How to Fill Out the PAL Form: Documents, Sections, and Submission

To fill out the PAL form, complete your firearms safety course first, gather the identification, photo, guarantor, references, and partner details the form requires, then work through every lettered section of RCMP form GRC 5592 and submit it online or by mail with the correct fee. The form is the federal application for a Possession and Acquisition Licence, processed by the RCMP’s Canadian Firearms Program under the Firearms Act.¹ Missing items are the most common reason applications get returned unprocessed, so the preparation matters as much as the writing.²

Finish the Safety Course First

You cannot submit the form without a passing certificate for the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC). If you also want a restricted licence covering handguns and certain semi-automatic rifles, you need the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC) as well.³ Both are taught by instructors designated by a provincial Chief Firearms Officer, and you will enter your certificate number and passing date on the form. If those numbers do not match what the provincial authority has on file, the application stalls. Anyone who passed the CFSC before February 1, 1999 is considered to have met both the non-restricted and restricted safety requirements.²

Gather Everything Before You Open the Form

Identification and Five-Year History

You need two pieces of government-issued ID and a complete residential and employment history covering the five years immediately before the application date. If you have lived in Canada for fewer than five years, you must also obtain a letter of good conduct from the police in your previous country of residence, issued within the past six months and on official letterhead.²

The Photo

Your photo must be 45 mm wide by 57 mm high, showing a full front view of your head and shoulders against a plain white or light-coloured background. Your head in the image must measure at least 30 mm high. No sunglasses or anything else obscuring your face.⁴ Online applicants upload a digital version meeting the same dimensions; paper applicants attach a physical print.

The Guarantor

A guarantor confirms that the photo accurately identifies you. They must have known you for at least one year and be at least 18. A guarantor can also be your spouse, common-law partner, or one of your references. On paper applications, the guarantor prints their full name and signs the back of the photo. Online, they provide an email address so the system can verify them.²

Two References

You need two references who have each known you for at least three years and are 18 or older. Your current conjugal partner cannot serve as a reference. Online applications require valid email addresses for both so the system can contact them.²

Current and Former Conjugal Partners

The form asks you to identify any current spouse or common-law partner and any former conjugal partners from the past two years. Their signatures are not legally required. If a current or former partner does not sign, however, the Chief Firearms Officer is obligated to notify them that you have applied.⁵ Collecting signatures at the outset avoids that extra step and can shorten processing. Online applicants need email addresses for each partner listed.

Working Through the Lettered Sections

The form is divided into lettered sections. Fill in every section completely, because an incomplete form is returned without processing and the transit time is lost both ways.²

Section A, licence type: indicate whether you want a non-restricted PAL or a restricted PAL. Your fee and the safety courses you need depend on this choice.
Section B, personal information: write your full legal name exactly as it appears on your government ID. Do not use initials or nicknames. “Junior” or “Senior” belongs here only if it is part of your legal name.
Section C, personal history: list every address and employer for the past five years. If you need more room, attach a separate sheet with your name and licence number (if you have one) at the top.
Section D, eligibility questions: yes/no questions covering criminal history, mental health treatment, court orders, and past licence refusals or revocations. Answer honestly. Providing false information is a criminal offence under the Firearms Act and carries potential imprisonment.⁶
Sections E and F, conjugal partners: identifying and contact information for any current and former conjugal partners from the past two years.
Section G, safety training: your CFSC and, if applicable, CRFSC certificate numbers and the dates you passed.
Section H, references: the names, addresses, and phone numbers for both references.
Section I, photo guarantor: your guarantor’s full name and contact details.

Signing and Dating

For paper applications, every signature must be handwritten in blue or black ink. Electronic signatures are not accepted. The application must be signed within six months of the date you mail it, so if you complete the form and set it aside, re-sign and re-date before sending.²

Submitting the Application

Online

First-time applicants who are Canadian residents and have never held any firearms licence, including a minor’s licence, a Possession Only Licence, or an old Firearms Acquisition Certificate, can apply online. You will need a valid email address, your safety training certificates, a digital photo meeting the specifications above, two pieces of government-issued ID, and a credit card or Visa or MasterCard debit card. You will also need email addresses for your references, guarantor, and any current or former conjugal partners so the system can reach them for verification.⁷

By Mail

If you are not eligible for the online option, for example because you previously held a licence that has since expired, print, complete, and mail form RCMP GRC 5592. Send the full package (form, photo, payment, and any supporting documents such as a letter of good conduct) to:

Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Canadian Firearms Program
P.O. Box 1200
Miramichi, NB E1N 5Z3⁸

Use a trackable mailing service. The package contains your personal information, ID details, and payment, and you want confirmation that it arrived.

Quebec Applicants

If you live in Quebec and are applying for a restricted or prohibited PAL, you must also include a completed SQ-3007 form, available from the Sûreté du Québec website. This is a provincial requirement on top of the federal application.⁷

Fees and Payment

Effective March 31, 2026, the application fee is $70.38 for a non-restricted PAL and $93.84 for a restricted or prohibited PAL. Online applicants pay by credit card or Visa or MasterCard debit card. Mailed applications must be paid by certified cheque or money order made payable to the Receiver General for Canada. The RCMP does not accept cash or personal cheques for mailed applications.⁹

What Happens After You Submit

New applicants who do not already hold a valid firearms licence face a mandatory 28-day waiting period before any licence can be issued. During that window and beyond, the Chief Firearms Officer reviews your criminal record, mental health history, and any indicators of domestic instability. The CFO’s office may phone your references or former conjugal partners directly to verify what you reported.

Overall processing, including the waiting period, background screening, and administrative review, typically takes around 45 days, though complex files can run longer. You can track your file through the RCMP’s Individual Web Services portal to see whether it has been received, is under review, or has been approved.¹⁰ The Canadian Firearms Program can also be reached at 1-800-731-4000 within Canada.⁸

If the CFO refuses your application, you will receive written notice explaining the reasons. Common triggers include a recent criminal conviction, an active court order such as a restraining order, or information from references that raises safety concerns.

1
Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Firearms
2
Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Application for a Possession and Acquisition Licence
3
Justice Laws Website. Firearms Act – Section 7
4
Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Photo Requirements for a Firearms Licence
5
Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Frequently Asked Questions
6
Justice Laws Website. Firearms Act – Section 106
7
Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Apply for a Firearms Licence
8
Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Contact the Canadian Firearms Program
9
Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Changes to Service Fees
10
Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Individual Web Services