What the CFSC test involves
If you are applying for a firearms licence in Canada for the first time, you normally have to pass the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC) before you apply for a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL). After the in-class instruction you do two tests: a written test and a practical test, where you show an instructor that you can handle and operate firearms safely.
If you also want to acquire restricted firearms, such as most handguns, you must take the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC) and pass its own written and practical tests. A PAL with restricted privileges is often called an RPAL.
| Course | Who it is for | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| CFSC | Anyone 12 or older who wants a PAL or a Minor's Licence for non-restricted firearms | Written and practical |
| CRFSC | Adults who want to acquire restricted firearms | Written and practical |
Courses are delivered in person by approved instructors, arranged through each province's or territory's Chief Firearms Officer. The length of the course, how the written test is set out and the exact pass mark are set by the course, not published on the RCMP website, so ask your instructor when you book. In Ontario, for example, the course provider lists a minimum of 8 instructional hours for the CFSC and 6 for the CRFSC, not counting the tests.
What the course covers
The RCMP lists these topics for the CFSC. Our question bank is built around them.
- The evolution of firearms, their major parts, types and actions
- Basic firearms safety practices
- Ammunition
- Operating firearm actions
- Safe handling and carry procedures
- Firing techniques and procedures
- Care of non-restricted firearms
- The responsibilities of the firearms owner and user
- Safe storage, display, transportation and handling of non-restricted firearms
The CRFSC covers the same ground for restricted firearms, with a focus on handgun actions, firing techniques for handguns, and the stricter storage, display and transport rules.
How our practice test is organized
| Section | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Firearm safety rules (ACTS and PROVE) | The safety rules, muzzle control, trigger discipline, proving a firearm safe |
| Actions and ammunition | Parts of a firearm, bolt, lever, pump, hinge and semi-automatic actions, cartridges, shotshells, misfires and hangfires |
| Safe handling and transport | Carries, crossing fences, hunting in a group, the range, vehicles and mailing |
| Storage, display and the law | Storage and display rules, classes of firearms, licences, minors, transfers and magazine limits |
| Restricted firearms (CRFSC) | Handguns, revolvers and pistols, the handgun freeze, Authorizations to Transport, restricted storage and display |
Our mock test gives you 50 questions drawn from the first four sections, which match the CFSC. Practise the restricted section on its own if you are also taking the CRFSC.
Topics that trip people up
- ACTS and PROVE. Know what every letter stands for and why the steps come in that order. ACTS starts with Assume every firearm is loaded, and PROVE starts with pointing the muzzle in the safest available direction.
- Storage rules. A non-restricted firearm must be unloaded and either fitted with a secure locking device, have its bolt removed, or be locked in a container or room that is hard to break into. Ammunition must not be readily accessible unless it is locked up too.
- "Unloaded" in law. Under the regulations, a firearm is unloaded when there is no cartridge in the chamber or in a magazine attached to or inserted in it.
- Transport and vehicles. Non-restricted firearms must be unloaded. In an unattended vehicle, they go in a locked trunk, or out of sight in a locked vehicle if there is no trunk. Restricted firearms also need a locking device and a locked opaque container.
- Classes of firearms. Learn the measurements that decide whether a firearm is non-restricted, restricted or prohibited, such as the 470 mm and 105 mm barrel lengths and the 660 mm overall length.
How to prepare
Read the student handbook your instructor gives you, then use section practice to work through one topic at a time. Read every explanation, including on the questions you get right, because many questions turn on one word, such as "and" versus "or" in the storage rules. Take full mock tests until you score well above the level you need, then practise the hands-on steps for the practical test with your instructor.
Firearms law in Canada has changed several times since 2020, including the handgun freeze and new rules on magazines. Our questions follow the laws and RCMP guidance in force on the date shown below. If a rule changes, your instructor and the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program have the final word.
Aptitude Tests Canada is an independent practice platform. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the RCMP, the Canadian Firearms Program, any Chief Firearms Officer or the Government of Canada. Our questions are original practice questions written from the public laws and RCMP guidance, not real exam questions.
Three worked examples
One question from different sections of the full pack, with the answer and explanation.
In ACTS, what does the letter C stand for?
- Control the muzzle direction at all times
- Check your target before loading
- Carry the firearm with the action closed
- Clean the bore after every outing
What are the three major parts of a firearm?
- Action, barrel, and stock or frame
- Hammer, trigger and firing pin
- Muzzle, sights and sling
- Cartridge, primer and powder
Which carry gives you the best control of the muzzle?
- The trail carry
- The shoulder carry for walking in open ground
- The sling carry over one shoulder
- The two-hand (ready) carry