Difference between revisions of "Firearms and the Firearms Act"

:'''Possession and Acquisition Licence''', or PAL, for short – if you are 18 or older and do not have a firearms licence, this is the only licence you can get. To get a PAL, first you have to pass the Canadian Firearms Safety Course or the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course. Then you have to apply to the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program and pay an application fee. The RCMP may contact the references listed in your application, spouses, ex-spouses, or other people you have lived with and ask them if they have any safety concerns about you owning a firearm.

:'''Possession Only Licence''' or POL, for short – if you have this licence, you may renew it, but only if you do so before it expires and only if you have at least one restricted or prohibited firearm registered in your name or you possess at least one non-restricted firearm. Until May 16, 2015, some people with expired POLs can apply for a new one if they meet certain requirements—the Program website, at [http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp], has more on this. A Possession-Only Licence lets you use firearms already registered to you. It also lets you borrow firearms of the same class as the ones you own—the next section describes the 3 classes of firearms. But if you want to acquire another firearm, or if you no longer own firearms but want to borrow one, you must upgrade your Possession-Only Licence to a Possession-and-Acquisition Licence.

:'''Minor’s Licence'''—people at least 12 years old but under 18 with a Minor’s licence can borrow non-restricted firearms for hunting, target shooting, organized shooting competitions, and instructions in firearms use. But people under 18 cannot own or acquire firearms.

:'''Non-restricted firearms''' include ordinary shotguns and rifles, such as those commonly used for hunting. But some military type rifles and shotguns are prohibited – see “Prohibited firearms” below.

:'''Restricted firearms''' include certain handguns and some semi-automatic long guns (not all semi-automatic long guns are restricted or prohibited). Rifles that can be fired when telescoped or folded to shorter than 660 millimeters, or 26 inches, are also restricted. You can only have restricted firearms for a purpose that the ''Firearms Act'' allows, such as gun collecting or target shooting. You must also pass the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course.

:'''Prohibited firearms''' include most 32 and 25 caliber handguns and handguns with a barrel length of 105 mm or shorter. Fully automatic firearms, converted automatics, firearms with a sawed-off barrel, and some military rifles like the AK 47 are also prohibited.