To complete a PAL application in Canada, pass the Canadian Firearms Safety Course, gather two pieces of government ID, a compliant photo signed by a guarantor, and two references, then fill out RCMP form GRC 5592 and submit it online through the RCMP’s Individual Web Services portal or by mail to Miramichi, New Brunswick, with the applicable fee. Form 5592 is available from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police website or by calling the Canadian Firearms Program at 1-800-731-4000. Most applicants receive their licence card in three to six months, and a mandatory 28-day waiting period begins the moment the RCMP receives your paperwork.
Before You Start the Form
You must be at least 18 to apply for a Possession and Acquisition Licence. Applicants who have not lived in Canada for the past five years need a letter of good conduct from law enforcement in their home jurisdiction, dated within the previous six months.1Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Apply for a Firearms Licence
Pass the Safety Course First
Every first-time applicant must pass the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC), which covers non-restricted firearms and has both a written and a practical test. If you want to acquire handguns or other restricted firearms, you must also pass the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC).2Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Safety Courses Find a qualified instructor through your provincial chief firearms officer. After you pass, your instructor submits your results to the Canadian Firearms Program. Confirm those results have been entered before you submit the 5592, because the RCMP cannot process an application without them on file.
Gather Your Documents
Missing a single item is the fastest way to get your application mailed back with the clock reset.
You need two pieces of government-issued identification bearing your name and a number, such as a passport, driver’s licence, or birth certificate. If you apply online, both must be available when you start the digital form.1Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Apply for a Firearms Licence
Your photo must be 45 mm wide by 57 mm high, with your head at least 30 mm tall in the frame, taken within the last 12 months against a plain white or light background. Look straight at the camera with a neutral expression and closed mouth. Online applications require a JPG or JPEG file between 200 KB and 6 MB in portrait orientation.3Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Photo Requirements for a Firearms Licence
A guarantor must sign the back of the photo along with their full printed name, confirming the photo is an accurate likeness of you. The guarantor must be at least 18 and have known you for at least one year. Your spouse, common-law partner, or one of your references can serve as your guarantor. You also print your own name on the back of the photo.3Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Photo Requirements for a Firearms Licence
You need two references who have each known you for at least three years and are at least 18. Neither can be your current conjugal partner. Each reference signs a declaration on the form stating that your information is accurate and that they know of no safety reason you should not hold a licence.4Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Application for a Possession and Acquisition Licence Under the Firearms Act Pick references who will actually answer the phone. Unreachable references are one of the leading causes of processing delays.
Filling Out Form GRC 5592
The form moves through several sections. Here is what each one asks and where applicants most often run into trouble.
Personal Information
Enter your legal name, date of birth, address, and contact details exactly as they appear on your government ID. Mismatches cause returns. Include your letter of good conduct here if the five-year residency question applies to you.4Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Application for a Possession and Acquisition Licence Under the Firearms Act
Personal History and Background Questions
This is where honesty matters most. The form asks whether you have ever been charged, convicted, or discharged for offences involving violence, firearms misuse, or drug trafficking. It asks about peace bonds, protection orders, whether anyone in your household has been prohibited from possessing firearms, and whether you have been reported to police or social services for violence or conflict.4Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Application for a Possession and Acquisition Licence Under the Firearms Act
The form also asks whether you have ever threatened or attempted suicide, or been diagnosed or treated for depression, substance abuse, behavioural problems, or emotional problems. A separate question covers life stressors within the past two years: divorce, separation, breakdown of a significant relationship, job loss, or bankruptcy.4Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Application for a Possession and Acquisition Licence Under the Firearms Act
Answering “yes” to any of these does not automatically disqualify you. It flags your file for further review, and you may be contacted for additional information. Answering dishonestly is an offence under the Firearms Act. Making a false statement to obtain a licence is punishable on indictment by up to five years of imprisonment.5Justice Laws Website. Firearms Act SC 1995 c 39 – Section 109
Conjugal Partner Information
The form asks whether you currently have a spouse, common-law, or other conjugal partner, and whether you had a different conjugal partner within the past two years. If either applies, you must provide that person’s name, date of birth, contact information, and signature. Your current partner’s signature is not strictly required by law, but if it is missing, the chief firearms officer is obligated to notify your partner of your application directly, which adds processing time. Former partners within the two-year window are also asked to sign and provide contact details.4Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Application for a Possession and Acquisition Licence Under the Firearms Act
Licence Class and Safety Course Results
Indicate whether you are applying for non-restricted firearms, restricted firearms, or both, and enter your safety course results in the relevant fields. Again, confirm your instructor has submitted the results to the Canadian Firearms Program before submitting the 5592.
Submitting the Application
You have two options: apply online through the RCMP’s web portal, or mail a paper form.
Online
First-time applicants who have never held any type of firearms licence, including a Minor’s Licence, Possession Only Licence, or Firearms Acquisition Certificate, can use the online system. You will need a GCKey or Sign-In Partner account, a valid email address, a digital photo meeting the specifications above, two pieces of government-issued ID, and a credit card or Visa/Mastercard debit card for payment.1Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Apply for a Firearms Licence
By Mail
If you are not eligible for the online system, or prefer paper, mail the completed form with your photo, payment, and supporting documents to:
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
P.O. Box 1200
Miramichi NB E1N 5Z34Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Application for a Possession and Acquisition Licence Under the Firearms Act
Paper applications accept payment by cheque or money order. Allow two to four weeks for a mailed application to be entered into the system before you start checking status.6Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Individual Web Services
Fees
Under the Firearms Fees Regulations, the application fee is $60 for a non-restricted PAL and $80 for a restricted or prohibited PAL.7Justice Laws Website. Firearms Fees Regulations SOR 98-204
What Happens After You Submit
A mandatory 28-day waiting period begins when the Canadian Firearms Program receives your application. The RCMP will not issue a licence before those 28 days have elapsed, regardless of how clean your record is. In practice, most files are not looked at until day 28 or later, so treat the waiting period as a minimum.
During and after the waiting period, the RCMP runs a background check covering your criminal record, court orders, and the personal history you disclosed. Your references will be contacted. If your conjugal partner did not sign the form, the chief firearms officer will reach out to them independently. If anything in your background needs further investigation, a firearms officer may contact you for an interview or additional documentation.
You can check the status of your application by signing into the RCMP’s Individual Web Services portal with your GCKey or Sign-In Partner account. The online status is general and will tell you whether the application has been received, is in processing, or has been finalized. For more specific updates, call the Canadian Firearms Program at 1-800-731-4000.6Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Individual Web Services
From safety course to licence card, most applicants take three to six months. Complex histories take longer.
Common Reasons Applications Get Delayed or Returned
- Unreachable references. The RCMP contacts your references directly by phone. If neither picks up or returns the call, your file sits idle until someone does.
- Missing conjugal partner information. Leaving the partner section blank or omitting their signature forces the chief firearms officer to contact your partner independently, adding weeks.
- Course results not on file. If your CFSC or CRFSC results have not been entered by your instructor, the RCMP cannot move forward. Confirm submission before you apply.
- Photo problems. A photo that fails the size, background, or expression requirements, or is missing the guarantor’s signature on the back, triggers a return.
- Incomplete or inconsistent answers. Blank fields or answers that contradict records the RCMP already holds get flagged for follow-up, and each follow-up resets the processing clock.
- Criminal or violence-related history. A record involving violence, firearms, or a prohibition order does not guarantee denial, but expect a significantly more thorough review.