about three months before the expiry date.

If your licence expires, there is a six-month grace period to apply for renewal, but you cannot use firearms or purchase ammunition until it has been renewed.

What Is  PAL?

A PAL, or Possession and Acquisition Licence, is a legal document that allows an individual to possess and acquire firearms in Canada. Anyone aged 18 or older must have a PAL to legally own or obtain firearms, as well as to purchase ammunition and certain firearm components.

Individuals aged 12–17 may apply for a Minor’s Licence, which allows them to borrow non-restricted firearms for approved activities such as hunting or target shooting under appropriate supervision.

The PAL is issued by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police through the Canadian Firearms Program. A PAL is valid for five years and must be renewed before it expires to maintain legal firearms privileges.

How Often Must You Renew?

Firearms licences in Canada, including the Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL), must be renewed every five years. The Canadian Firearms Program sends renewal notices to licence holders approximately three months before their licence expires.

If your licence expires, there is a six-month grace period during which you can still apply for renewal. However, you cannot use firearms or purchase ammunition during this grace period until your licence is renewed.

To avoid any interruption to your privileges, we recommend starting the renewal process up to six months before your PAL expires.

What If I Dont Renew Before Six Months After Expiry? 

If you do not renew your firearms licence within the six-month grace period after it expires, your licence is no longer eligible for renewal. In this case, you will need to apply for a new licence.

Option 1:

Retake the Firearms Safety Course
If you no longer have a copy of your original course report, you will need to retake the Canadian Firearms Safety Course. Once completed, you can submit a new application using form RCMP 5614, along with your firearms safety course report.

Option 2:

Use Your Original Course Report
If you still have a copy of your original Canadian Firearms Safety Course report, you do not need to retake the course. You can reapply for your licence using form RCMP 5614 and include your firearms safety course report with the application.

Minor’s Licence

Individuals who held a Minor’s Licence in Canada must apply for an adult Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) once they turn 18 if they want to continue legally possessing or acquiring firearms.

A Minor’s Licence allows youth aged 12–17 to borrow non-restricted firearms for approved activities such as hunting or target shooting under appropriate supervision. However, it does not automatically convert into an adult licence when the holder turns 18.

Do Minor's Licence Holders Need to Retake the Course?

In many cases, individuals who previously completed the Canadian Firearms Safety Course to obtain their Minor’s Licence do not need to retake the course, as long as they still have their original course report. This report must be included with the PAL application.

Important Note

A Minor’s Licence expires when the holder turns 18. If the individual wishes to continue participating in activities involving firearms, they should apply for their adult PAL before or shortly after their 18th birthday to avoid interruptions. 

How Do I Renew?

This blog post is intended to provide information about the Canadian Firearms Licence renewal process. Please note that you cannot renew your licence through this page. To start your renewal application, you must use the official links provided below.

Before renewing your licence, you will need:

- current spousal information (including date of birth, address and phone number)

- previous spousal information (including date of birth, address and phone number) if within the last 2 years

- payment information (credit card)

- electronic (digital) version of your photo (photo requirements for a firearms licence)

You cannot renew your firearms licence online if any of the following conditions apply:

- you are requesting a religious exemption from providing a photograph with your licence

- you already have a licence renewal application in progress

- your licence has expired or is otherwise no longer valid

- your licence is a Minor's Licence

To renew your firearms licence, you can:

- complete an online application using Individual Web Services; or

- complete and mail in an Application for Renewal of a Firearms Licence for an Individual (RCMP 5614).

For more information

Please follow the link below:

https://rcmp.ca/en/firearms

Or 

Call the Canadian Firearms Program (CFP) National Contact Centre

1-800-731-4000