Hunters GuideCanada · firearms licensing
How to Renew Your PAL
A PAL is renewed online through the RCMP's Individual Web Services or on paper form RCMP 5614. The Canadian Firearms Program mails a renewal notice three months before the licence expires.
- Watch the expiry date. The CFP sends a notice three months ahead.
- Pick a route. Online through Individual Web Services, or paper form RCMP 5614.
- Fill in the form. Seven lettered sections, then a photo and a declaration.
- Pay the fee. $70.38 non-restricted, $93.84 restricted, until March 30, 2027.
If you don't hold a PAL yet, start with how to get a PAL in Canada instead. A first application is a different form on a different route.
Can you renew a PAL after it expires?
Within six months, the RCMP says yes. Its Individual Web Services page: "You can renew your licence online or via a mailed application if both of the following apply: your licence expired on or after November 30, 2017; you are within six months of its expiration date".
That's the line people come looking for. Three more sit beside it. This page quotes them rather than interpreting them.
Renewal page, from the online exclusions quoted below: "your licence has expired or is otherwise no longer valid".
The first-time form's information sheet, RCMP 5592, lists itself "for a new licence if your current licence has expired".
Same 5592 sheet, on timing: "There is a minimum 28-day waiting period for all applicants who do not presently hold a valid firearms licence."
That's where this page stops. Which statement applies to a particular card, and anything at all about the meantime, is a question for the Canadian Firearms Program at 1-800-731-4000.
Renewing online or on paper
The RCMP publishes two routes: an online application through Individual Web Services, and a mailed paper application on form RCMP 5614. The renewal page lists them as "complete an online application using Individual Web Services; or complete and submit an Application for Renewal of a Firearms Licence for an Individual (RCMP 5614)." The table below compares them, using the RCMP pages linked in each row.
| Online (Individual Web Services) | Paper (RCMP 5614) | |
|---|---|---|
| Sign-in | GCKey or Sign-in Partner account, then an authentication code emailed at each sign-in (IWS page) | None |
| Photo | Digital file (specs in our PAL photo guide) | Printed, 45 mm by 57 mm, your name on the back |
| Payment | Credit card | Credit card, certified cheque or money order; no cash (fees page) |
| Signature | Partner "may sign the application electronically" | Handwritten, "within six (6) months of mailing" (5614 sheet) |
| Entry into the system | Confirmation number issued at submission | "please allow 2 to 4 weeks for the application to be entered into the system" |
| Where it goes | Submitted in the portal | RCMP, P.O. Box 1200, Miramichi NB E1N 5Z3 |
The online route isn't open to everyone. Under the heading "You cannot renew your firearms licence online if any of the following conditions apply", the renewal page lists, verbatim: "you are requesting a religious exemption from providing a photograph with your licence", "you already have a licence renewal application in progress", "your licence has expired or is otherwise no longer valid", "your licence is a Minor's Licence".
And submitting isn't the same as being renewed. The RCMP answers that on its Individual Web Services page: "No. The online renewals tool allows you to submit your application but it still must go through several stages of validation to ensure you remain qualified to maintain a valid licence and privileges."
When the RCMP sends a renewal notice
A renewal notice is the letter the Canadian Firearms Program sends to a current licence holder ahead of the licence's expiry date. The RCMP's renewal page puts the timing in a single line: "The Canadian Firearms Program (CFP) sends licence renewal notices to valid individual licence holders three months before the date of expiry." Checked September 20, 2026.
So the notice is a prompt. The date that counts is the one on the card.
What the renewal form asks for
Form RCMP 5614 is the RCMP's "Application for Renewal of a Firearms Licence for an Individual". The copy served from rcmp.ca on September 20, 2026 carries the version stamp "RCMP GRC 5614e (2025-11)".
The number matters, because the first-time form is different. The 5614 sheet says so itself: "Do not use this form to apply for a first-time licence." Seven lettered sections, then a photo and a declaration.
| Section | What it asks for, per the RCMP 5614 PDF |
|---|---|
| A. Licence information | Licence number, expiry date, class shown on the current card |
| B. Personal information | Full legal name, date of birth, home and mailing address, phone, email |
| C. Personal history | Four yes/no questions. The form states: "A yes answer does not mean your application will be refused but it may lead to further examination." |
| D. Conjugal status | Two questions. The form states: "You must answer both questions 7. a) and b) or your licence application will be delayed." |
| E and F. Current and former partners | Names, dates of birth, contact details, optional signature. The sheet calls the signatures "not legally required", adding that without them "the Chief Firearms Officer has a duty to notify them of your application to renew your firearms licence." |
| G. Fees | The fee line for the licence class, plus payment method |
Three things aren't on it, and people expect them. No references section. No photo guarantor. No training section. Our PAL photo requirements page quotes the RCMP on the guarantor.
What it costs to renew a PAL
The renewal fee is the licence fee the RCMP lists for the class of licence being renewed. Its fees page (modified September 10, 2026, checked September 20, 2026) shows two columns, because the amount is indexed to inflation every March 31.
| Licence, as the RCMP labels it | Until March 30, 2027 | From March 31, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Possession and acquisition licence, non-restricted firearms | $70.38 | $72.35 |
| Possession and acquisition licence, restricted firearms | $93.84 | $96.47 |
The 5614 sheet adds that "The fee is non-refundable" and that the amount is set "by the date that your application is received by the Canadian Firearms Program", not the date it's signed.
How long does renewal take?
Mail costs you time before anyone reads a word. The IWS page: "If your application has been sent by mail, please allow 2 to 4 weeks for the application to be entered into the system." Online skips the envelope. You get a confirmation number at submission instead.
After that, the same page says "You may be contacted for additional information to process your renewal application." The RCMP's 35-day review standard, and how to follow a file once it's in, are in how long a PAL takes.
Questions about renewing a PAL
What form do I use to renew my PAL?
RCMP 5614, the Application for Renewal of a Firearms Licence for an Individual. The RCMP’s renewal page names it as the paper route, beside the online one. The first-time form, RCMP 5592, is a different form.
Can I renew my PAL online?
The RCMP offers online renewal through Individual Web Services, with sign-in by GCKey or a Sign-in Partner. Its renewal page lists four situations where online renewal is not available, including a Minor’s Licence and a renewal already in progress.
How much does it cost to renew a PAL?
$70.38 for a non-restricted PAL and $93.84 for a restricted PAL until March 30, 2027, rising to $72.35 and $96.47 on March 31, 2027, per the RCMP’s service fees page checked September 20, 2026. The 5614 information sheet states the fee is non-refundable.
Do I need references to renew a PAL?
Form RCMP 5614 has no references section, no photo guarantor and no training section. References belong to the first-time form, RCMP 5592.
How early does the renewal notice arrive?
Three months before expiry. The RCMP’s renewal page states that the Canadian Firearms Program sends licence renewal notices to valid individual licence holders three months before the date of expiry.
Process information only, not legal advice. Every figure and quotation here was read on rcmp.ca on September 20, 2026 or October 17, 2026, and fees, forms and windows change. The Canadian Firearms Program is the authority on your licence: 1-800-731-4000. More licensing guides are in the guides index.