In short
Canadian law sorts firearms into non-restricted, restricted and prohibited. Since 21 October 2022 individuals can no longer acquire handguns, apart from two exempt groups. Firearms prohibited since 2020 fall under an amnesty whose end is open: as of September 29, 2026 it depends on four Supreme Court appeals.
Three classes #
The Criminal Code knows three classes: non-restricted, restricted and prohibited firearms. Non-restricted is whatever is neither restricted nor prohibited. (Criminal Code s. 84(1))
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. (Criminal Code s. 84(1), “restricted firearm”)
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. (Criminal Code s. 84(1), “prohibited firearm”)
The class decides much of the rest: which licence you need and how you store and transport the firearm.
The handgun freeze #
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. (Firearms Act s. 12.2; RCMP)
The freeze does not apply to two groups: holders of an authorization to carry for a handgun, and individuals who meet the prescribed criteria and every year give the chief firearms officer a letter from a provincial or national sport shooting governing body stating that they train, compete or coach in a handgun discipline on the programme of the International Olympic or Paralympic Committee — and that the handgun is necessary for it. (Firearms Act s. 97.1)
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. (RCMP, “Changes to handgun transfers”)
For a collection this means: a handgun you own today cannot be replaced by buying another, and it cannot simply be passed on. Plan an estate early.
The 2020 prohibition and the amnesty #
Status: September 29, 2026. This part of the law is in motion; check the date before relying on it.
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. (SOR/98-462, Schedule, Part 1)
Open An amnesty protects, under the conditions of the order, among others owners who possessed such a firearm on 1 May 2020 and held a licence. Parallel orders protect the owners of the models added on 5 December 2024 and 7 March 2025. Each amnesty protects only for as long as the owner continues to hold a licence; once the licence has expired and the six-month extension has also run out, the protection ends. None of these amnesties ends on a fixed date any more: each ends on the 90th day after the Supreme Court of Canada appeals 41858, 41859, 41860 and 41861 are terminated. As of 5 October 2026 those appeals are pending (hearing scheduled for 9 November 2026), so the end date is open. (SOR/2020-97 s. 2(1), (3); SOR/2024-249 s. 2; SOR/2025-87 s. 2)
Open The federal compensation programme for these firearms (buyback) has closed its declaration period for individuals. According to Public Safety Canada (page of 24 June 2026), collection, deactivation and compensation were expected to run from spring to early fall 2026; no later update has been published. What applies to your firearm depends on your declaration — check canada.ca rather than this page. (Public Safety Canada, Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program)
How Waffenschrank handles it #
In Canada Waffenschrank sorts your gun list into the three classes, and it shows the rules on this page with their source and the date they were checked. It does not tell you whether a particular model is on the prohibited list — the regulations and the RCMP do. More about the app.
Sources and date #
Every statement on this page was checked against the official text on September 29, 2026. The consolidated federal texts were current to September 21, 2026.
- Criminal Code s. 84(1) — as of September 21, 2026
- Criminal Code s. 84(1), “restricted firearm” — as of September 21, 2026
- Criminal Code s. 84(1), “prohibited firearm” — as of September 21, 2026
- Firearms Act s. 12.2; RCMP · RCMP — as of September 21, 2026
- Firearms Act s. 97.1 — as of September 21, 2026
- RCMP, “Changes to handgun transfers” — as of January 13, 2025
- SOR/98-462, Schedule, Part 1 — as of September 21, 2026
- SOR/2020-97 s. 2(1), (3); SOR/2024-249 s. 2; SOR/2025-87 s. 2 — as of September 21, 2026
- Public Safety Canada, Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program — as of October 14, 2026
- SOR/2020-97 s. 2(3) — as of September 21, 2026