Glossary: firearms law from A to Z

Authorization to Transport (ATT)

Also: autorisation de transport. Canada: Restricted and prohibited firearms also need an authorization to transport (ATT). Since 7 July 2021 only two purposes come automatically with the licence: after a transfer, from the place of acquisition to where the firearm is kept; and, for restricted firearms, to and from approved clubs and ranges in the province of residence (not for a firearm acquired as part of a collection). Every other trip — a move, a gunsmith, a gun show, a range in another province, a border crossing — needs an ATT from the chief firearms officer. Non-restricted firearms need no ATT. A prohibited firearm — other than a handgun grandfathered under s. 12(6.1) or a prohibited firearm of a class prescribed under s. 12(9) — may be authorized for transport only for a change of residence; to take it to a peace officer, firearms officer or chief firearms officer for registration or disposal; for repair, storage, sale, exportation or appraisal; to take it to another licensed individual or business for storage while the owner addresses a mental illness or similar problem; or to take it to a gun show — never for target practice, a shooting competition or firearms instruction. Whether an ATT is granted, and on what conditions, is decided by the chief firearms officer of the province, who may refuse it for any good and sufficient reason (s. 68).

Bound book

Also: acquisition and disposition record, A&D book. United States, federal: the record in which a licensed dealer enters every firearm received and disposed of, and a Type 03 collector every curio or relic. Each acquisition must be entered no later than the close of the next business day, each disposition within seven days. A commercial record that already holds all the required data may stand in for the acquisition entry for up to seven days, but if the firearm leaves before it is entered, the entry must be made at that moment (27 CFR § 478.125(g)). An entry shows the date, the name and address (or name and license number) of the other party, the manufacturer and importer, model, serial number, type and caliber or gauge; a collector also records a non-licensee transferee's date of birth and how that person was identified. Manufacturers and importers keep records of their own with different deadlines. The record is kept until the business or licensed activity is discontinued (27 CFR § 478.129(e)) — there is no fixed number of years — and when a licensed business closes for good the records go to ATF within 30 days (27 CFR § 478.127). The content is fixed by the regulation; an electronic record in place of the bound book is allowed only in a form ATF has approved, in practice under the conditions of ATF Ruling 2016-1 or by individual approval (27 CFR § 478.125(h)).

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Chief Firearms Officer (CFO)

Also: contrôleur des armes à feu. Canada: the officer designated for each province and territory who issues licences, refuses them and may revoke them, approves transfers of restricted and prohibited firearms and issues authorizations to transport; where the provincial minister has delegated it, the CFO also approves shooting clubs and ranges (s. 29(4)). Seven provinces designate their own CFO — Alberta, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Québec (the Sûreté du Québec) and Saskatchewan; for the other provinces and the territories the CFO sits with the RCMP, according to the RCMP's list of chief firearms officers. Questions of eligibility and purpose are decided by the CFO of your province. What a CFO asks for beyond the statute is that office's administrative practice, and it is not uniform across the country.

Concealed carry permit

Also: CCW, CHL, LTC, CPL, CWP. United States, state level: a license to carry a concealed handgun, issued under state law; the name differs from state to state, and there is no federal carry license for private citizens. As of October 2026, 29 states allow concealed carry without a permit, and the other 21 states and the District of Columbia issue permits. NYSRPA v. Bruen (2022) struck down the “proper cause” requirement of the former may-issue states, but several of them still apply discretionary criteria such as New York's “good moral character,” so whether any may-issue state remains depends on how one counts. A permit still matters in a permitless state: for carrying in states that recognize it, and because the federal ban on firearms within 1,000 feet of a school exempts a person licensed by the state in which the school zone lies, not someone carrying without a permit (18 U.S.C. § 922(q)(2)(B)(ii)). Nationwide reciprocity is not law — H.R. 38 has sat on the House Union Calendar since October 3, 2025 without a floor vote. Whether a permit is issued, and what it allows you to carry and where, is decided by the state.

Curio or relic (C&R)

Also: Type 03 FFL, Collector of Curios and Relics. United States, federal: a firearm of special interest to collectors that falls into one of three categories — manufactured at least 50 years before the current date (replicas excluded); certified by the curator of a municipal, state or federal museum that exhibits firearms as a curio or relic of museum interest; or deriving a substantial part of its monetary value from being novel, rare, bizarre or associated with a historical figure, period or event. The Type 03 license is the only federal license meant for private collectors. It covers transactions in curios and relics only: the holder may acquire them across state lines directly, shipment included, and dispose of them across state lines to other licensees; it does not permit dealing, and it brings the bound-book duty with it (27 CFR § 478.125(f)). Other firearms, and transfers to non-licensees in another state, stay under the general rules, and state law still applies. Whether a given firearm counts as a curio or relic is for ATF to decide, and ATF issues the license.

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Erbwaffe and Blockiersystem (Germany)

In Germany, a firearm from an estate that requires a permit. Whoever takes it into possession on the owner's death must report this to the firearms authority (Waffenbehörde) without delay (§ 37c Abs. 1 Nr. 1 WaffG). The heir applies for a firearms possession card (Waffenbesitzkarte) within one month of accepting the inheritance or of the end of the period for disclaiming it (§ 20 Abs. 1 WaffG). The card is issued without proof of expertise (Sachkunde) or need (Bedürfnis) if the deceased possessed the firearm lawfully and the heir is reliable and personally suitable (§ 20 Abs. 2 WaffG). If the heir cannot show a need of their own, the firearm must be secured with a state-of-the-art blocking system (Blockiersystem) that only trained manufacturers or dealers may fit and remove. Ammunition that requires a permit must be made unusable or handed over to an authorized person within a reasonable time (§ 20 Abs. 3 and 5 WaffG). The blocking system is not required if the heir already lawfully owns a firearm that requires a permit on the basis of a need of their own (§ 20 Abs. 3 S. 3 WaffG). The authority grants further exceptions only on application (§ 20 Abs. 6 WaffG).

F im Fünfeck (Germany)

German term: the “F in a pentagon” mark on air, spring and CO₂ guns whose projectiles receive no more than 7.5 joules. In Germany it makes acquisition and possession possible without a permit, from age 18 (WaffG Anlage 2 Abschnitt 2 Unterabschnitt 2 Nr. 1.1, § 2 Abs. 1). For multi-shot guns that fire projectiles longer than 30 mm, the provision adds further conditions whose wording is not clear; in case of doubt, the authority classifies the gun on application, and that classification is binding (§ 2 Abs. 5 WaffG). Carrying still needs a carry permit (Waffenschein) (§ 10 Abs. 4 WaffG). Shooting is allowed at a shooting range, or on enclosed private property with the consent of the person entitled to control access (Hausrechtsinhaber), as long as the projectiles cannot leave it (§ 12 Abs. 4 S. 2 Nr. 1 lit. a WaffG); anywhere else a shooting permit (Schießerlaubnis) is required. It is a German mark and says nothing about the law of other countries.

Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL)

Also: dealer, my FFL. United States, federal: a holder of a license under the Gun Control Act — an importer, manufacturer or dealer, or, as Type 03, a collector of curios and relics; in everyday use “FFL” usually means the dealer. Engaging in the business of importing, manufacturing or dealing in firearms requires the license (18 U.S.C. § 923(a)). A dealer sale to a non-licensee requires ATF Form 4473 and a NICS background check, unless an exception applies, such as a qualifying state permit (18 U.S.C. § 922(t)). The completed 4473 stays with the dealer until the business or licensed activity is discontinued (27 CFR § 478.129(b)); the buyer gets no copy. A private seller may not transfer a firearm to a non-licensee who lives in another state, and a buyer may not bring home a firearm obtained from a private seller in another state (18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(3), (a)(5)): such a transfer goes through an FFL in the buyer's state of residence. Exceptions are inheritance by bequest or intestate succession, a temporary loan or rental for lawful sporting purposes, and a rifle or shotgun bought in person from an FFL in another state — and that only if the sale complies with the law of both states (18 U.S.C. § 922(b)(3)). Licensing and the associated record duties are administered by ATF.

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Federal registry ban

Also: FOPA 1986. United States, federal: 18 U.S.C. § 926(a), as amended by the Firearms Owners' Protection Act of 1986, bars the Attorney General — and with it ATF — from issuing any rule that requires licensees' records to be transferred to a government facility or that establishes any system of registration of firearms, firearm owners or firearm transactions. It binds the regulator, not Congress, and it leaves the National Firearms Act registry untouched (26 U.S.C. § 5841). Federal record duties fall on licensees: the Form 4473 stays with the dealer while the business operates (27 CFR § 478.129(b)) and is delivered to ATF when the business closes for good (27 CFR § 478.127). Apart from keeping proof of registration for NFA items (27 CFR § 479.101(e)), a private owner without a federal license has no federal recordkeeping duty — keeping an inventory is voluntary: for yourself, for insurance, for your heirs. Registration duties can still exist under state or local law, and that is a matter for the state.

Firearm classes (Canada)

Also: non-restricted, restricted, prohibited. Canada: The Criminal Code knows three classes: non-restricted, restricted and prohibited firearms. Non-restricted is whatever is neither restricted nor prohibited. The class governs licensing, registration, transport and storage. Restricted are, among others: a handgun that is not prohibited; a firearm that is not prohibited, has a barrel shorter than 470 mm and can discharge centre-fire ammunition semi-automatically; a firearm designed or adapted to be fired when reduced to less than 660 mm by folding or telescoping; and firearms prescribed as restricted. Prohibited are, among others: a handgun with a barrel of 105 mm or less, or designed for 25 or 32 calibre cartridges (except prescribed handguns for international competition); a rifle or shotgun cut down to less than 660 mm overall or a barrel under 457 mm; an automatic firearm, even if altered to fire single shots; and firearms prescribed as prohibited. Since 1 May 2020 the classification regulations name a long list of makes and models — commonly called “assault-style” firearms — as prohibited. The list has been extended since; the regulations were last amended on 7 March 2025. Whether a particular firearm is on it is decided by the wording of the regulations, not by its name in a shop. The RCMP's Firearms Reference Table shows how the RCMP classifies a given model, but by the RCMP's own account it is an administrative document, not a legal instrument: the class follows from the Criminal Code and the regulations, not from the table and not from the owner's own assessment. The 2020 prohibition is under challenge — appeals 41858 to 41861 are pending before the Supreme Court of Canada, with the hearing scheduled for 9 November 2026.

Form 1 and Form 4

Also: tax stamp. United States, federal: Form 1 (ATF Form 5320.1) is the application to make and register an NFA firearm, Form 4 (ATF Form 5320.4) the application for a tax-paid transfer and registration to the transferee — the usual route for a dealer purchase. Both must be approved before the firearm is made or transferred (27 CFR §§ 479.62(a), 479.84(a)); Form 5 covers tax-exempt transfers, among them the transfer to a lawful heir. On approval ATF affixes the NFA stamp to the form, and the name “tax stamp” outlives the amount: since January 1, 2026 the making and transfer tax is $0 for silencers, short-barreled rifles and shotguns and any other weapons, and $200 for machine guns and destructive devices (26 U.S.C. §§ 5811(a), 5821(a) as amended by Pub. L. 119-21). A person possessing a registered firearm must retain proof of registration and make it available to any ATF officer on request (27 CFR § 479.101(e)), which is why many owners carry a copy of the approved form. Since October 9, 2026, ATF says it no longer requires approval, registration or a tax stamp for silencers, short-barreled rifles and shotguns, and “any other weapons” (AOWs) — for anyone; it is a nationwide enforcement policy following Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF (N.D. Tex., August 5, 2026). The statute and these regulations are unchanged, the policy can be withdrawn, and ATF keeps processing the forms because many states tie possession to federal registration. If the policy is withdrawn, an item made or acquired without registration cannot simply be registered afterwards — under the unchanged statute, possessing it is a felony (26 U.S.C. § 5861(d); 27 CFR § 479.101(b)). Approval is ATF's decision; the tax is set by statute.

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Grandfathering

Also: droits acquis, grandfathered status. Canada: An individual may hold a licence for prohibited firearms only as provided in s. 12 of the Firearms Act — among others for automatic firearms possessed on 1 January 1978, converted automatic firearms possessed on 1 August 1992, and handguns with a barrel of 105 mm or less or in 25 or 32 calibre that were registered on 1 December 1998 — and in each case only if a registration certificate has been held continuously since 1 December 1998. If the chain breaks, the status cannot be regained. Letting the licence lapse is the usual way the chain breaks: according to provincial chief firearms officers (Alberta, for one), once a licence has expired beyond its six-month extension, the registration certificates for restricted and prohibited firearms are revoked. Whether the conditions are met in an individual case is assessed by the chief firearms officer and the Registrar.

KK (Kleinkaliber, Germany)

German shooting-sport shorthand for guns chambered for the rimfire cartridge .22 lfB (.22 long rifle). The WaffG does not use the abbreviation, but it attaches special rules to exactly these guns when muzzle energy is at most 200 joules. Sport shooters may obtain a permit for them at 18 instead of 21, provided their approved sport regulations (Sportordnung) allow such guns (§ 14 Abs. 1 S. 2 WaffG). Under 25, the aptitude certificate (Eignungszeugnis) is not required (§ 6 Abs. 3 S. 2 WaffG). Minors aged 14 and over may shoot them at a shooting range, under the supervision of a responsible adult and with the consent of their parents or guardians (§ 27 Abs. 3 S. 1 Nr. 2 WaffG). A suppressor is allowed by § 13 Abs. 9 WaffG only for hunters and only on hunting long guns for centerfire ammunition, so not on a KK gun.

Kurzwaffe and Langwaffe (Germany)

German law draws the line using two measurements. A long gun (Langwaffe) is a firearm whose barrel and bolt, in the closed position, together exceed 30 cm and whose shortest usable overall length exceeds 60 cm; every other firearm is a short gun (Kurzwaffe) (WaffG Anlage 1 Abschnitt 1 Unterabschnitt 1 Nr. 2.5). The shortest length at which the gun can still be used as intended counts: with the stock folded or collapsed, if it can still be fired that way. The class decides the German quotas (Kontingente), the proof of shooting for each category (§ 14 Abs. 4 S. 2 WaffG) and the number of guns in a gun safe (§ 13 Abs. 2 AWaffV).

lfB (Germany)

The German short designation of the rimfire cartridge .22 long rifle, usually written 5,6 mm lfB (with a decimal comma). The WaffG names both side by side: “5,6 mm lfB (.22 l.r.)” (§ 14 Abs. 1 S. 2 and § 27 Abs. 3 WaffG). The special rules for small-bore (KK) guns attach to this caliber.

New York recertification

United States, New York: every pistol license under N.Y. Penal Law § 400.00 must be recertified to the State Police every five years, a concealed carry license every three years, and a license to purchase or take possession of a semiautomatic rifle every five years as well. Failure to recertify acts as a revocation of the license (N.Y. Penal Law § 400.00(10)(b)). Recertification is not the same as renewal: outside New York City and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester a pistol license stays in force until revoked, whereas in New York City it expires after at most three years and in those three counties after at most five, and must be renewed. The license lists each handgun by make, model, caliber and serial number, which makes New York a de facto registration state for handguns. This duty is New York law alone; recertification in other states, where it exists at all, is their own law.

NFA item

Also: Title II firearm. United States, federal: the narrow class of “firearms” defined in 26 U.S.C. § 5845(a) — short-barreled shotguns and rifles (including weapons made from a shotgun or rifle below the length limits), any other weapons, machine guns, silencers and destructive devices; antique firearms are excluded. They are the only firearms a private owner in the United States registers with a federal agency: each is entered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (26 U.S.C. § 5841), and under the statute, making or transferring one needs ATF's prior approval on Form 1 or Form 4. The Gun Control Act adds rules of its own: a private person may possess a machine gun only if it was lawfully possessed before May 19, 1986, and a machine gun, short-barreled rifle or shotgun or destructive device may be sold by a dealer, or taken to another state by its owner, only with ATF authorization (18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(4), (b)(4), (o)). Since January 1, 2026 the tax is $0 for everything except machine guns and destructive devices. Since October 9, 2026, ATF says it no longer requires approval, registration or a tax stamp for short-barreled rifles and shotguns, silencers, and “any other weapons” (AOWs) — for anyone; machine guns and destructive devices remain fully covered. It is an enforcement policy following Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF (N.D. Tex., August 5, 2026): the statute is unchanged, the policy can be withdrawn, and where a state ties possession to federal registration, registering remains the safe course. If the policy is withdrawn, an item made or acquired without registration cannot simply be registered afterwards — under the unchanged statute, possessing it is a felony (26 U.S.C. § 5861(d); 27 CFR § 479.101(b)). Many states restrict or ban NFA items on top of federal law. Whether a particular item falls under the NFA is decided by ATF and the courts.

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NWR-ID (Germany)

Also: Ordnungsnummer. The numbers issued by Germany's National Firearms Register (Nationales Waffenregister) for the person, the decision under firearms law, the gun and the essential part (§ 7 Abs. 1 WaffRG). The firearms authority (Waffenbehörde) may enter them on permit documents and notification certificates (Anzeigebescheinigungen) (§ 7 Abs. 4 WaffRG), and some notification forms ask for them. On forms they are usually labeled P-ID, E-ID, W-ID and T-ID.

Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL)

Also: RPAL, permis de possession et d'acquisition. Canada: An individual holds one licence, the Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL). What it covers — non-restricted firearms only, or restricted firearms as well — is part of the licence; “RPAL” is the common name for a PAL that also covers restricted firearms, not a separate document. Only one licence may be issued to any one individual (s. 56(2)). The licence does not replace registration: every restricted or prohibited firearm also needs its own registration certificate. A licence requires passing the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC) and its test, given by an instructor designated by the chief firearms officer. A licence for restricted firearms also requires the restricted firearms safety course (CRFSC) approved by the federal Minister, and its test. Prohibited firearms can be covered only within the grandfathering rules of s. 12. A licence issued to an adult expires at the latest five years after the holder’s first birthday following the day it was issued. It has to be renewed before then. If a licence is not renewed before it expires, it is extended by six months. During that period the holder may keep the firearms but must not use them, and must not acquire firearms, ammunition or cartridge magazines until the licence is renewed. Issue, refusal and revocation are decided by the chief firearms officer of the province (ss. 5, 56, 68, 72).

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Registration certificate

Also: certificat d'enregistrement. Canada: Possessing a restricted or prohibited firearm requires both a licence and a registration certificate for that firearm; for a non-restricted firearm the licence is enough. The certificate is issued by the Registrar of Firearms (Firearms Act s. 60) and links the firearm to its owner. It expires when the holder ceases to own the firearm (s. 66), so on a transfer the firearm has to be registered to the new owner before they take possession. Since 21 October 2022 individuals can no longer buy or import a handgun, and nobody may transfer a handgun to an individual in Canada — first by regulation, and since 15 December 2023 in the Firearms Act: a registration certificate for a handgun must not be issued to an individual. Handguns already registered may still be possessed and used. According to the RCMP, a firearm registered for the first time must be verified first — its description and class confirmed by an approved verifier; a firearm already verified in Canada is verified again only if it has been modified or the Registrar asks. Non-restricted firearms are not registered federally — the long-gun registry was abolished in 2012 — but Québec requires every non-restricted firearm kept there to be registered with its provincial Firearms Registration Service (SIAF) as soon as the owner takes possession, and the firearm must bear its SIAF number (NUAF) within 90 days.

Residential Security Container (RSC)

Also: UL 1037. United States: a certification under the UL 1037 standard, not a legal requirement. UL tests at three graduated attack levels — Level I a five-minute attack by one technician with common hand tools, Level II a ten-minute attack by two technicians with more aggressive tools, including carbide drills and pressure devices, Level III a ten-minute attack with the most advanced tool sets and a smaller permitted opening. Most containers sold as gun safes in the United States carry the RSC rating, and federal law sets no minimum security level at all. California is the exception: a “gun safe” there must meet the standard adopted under Cal. Penal Code § 23650 (§ 16610), and that regulation accepts either a set of construction features or certification as a UL Residential Security Container by a nationally recognized testing laboratory (Cal. Code Regs. tit. 11, § 4100). This matters for the secure storage in a residence that California has required since January 1, 2026 (Cal. Penal Code § 25145), and how it applies is for California to determine.

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Sachkunde (Germany)

The knowledge of firearms law, firearms technology and safe handling that, in principle, every permit under German firearms law requires (§ 4 Abs. 1 Nr. 3, § 7 WaffG). It is shown by an exam before the authority, at a recognized course or in a shooting club of a recognized federation. Among others, the hunting exam (Jägerprüfung) replaces it (§§ 1 to 3 AWaffV). It is not required for the small carry permit (Kleiner Waffenschein), nor from an heir for the inherited guns as long as the heir claims no need of their own for them (§ 20 Abs. 2 WaffG).

Schalldämpfer (Germany)

Devices that serve to substantially dampen the muzzle blast and are intended for firearms (WaffG Anlage 1 Abschnitt 1 Unterabschnitt 1 Nr. 1.3.3). In German law a suppressor is treated like the gun it is made for and needs the same permit. Its acquisition is expressly regulated for hunters: with an annual hunting license (Jahresjagdschein) and without a prior entry in the possession card (Voreintrag), and the hunter then has to apply for the firearms possession card (Waffenbesitzkarte) within two weeks. A suppressor may be used only on hunting long guns for centerfire ammunition, while hunting and in hunting practice shooting (§ 13 Abs. 9 WaffG). The law has no separate provision for sport shooters.

Secure gun storage or safety device

United States, federal: 18 U.S.C. § 922(z) makes it unlawful for a licensed importer, manufacturer or dealer to sell, deliver or transfer a handgun to a non-licensee unless the transferee is provided with a secure gun storage or safety device for that handgun. Curio-or-relic handguns and transfers to government and law enforcement are exempt, and if no device is available it must follow within ten days. The duty falls on the licensee, covers handguns only, and is a duty to provide the device — not a duty on the owner to use it; an owner who does use one gains a limited immunity from civil suits over a third party's misuse (18 U.S.C. § 922(z)(3)). The statutory definition covers a lock installed on the firearm, a locking mechanism built into it, and a safe, gun safe, gun case, lock box or other device designed to be unlocked only by key, combination or similar means, and it names no minimum standard (18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(34)). Federal law places no storage duty on the owner; any such duty comes from state or local law, and that is for the state to decide.

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Shooting club records

Canada: An approved shooting club keeps records of the members, officers and guests who use restricted or prohibited firearms — among them name, address, telephone number, membership card number and licence number — and retains them for at least six years. An approved shooting club must, at the chief firearms officer’s request, supply a written description of the participation of a current or past member or officer of the club, or of a guest of theirs, in target practice or target shooting competitions within the previous five years, when that person’s licence for restricted firearms is up for renewal. No federal rule requires the shooter to keep a log of their own. Federal law prescribes no attendance book. Québec does: under its Act respecting safety in sports a club for restricted or prohibited firearms keeps an attendance register (date, times of arrival and departure and, among other things, the serial, registration or SIAF number of the firearm to be used), and it must withdraw or refuse to renew the membership of a member who has not shot at the range at least once in the last twelve months — unless the member passes the aptitude test again or proves target shooting at another approved range in that period — and inform the minister or the chief firearms officer.

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Short-barreled rifle (SBR)

Also: SBS, short-barreled shotgun. United States, federal: a rifle with a barrel under 16 inches, or a weapon made from a rifle with an overall length under 26 inches or a barrel under 16 inches, is a short-barreled rifle and therefore an NFA firearm; the shotgun counterpart, the SBS, uses 18 inches for the barrel and 26 inches overall (26 U.S.C. § 5845(a); 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(6), (8)). Under the regulation, making one from an existing firearm needs an approved Form 1 beforehand (27 CFR § 479.62) and brings the marking requirement of 27 CFR § 479.102 with it. The Gun Control Act adds two rules of its own: a dealer may transfer one only with ATF authorization, and an owner needs ATF's prior approval before taking it to another state (18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(4), (b)(4); 27 CFR § 478.28). The tax has been $0 since January 1, 2026; ATF's enforcement policy of October 9, 2026 (see NFA item) no longer requires NFA approval and registration for SBRs and SBSs but leaves these Gun Control Act rules in place. Several states restrict or ban SBR and SBS beyond federal law, and there is no reliable national count of which. Classification of a specific firearm is ATF's call, and any state restriction is the state's.

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State storage duty

United States, state and local level: several states impose storage duties that do not depend on children. Whenever the firearm is not carried by or under the control of the owner or another authorized user, it must be locked or otherwise secured in CT, MA, OR and RI, and in California within a residence since January 1, 2026; where minors or people barred from possessing firearms live in the home or could gain access, CO, IL, NY and, since 2026, VA require secure storage. Massachusetts requires a locked container, or a tamper-resistant mechanical lock or other safety device that renders the firearm inoperable by anyone other than the owner or another lawfully authorized user (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131L(a)); California requires a certified firearm safety device or a gun safe meeting the state standard (Cal. Penal Code § 25145); New York requires a safe storage depository or a gun locking device where a person under 18 or a prohibited person lives in the home, and anyone who leaves a firearm in a vehicle out of their immediate control must unload it and lock it away out of sight (N.Y. Penal Law § 265.45). Many other states have child access prevention laws, ranging from liability as soon as a child could gain access to liability only if a minor actually uses the firearm, and cities and counties can add rules of their own. There is no federal floor here at all — the law of your state and locality governs, and it decides.

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Storage regulations (SOR/98-209)

Canada: The regulations describe what storage has to achieve. They name no safe standard, no resistance grade and no weight. A non-restricted firearm may be stored only unloaded and either with a secure locking device (such as a trigger lock), with the bolt or bolt-carrier removed, or in a securely locked container, receptacle or room that cannot readily be broken open or into. Exceptions apply to predator control and to remote wilderness areas. A restricted firearm may be stored only unloaded and either with a secure locking device AND in a securely locked container, receptacle or room that cannot readily be broken into — both together — or in a vault, safe or room specifically built or modified for the secure storage of restricted firearms and kept securely locked. A prohibited firearm is stored like a restricted one. If it is an automatic firearm with a removable bolt or bolt-carrier, that part must also be removed and kept in a different room that is securely locked and cannot readily be broken into. In every class the firearm must not be readily accessible to ammunition, unless the ammunition is stored — together with or separately from the firearm — in a container or receptacle that is kept securely locked and that is constructed so that it cannot readily be broken open or into — or, for a restricted or prohibited firearm, in a vault, safe or room that has been specifically constructed or modified for the secure storage of such firearms and that is kept securely locked. Whether a particular setup meets these rules is ultimately for the courts to decide.

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Suppressor

Also: silencer, sound moderator. United States, federal: a silencer is an NFA firearm — “suppressor” is the industry word, “silencer” or “firearm muffler” the statutory one, and the definition also covers any part intended only for making one (18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(25); 26 U.S.C. § 5845(a)). Under the statute and the regulations, acquisition runs through Form 4 and self-manufacture through Form 1, each approved in advance, and since January 1, 2026 no making or transfer tax is due. Since October 9, 2026, ATF says it no longer requires that approval, registration or a tax stamp for silencers — for anyone; the statute is unchanged and the policy can be withdrawn. If the policy is withdrawn, an item made or acquired without registration cannot simply be registered afterwards — under the unchanged statute, possessing it is a felony (26 U.S.C. § 5861(d); 27 CFR § 479.101(b)). A dealer sale still goes through the federal background check. By the count of the American Suppressor Association, eight states and the District of Columbia do not allow private possession at all. Canada takes the opposite position: a sound moderator is a prohibited device there, possessing one without being licensed for it is a criminal offense, and the Firearms Act provides for such a license only for businesses — so it is not available to private individuals (Criminal Code s. 84(1), s. 91(2); Firearms Act s. 11). Whether possession is open to you in the United States is decided by federal law and your state; in Canada the prohibition is federal.

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Transfer (Canada)

Canada: A non-restricted firearm may be transferred only if the transferee holds a licence for it and the Registrar has issued a reference number for the transfer at the transferor’s request. This has applied since 18 May 2022. According to the RCMP the reference number is valid for 90 days, or until the buyer's licence expires if that comes first, and the seller must declare having taken reasonable steps to confirm that the buyer is the licence holder. A restricted or prohibited firearm may be transferred only with the approval of the chief firearms officer, who checks the buyer's licence and, for a restricted firearm, the purpose (s. 27). A chief firearms officer may approve the transfer of a restricted firearm (or of a handgun grandfathered under s. 12(6.1)) to an individual only for a purpose the Act names: to protect the life of that individual or of others; for use in a lawful profession or occupation; for target practice or a target shooting competition under the auspices of an approved shooting club or range, or under the conditions of an authorization to transport; or — for a restricted firearm other than a handgun — as part of a collection, if the individual meets the criteria of section 30. For a handgun this does not lift the freeze: a registration certificate for a handgun may not be issued to an individual (s. 12.2). An individual owner, or the estate of a deceased owner, may dispose of a handgun only by selling or giving it to an exempted individual, a licensed business or a museum; by exporting it lawfully; by having it deactivated; or by surrendering it for destruction without compensation. In Québec the seller of a registered non-restricted firearm must also send a notice of transfer to the provincial Firearms Registration Service (SIAF) as soon as the firearm has been handed over. Whether a transfer is approved is the CFO's decision.

Überlassung (Germany)

Handing over actual control of a gun or ammunition to someone else — by selling it, giving it away, but also by lending it (WaffG Anlage 1 Abschnitt 2 Nr. 3). A transfer may be made only to authorized persons; the authorization must be obvious or be proven (§ 34 Abs. 1 WaffG). A holder of a firearms possession card (Waffenbesitzkarte) who transfers a firearm that requires a permit must report this within two weeks (§ 37a S. 1 Nr. 1 WaffG). This duty does not apply in the cases of § 12 Abs. 1 WaffG — e.g. a loan to another holder of a Waffenbesitzkarte for up to one month, for a purpose covered by the borrower’s recognized need (§ 12 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 lit. a, § 37e Abs. 3 WaffG).

Wesentliche Teile (Germany)

The parts that German law treats like the firearm itself: barrel or gas barrel, bolt (Verschluss; bolt head and bolt carrier if the bolt is divided), the cartridge or blank-cartridge chamber if it is not part of the barrel, and the receiver — upper and lower receiver if it has two parts, the frame on handguns. Added to these are partly finished essential parts that can be completed with commonly used tools (WaffG Anlage 1 Abschnitt 1 Unterabschnitt 1 Nr. 1.3.1). Whoever acquires them needs the same permit as for the gun (Nr. 1.3); a conversion or replacement must be reported within two weeks (§ 37a S. 1 Nr. 3 WaffG). Magazines, stocks and optics are not essential parts. However, interchangeable magazines for centerfire ammunition holding more than 20 cartridges (handguns) or more than ten (long guns), and night-vision aiming devices (Nachtzielgeräte), are prohibited items, with narrowly limited exceptions (WaffG Anlage 2 Abschnitt 1 Nr. 1.2.4.2 to 1.2.4.4).