To bring your own firearm into Canada as a visitor, you complete the Non-Resident Firearm Declaration (RCMP form 5589), leave it unsigned until you reach the border, present it with photo ID to a Canada Border Services Agency officer, sign it in front of that officer, and pay $25 CAD. Once the officer confirms the declaration, it acts as both a temporary firearms license and a registration certificate for up to 60 days.1Canada Border Services Agency. Firearms and Weapons: Canadian Border Requirements
Who Can Use the Declaration
You must be at least 18 to import a firearm into Canada as a non-resident. The Firearms Act also requires that the declaration be truthful and that the customs officer have no safety-related reason to refuse it. If the officer believes confirming your declaration would pose a risk, they can refuse and direct you to export the firearm from that customs office.2Justice Laws Website. Firearms Act – Section 35
Criminal inadmissibility can stop you at the border before firearms even come up. A DUI conviction, even an old one, may make you inadmissible. Deemed rehabilitation, approved individual rehabilitation, or a temporary resident permit can overcome this, but sort it out before you travel.3Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Overcome Criminal Convictions
Which Firearms Qualify
Canadian law splits firearms into three classes, and each is treated differently on this form.4Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Classes of Firearms
Non-restricted firearms cover most conventional long guns used for hunting: bolt-action rifles, pump shotguns, lever-action rifles, and similar designs. These are the simplest to bring in and are the primary firearms the RCMP 5589 was built for.
Restricted firearms include certain handguns and shorter semi-automatic rifles. You can declare them on the same form, but you also need an Authorization to Transport (ATT) approved before you arrive. Call the Canadian Firearms Program at 1-800-731-4000 to request an ATT application, then get approval from the Chief Firearms Officer of the province you plan to visit. If you show up at the border with a restricted firearm and no ATT, CBSA may hold it for up to 14 days while you apply.1Canada Border Services Agency. Firearms and Weapons: Canadian Border Requirements
Prohibited firearms (fully automatic weapons, converted automatics, and certain handguns based on barrel length or caliber) cannot enter Canada under any circumstance. They will be seized and forfeited.5Royal Canadian Mounted Police. RCMP GRC 5589e – Non-Resident Firearm Declaration
If you are not sure how your firearm is classified, check the RCMP’s classification page or call the Canadian Firearms Program before your trip. Misclassifying at the border can lead to seizure and criminal charges.
Filling Out RCMP Form 5589
Download the form from the RCMP website and complete it before you travel. This saves real time at the border.6Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Non-Residents Print a spare copy in case of errors or smudges.
Section A: Personal Information
Enter your full legal name, date of birth in year-month-day format, and gender. Name one piece of government-issued photo identification (such as a passport or driver’s license) that carries your photo and an ID number, and record the ID type, the issuing jurisdiction, and the ID number.5Royal Canadian Mounted Police. RCMP GRC 5589e – Non-Resident Firearm Declaration
The address question trips people up. If your stay is 60 days or less, give your home address outside Canada. If it will run longer than 60 days, give your Canadian address instead. You also pick a reason for bringing firearms: hunting, competition, in-transit, protection against wildlife in remote areas, or another purpose you specify.
Section B: Firearm Details
This is where most mistakes happen. The form asks for six pieces of information for each firearm, and vague entries slow confirmation at the border:
- Type of firearm: shotgun, rifle, combination gun, handgun, or other.
- Make: the manufacturer, such as Remington, Browning, or Tikka.
- Serial number, as engraved on the receiver.
- Gauge or caliber, usually stamped on the barrel.
- Barrel length in millimeters or inches. For revolvers, measure from the muzzle to the breech end in front of the cylinder, not including the cylinder itself.
- Action: break-open, bolt, semi-automatic, pump, lever, or other.
The form has no “model” field, despite what some guides suggest. For a restricted firearm, two extra fields appear: the ATT number and its expiration date.5Royal Canadian Mounted Police. RCMP GRC 5589e – Non-Resident Firearm Declaration
The main form has space for two firearms. If you are bringing three or more, use the continuation sheet (RCMP 5590), which handles firearms three through seven.7Royal Canadian Mounted Police. RCMP GRC 5590e – Non-Resident Firearm Declaration Continuation Sheet Write the total number of firearms in the space provided and note that a continuation sheet is attached.
Section C: Ammunition and Parts
Check the applicable boxes if you are bringing ammunition (that is not prohibited ammunition), cartridge magazines (that are not prohibited devices and not already part of a declared firearm), or spare parts. The section is short but easy to skip. Do not leave it blank if you are carrying ammunition.
Section D: The Declaration (Do Not Sign Yet)
Read the declaration statement, but do not sign the form before you reach the border. A CBSA officer has to witness your signature in person.6Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Non-Residents Signing early means the officer cannot verify your identity at the time of signing, and you will need to start over on a fresh copy.
At the Border
Present the completed but unsigned form to the CBSA officer along with the photo ID you listed on it. The officer will have you sign while they watch, then verify the information and inspect your firearms. Expect them to check that the firearms are stored properly for transport.1Canada Border Services Agency. Firearms and Weapons: Canadian Border Requirements
The fee is $25 CAD, paid at the customs office, regardless of how many firearms are listed.6Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Non-Residents Once the officer signs and stamps the form, it becomes your temporary firearms license and registration certificate, valid for 60 days. If the officer has safety concerns or finds the form was not completed truthfully, they can refuse to confirm it and direct you to export the firearm.2Justice Laws Website. Firearms Act – Section 35
What the Confirmed Declaration Lets You Do
The stamped declaration legalizes possession of the listed firearms in Canada and also lets you buy ammunition for them while you are there.6Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Non-Residents Keep the stamped original on you whenever you are transporting or using the firearms. It is your only proof of legal possession.
Possessing a firearm in Canada without a valid license is a criminal offence under Section 91 of the Criminal Code, prosecutable as an indictable offence carrying up to five years of imprisonment, or as a summary conviction offence.8Justice Laws Website. Criminal Code RSC 1985 c C-46 – Section 91 Losing the stamped form strips you of your only legal authority to have those firearms in the country.
Transporting Firearms During Your Stay
Canada’s transport rules apply to non-residents the same as residents. Non-restricted firearms must be unloaded in transit. If you leave one in an unattended vehicle, it must be in a locked trunk or a similar locked compartment. If the vehicle has no trunk, the firearm must be out of sight and either the vehicle or the compartment containing it must be locked.9Justice Laws Website. Storage, Display, Transportation and Handling of Firearms by Individuals Regulations
In remote wilderness areas where the vehicle cannot be locked and has no trunk, the firearm must still be hidden from view and rendered inoperable with a secure locking device, unless you reasonably need it for predator protection. Ammunition should be stored separately from the firearm in transit, and officers may check this on your way in.
Extending Past 60 Days and Leaving Canada
If your stay runs beyond 60 days, you can renew the declaration for free before it expires by contacting the Chief Firearms Officer of the province or territory where you are staying.6Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Non-Residents Do it before expiry. A lapsed declaration means you are in unauthorized possession.
When you leave Canada, take your firearms with you. The declaration covers your visit, not permanent import, and it has no value once you depart.
If You Are Borrowing Firearms Instead
The 5589 declaration is only for firearms you own and bring with you. If you plan to hunt or shoot in Canada using borrowed firearms, you need a Non-Resident Temporary Borrowing Licence (RCMP 5513) instead. That licence requires a Canadian sponsor, typically an outfitter or a licensed resident tied to your planned activity, who signs a declaration on the form. It costs $30 CAD and is valid for 60 days.6Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Non-Residents One narrow exception: no licence is needed to borrow a firearm while under the direct and immediate supervision of a licensed adult in Canada, which mostly covers guided hunts where the outfitter keeps control throughout.