Importing

On this page

• Firearms
• Non-restricted firearms
• Restricted firearms
• Prohibited firearms
• Shipping a firearm to Canada
• Parts and ammunition

Firearms

In order to import a handgun, a business or an individual who qualifies for an exemption requires an Import Permit issued by Global Affairs Canada. For information, please contact the Export Controls Operations Division of Global Affairs Canada at: 343-203-4331

Please provide a copy of the Import Permit with your registration application.

The Canada Border Services Agency controls firearms imports.

As a general rule, you are not allowed to carry handguns for self-protection in Canada. Non-residents can usually bring a non-restricted rifle or shotgun into Canada for approved purposes such as hunting, target shooting, wilderness protection or in-transit movement by a reasonably direct route to another point outside Canada.

If you want to bring a firearm into Canada, you must follow the laws of:

• Canada
  • Importing and Exporting Firearms, Weapons and Devices, Canada Border Services Agency
  • Import Controls and Import Permits, Global Affairs Canada
  • Criminal Code
  • Firearms Act
• the country where the firearm is coming from
• any other country the firearm will pass through

You can get information on the laws of another country by contacting authorities in that country or their embassy in Canada.

Non-restricted firearms

You must

• be at least 18 years old
• have a valid Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) permitting you to have the class of firearm that you want to import
• verify if you need an import authorization from the country that is exporting the firearm. For more information, contact Global Affairs Canada, the authorities of the exporting country, or their embassy in Canada.

Non-residents can usually bring a non-restricted rifle or shotgun into Canada for approved purposes such as hunting, target shooting, wilderness protection or in-transit movement by a reasonably direct route to another point outside Canada.

Restricted firearms

You must

• be at least 18 years old
• have a valid Possession and Acquisition Licence permitting you to have the class of firearm that you want to import
• have the firearm verified
• make sure the firearm is registered with the Canadian Firearms Program (CFP)
• apply for an Authorization to Transport (ATT) in advance from the Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) of the province/territory where you will be bringing it into Canada
• verify if you need an authorization from the country that is exporting the firearm. For more information, contact Global Affairs Canada, the authorities of the exporting country, or their embassy in Canada.

Prohibited firearms

You cannot bring a prohibited firearm into Canada as a new import, even if you have a licence to have that class of firearm.

This includes air soft guns that meet the definition of a replica firearm., because these are prohibited. Replica firearms are those that resemble a real firearm with near precision but that cannot cause serious injury or death. Many of these firearms have to be assessed on a case-by-case basis to determine if they are replicas. However, Canada Border Services Agency controls the importation of air soft guns that are not replicas. For more information, please contact the Canada Border Services Agency.

If a prohibited firearm was temporarily taken out of Canada, it can be re-imported. You must have

• a valid licence permitting you to have that firearm
• a valid Canadian registration certificate for the firearm
• a Canadian import authorization
• an authorization (if required) from the country that is exporting the firearm. For more information, contact Global Affairs Canada, and the authorities of the exporting country or their embassy in Canada.

If you took the firearm out of Canada, a customs officer may ask to see a copy of your export permit if when you bring it back to Canada.

Shipping a firearm to Canada

• A licensed carrier company under the Firearms Act must handle firearms that are shipped to someone in Canada.
• The licensed carrier must ship firearms in a sturdy, non-transparent container. The container should be hard to break into and should not break open accidentally during transport.
• The outside of the container should not have any marking to say that there are firearms inside, unless the marking is an address.
• The Canadian Firearms Program recommends you label an envelope "Customs Documents" and attach it firmly to the outside of the container. You can put any waybills, import permits, or export permits into the envelope.
• You must declare all firearms at Canada Customs and pay applicable duties and taxes.

More information is available on the Canada Border Services Agency website.

Parts and ammunition

Under Canadian law, you do not need a valid firearms licence to import non-prohibited firearm parts (except for a frame or receiver). However, you may need an export permit from the other country.

You cannot import into Canada

• prohibited ammunition
• firearm parts that are classified as prohibited devices. This includes handgun barrels that are 105 millimeters or less in length or parts made exclusively for a fully automatic firearm.

The Explosives Act limits on the amount of ammunition and ammunition components that you can import without an import permit. Generally, the Explosives Act allows you to import up to 5,000 cartridges of non-prohibited ammunition for personal use. However, you may need an import permit for smaller amounts to comply with the laws of the exporting country.

More information is available on the Natural Resources Canada website.

You can also contact the Canada Border Services Agency at 1-800-461-9999 for information on declaration procedures and on applicable duty and taxes.