One of the most common questions we hear at our Surrey range is: "Do I need the PAL, the RPAL, or both?" Here's the plain-English answer.

The PAL (Non-Restricted)

The PAL comes from the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC). It lets you buy, own and use non-restricted firearms — most rifles and shotguns used for hunting and sport shooting. For the majority of hunters and first-time owners, the PAL is all they need.

The RPAL (Restricted)

The RPAL comes from the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC). It adds restricted firearms — primarily handguns and certain restricted long guns — on top of your non-restricted privileges. It's required for handgun owners and for many CBSA, security and law-enforcement roles.

Which should you take?

  • Hunting or general ownership? Start with the Non-Restricted (PAL).
  • Want handguns or restricted firearms? You need the Restricted (RPAL) — and you must complete the non-restricted portion as well.
  • Want both, the easy way? Our Combined course covers PAL and RPAL together in one streamlined block — the best-value path.

Still not sure? Call us at 604-562-7546 and we'll point you to the right course. For official rules, contact the Canadian Firearms Program at 1-800-731-4000.