Registration of Firearms (individuals)

Canadian Firearms Program

On April 5, 2012, Bill C-19, the Ending the Long-Gun Registry Act, came into effect. The key changes are as follows:

• Removal of the requirement to register non-restricted firearms
• Destruction of the existing non-restricted firearms registration records
• Allowing the transferor of a non-restricted firearm to obtain confirmation of a transferee’s firearms acquisition licence prior to the transfer being finalized

Until further notice, due to a Court Order issued by the Quebec Superior Court, residents of Quebec are still required to register non-restricted firearms with the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program (CFP).

It is important to note that the new law does not change the requirement for all individuals to hold a licence in order to possess a firearm. The licensing, safety training and safe storage requirements for anyone who uses or owns a firearm continue to be in force.

The legislation also does not impact registration requirements for restricted or prohibited firearms.

Registration Checklist

• What do I need to do before using this online registration system?
• Basic information for classifying a firearm
• Browser requirements
• Proceed to secure site to register firearms
• About this service

What do I need to do before using this online registration system?

Use this application to register restricted firearms that have never been registered in Canada (for example, new imports) and to re-register firearms that were registered to an individual under the former law (prior to December 1, 1998).

Before individuals can register restricted firearms, they must have a firearms Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL). If they are a non-resident and do not have a PAL, refer to the section for non-residents for other options.

Before restricted or prohibited firearms are registered, they must also be verified by an approved verifier, provided:

• they are being registered for the first time; or
• they are being transferred to a new owner and have not previously been verified; or
• they have been modified so that their description has changed; or
• the Registrar requests that they be verified to confirm their description or classification.

Individuals may call 1-800-731-4000 for help to verify a firearm.

When registering online, individuals will be required to give their firearms licence number and other personal identification information. They will also need to provide the verifier's name and identification number, the date the firearm was verified, and the firearms reference table (FRT) number provided by the verifier.

Basic Information for Classifying a Firearm

If after reviewing the following information, individuals cannot determine the class of their firearm, they should call 1-800-731-4000 and ask to speak with a firearms technician.

The three classes of firearms are:

• Non-restricted: an ordinary rifle, shotgun or combination gun that is not described as being restricted or prohibited.
• Restricted
• Prohibited

Browser requirements

To access the secure web site you must use a Web browser that supports SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) with 128-bit 'strong' encryption.

The secure web site is best viewed with:

• 128-bit Microsoft Internet Explorer® (version 5.x or higher)
• Online applications that make use of GC Key (formerly Access Key) are best viewed with Internet Explorer (IE), versions 7 and up.
• The site is not optimized for use with Windows 8; users experiencing loss of functionality with Windows 8 should switch to machines running Windows 7 or lower.

Individuals can link directly to these sites to upgrade your version of browser software.

Proceed to Secure Site to Register Firearms

About this service

Is my information secure?

The Canadian Firearms Information System website uses the Entrust SSL Security Solution which provides secure e-commerce on the Internet. Through its Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) web certificates, the solution identifies a website and encrypts communications between the browser and web server. The Entrust SSL Security Solution delivers strong web SSL security, trusted verification of the website's identity and 128-bit SSL data encryption during browser to web server transmission. This is based on the same technology as numerous internet banking sites and offers a high level of security.

Individual and business clients are further protected by PIN and BIN passwords to access their data. There are processes in place to detect hackers and prevent them from breaking into a user's personal information. In addition image verification security has been added to some areas of the website to enhance an already secure service.

Why can't I access the online service?

Encrypted connections are accepted using TLS 1.0 only. If your encryption is invalid, errors may include "error 401 - unauthorized", “Page cannot be displayed” or “Page cannot be found”.

To update your SSL encryption, please follow these instructions:

1. From your Internet Explorer web browser
2. Under the Menu Bar select/click ‘TOOLS’
3. Select/click ‘Internet Options’
4. Select/click ‘Advanced’ tab (If this option is missing, it has been locked or disabled. Contact your LAN Admin/Helpdesk)
5. Scroll down in the list of checkboxes to:
1. (use SSL2.0)
2. (use SSL3.0)
3. (use TLS1.0)
6. Ensure all three are selected
7. Exit with OK/Apply changes

Where do I go if I have questions?

• Individuals with questions about the status of their application should contact the CFP's Central Processing Site at 1-800-731-4000.
• Individuals who are experiencing technical difficulties, should contact CFP's E-Services Technical Help Desk at 1-800-731-4000 extension 1040 - Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (nationwide) - or by e-mail.