Non-Restricted vs Restricted vs Prohibited Firearms in Canada (2026 Guide)

Most of the people who walk into a Silvercore CFSC for the first time can't tell you the difference between a non-restricted and restricted firearm. That's fine. It's why they took the course. What's less fine is that there's no shortage of bad information on the internet about which guns fall into which class, and the rules have shifted enough in the last five years that even people who think they know are sometimes wrong.

There are three classes of firearms in Canada: non-restricted, restricted, and prohibited. The classifications are set out in Section 84 of the Criminal Code and the associated regulations, and they're administered by the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program. The class a firearm falls into determines what licence you need to own it, how you can store and transport it, where you can shoot it, and whether you can legally acquire one at all.

Here's the plain-language version, with the regulatory specifics where they matter.

Confirmed: Prismic's RichText field doesn't natively render tables. The two options are (a) build a custom Table slice in Slice Machine (a developer task, weeks not minutes), or (b) restructure the content so it works inside RichText.

For now, option (b) is the right move. Let me rewrite the two tables as scannable definition lists. They're not as compact as a true table, but they're more accessible (screen readers handle this format better than table markup anyway), parse cleanly for AI surfaces (each entry becomes a clear semantic block), and they work in any CMS without custom slices.

Here are the two replacement sections. Everything else in the body stays as I wrote it.

Replacement for "The short version" table

Original location: Right after the opening paragraphs, before the "Non-Restricted" section.

Replace the whole table block with this:

The short version

Here's how the three classes compare at a glance. The detail on each follows below.

Non-Restricted

• Licence needed: PAL
• Registration required: No (long guns)
• Typical examples: Most hunting rifles and shotguns
• Hunting permitted: Yes, with the appropriate provincial hunting licence
• Sport shooting permitted: Yes
• Authorization to Transport required: No

Restricted

• Licence needed: PAL with restricted privileges (RPAL)
• Registration required: Yes
• Typical examples: Most non-prohibited handguns; some short-barrelled semi-automatic centrefire rifles
• Hunting permitted: No
• Sport shooting permitted: Yes, at an approved range or shooting club
• Authorization to Transport required: Yes for movement outside your home (some ATT conditions are now standard on the RPAL)

Prohibited

• Licence needed: RPAL plus grandfathered status under section 12 of the Firearms Act
• Registration required: Yes
• Typical examples: AR-15 pattern rifles; full automatics; sawed-off shotguns; firearms on the May 2020, December 2024, or March 2025 OIC lists
• Hunting permitted: No
• Sport shooting permitted: Generally no (limited exceptions for grandfathered owners)
• Authorization to Transport required: Yes

The detail on each class follows below.

Non-Restricted

A non-restricted firearm is, in the RCMP's own definition, "any firearm that is neither restricted nor prohibited." That's circular, but it's how the Criminal Code is written. The classes are defined by what they include, and non-restricted is the residual category.

In practice, non-restricted firearms are most of the long guns Canadians actually use for hunting and sport shooting: bolt-action rifles, lever-action rifles, pump-action shotguns, break-action shotguns, and many semi-automatic rifles and shotguns. Common examples include the Remington 700, the Ruger 10/22, the Winchester Model 70, the Mossberg 500, and the Browning BAR (in non-prohibited configurations).

To legally own a non-restricted firearm in Canada you need a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL). The PAL requires that you successfully complete the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC). Non-restricted firearms do not need to be registered in your name, which is a meaningful difference from the other two classes.

Storage and transport rules for non-restricted firearms:

• Stored unloaded, with a trigger lock or in a locked container, or with the bolt or bolt-carrier removed
• Ammunition stored separately from the firearm, or in a locked container
• Transport unloaded
• No ATT required for transport

You can hunt with a non-restricted firearm in season with the appropriate provincial hunting licence (in BC, that means CORE-certified plus a current BC Resident Hunter Number). You can target shoot with it at any legal location: an approved range, your own land in compliance with local bylaws, or an area where discharge is otherwise legal.

Restricted

Restricted firearms are defined by what they include, not what they exclude. Under the Criminal Code, a firearm is restricted if it is:

• A handgun that is not prohibited
• A firearm that has a barrel less than 470 mm in length and is capable of discharging centre-fire ammunition in a semi-automatic manner (and is not prohibited)
• A firearm designed or adapted to be fired when reduced to a length of less than 660 mm by folding, telescoping, or otherwise (and is not prohibited)
• Any other firearm specifically prescribed as restricted in the Regulations

Most restricted firearms in civilian hands are handguns. A non-prohibited handgun (longer barrel, in a calibre other than .25 or .32, not on a prohibited list) requires a PAL with restricted privileges, commonly called an RPAL. The RPAL requires that you complete both the CFSC and the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC).

Every restricted firearm must be registered in your name with the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program.

Storage and transport rules for restricted firearms:

• Stored unloaded, with a trigger lock AND in a locked container or safe, OR in a locked room or vault designed for firearms storage
• Ammunition stored separately, in a locked container
• Registration certificate must be available when the firearm is in your possession
• Authorization to Transport (ATT) required for movement outside your home, in most cases (some ATT conditions are now standard on the RPAL itself, but it's the licence holder's responsibility to confirm what their conditions are)

The handgun freeze (October 21, 2022): A national freeze on handgun sales, purchases, and transfers between individuals came into force in October 2022 and was codified in legislation in December 2023. Since the freeze, you cannot acquire a new handgun unless you qualify for a narrow exemption: you hold an Authorization to Carry, or you train, compete, or coach in a handgun shooting discipline on the International Olympic Committee or International Paralympic Committee programme. If you registered a handgun before October 21, 2022, you can continue to own and use it, and you can transfer it only to an exempted individual or a licensed business.

You cannot hunt with a restricted firearm in Canada. Sport shooting is permitted only at an approved range or shooting club, and you must be able to demonstrate that approval if asked.

Prohibited

Prohibited firearms are the longest list of the three, and the rules around them are the strictest. Under the Criminal Code, prohibited firearms include:

• Handguns with a barrel length of 105 mm or less
• Handguns designed or adapted to discharge .25 or .32 calibre ammunition (with a narrow exception for certain International Shooting Union competition firearms)
• Firearms adapted from a rifle or shotgun by sawing, cutting, or other alteration to less than 660 mm overall, or to 660 mm or greater overall but with a barrel less than 457 mm
• Automatic firearms (regardless of whether they've been altered to fire only one round per trigger press)
• A firearm that is not a handgun, discharges centre-fire ammunition semi-automatically, was originally designed with a detachable magazine of six or more cartridges, and was designed and manufactured on or after December 15, 2023
• Any firearm specifically prescribed as prohibited in the Regulations — this is the category that has grown most dramatically in recent years
• Firearms with a bore diameter of 20 mm or greater, or capable of discharging a projectile with a muzzle energy greater than 10,000 joules

The Order in Council bans (May 2020, December 2024, March 2025): Since May 1, 2020, the federal cabinet has used Orders in Council to add specific makes and models to the prohibited list. As of 2026, three OICs have added over 2,500 makes and models, including the AR-15 family, AR-10 patterns, the Ruger Mini-14, and many others. Our companion post, Prohibited Firearms in Canada: The Complete Ban List, walks through the full list with current 2026 amnesty status.

To legally possess a prohibited firearm in Canada, you need an RPAL plus grandfathered status under Section 12 of the Firearms Act. Grandfathering applies only to people who had the relevant firearm registered in their name when it became prohibited, and who have continuously held a valid licence and registration certificate since December 1, 1998 (or the relevant grandfathering date for that category). If your licence lapses, grandfathering is permanently lost.

Grandfathered status lets you keep prohibited firearms you already own. It does not let you acquire new ones from outside Canada or from non-grandfathered sources. For most categories, you can only acquire prohibited firearms from another grandfathered owner in the same s.12 category.

Storage and transport rules for prohibited firearms are at least as strict as restricted firearms, and an ATT is required for any movement.

A note on the recent OIC bans

If you're researching firearms classifications in 2026, you should know that the prohibited category has changed significantly in the last few years. A firearm that was non-restricted or restricted in 2019 may now be prohibited. The current amnesty for the May 2020, December 2024, and March 2025 OIC bans expires on October 30, 2026, after which owners of affected firearms face criminal liability for continued possession unless the amnesty is further extended or a Supreme Court injunction is granted (the CCFR has indicated it will seek one).

If you own a firearm and you're not sure of its current classification, the authoritative source is the RCMP Firearms Reference Table (last updated April 20, 2026 as of this writing), available at rcmp.ca. The Firearms Reference Table is the official, searchable record of every classification decision the RCMP has made.

Reclassifying a firearm

You can change a firearm's classification by altering it. The classic example: if you have a non-restricted semi-automatic centrefire rifle with a barrel length of 471 mm and you replace the barrel with one that's 460 mm, you've moved the firearm from non-restricted to restricted. This is legal if you have the appropriate licence for the new class and you register the firearm accordingly, but doing it without the right licence is a criminal offence.

Modifications that move a firearm into the prohibited class are illegal regardless of your licence. You can't legally saw the barrel of a shotgun down below the prohibited threshold and call it a modification.

If you're considering modifying a firearm in any way that might change its classification, the safe move is to call the Canadian Firearms Program (1-800-731-4000) and confirm the result before you make the change.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between non-restricted and restricted firearms in Canada? Non-restricted firearms are most rifles and shotguns used for hunting and sport shooting; they require a PAL but no registration. Restricted firearms are most handguns and some short-barrelled semi-automatic rifles; they require an RPAL, must be registered, and can only be used at approved shooting ranges, not for hunting.

Do I need a PAL or an RPAL for handguns? You need an RPAL to legally own a non-prohibited handgun in Canada. The handgun freeze that came into force October 21, 2022 also restricts who can acquire new handguns — most people can only continue to own handguns they registered before that date.

Is an AR-15 legal in Canada? No. AR-15 pattern rifles were prohibited by the May 1, 2020 Order in Council. They cannot be legally acquired, used, sold, or transferred. Owners are protected by an amnesty order that currently expires October 30, 2026.

Do non-restricted firearms need to be registered? No. Since the long-gun registry was dismantled in 2012, non-restricted firearms (typical hunting rifles and shotguns) do not need to be registered. Restricted and prohibited firearms must be registered.

Can I hunt with a restricted firearm? No. Hunting with a restricted firearm (which includes all handguns) is not permitted in Canada under any provincial hunting authority. Restricted firearms can only be used for target practice or target shooting competitions at an approved range or shooting club, or under an Authorization to Carry for specific occupational purposes.

What's the barrel length minimum for a non-restricted rifle? A semi-automatic centrefire rifle becomes restricted at a barrel length under 470 mm, or if its overall length can be reduced to under 660 mm by folding or telescoping. Non-semi-automatic rifles (bolt-action, lever-action, pump-action, break-action) are not classified as restricted based on barrel length alone, though other criteria can still make them restricted or prohibited.

Where can I check a specific firearm's current classification? The authoritative source is the RCMP Firearms Reference Table at rcmp.ca/en/firearms/firearms-reference-table. For a definitive answer, call the Canadian Firearms Program at 1-800-731-4000.

Where to learn more

The CFSC is required for the non-restricted PAL. The CRFSC is required if you want to add restricted privileges (the RPAL). Silvercore has been teaching both courses for over 30 years. Our Silvercore Online Firearms Safety Coursecovers every concept in the CFSC and CRFSC and is the best way to prepare for your in-person training. For upcoming in-person CFSC and CRFSC dates in BC, see our course schedule.

If you're choosing a CFSC course, our How to Choose a CFSC Course in BC post walks through what the RCMP standard actually requires and what to walk away from.

And if you've already got your licence and you're looking for what comes next, the Silvercore Club is where many of Canada's serious shooters end up: third-party liability insurance, ATT issuance, partner discounts, and a community of people who treat their training seriously.

Travis Bader, Silvercore Outdoors