Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC)
The Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC) is a requirement to upgrade your existing PAL licence to an RPAL firearms licence with the maximum civilian firearm ownership privileges with this RPAL course (CRFSC). Get your RPAL so you can collect and target shoot with more interesting Restricted Firearms. This also helps you meet requirements of many law enforcement and security job applications.
CRFSC course $150.00
CRFSC exams $60.00
CRFSC Total: $210 .
See our Course Schedule for the next Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC) stand-alone course scheduled in Ottawa.
Combo courses are offered more often than CRFSC (RPAL) “stand-alone” courses due to high demand. When you choose to “upgrade” your PAL to an RPAL and no courses are scheduled, let us know you are interested and we will run an CRFSC standalone course as soon as there is sufficient interest.
Note: Take the pre-requisite CFSC (Non-Restricted PAL) course and exams or have a valid PAL licence to attend this course. (This course is always available as part of the combined course bundle).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the government is still issuing RPAL licenses and is there a plan to stop issuing RPAL’s.
We have received confirmation from the Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) of Ontario that the government is still issuing RPAL licences (PAL with restricted privileges) and there are no plans to stop issuing them in the future. The CFO has confirmed that students who successfully complete the CRFSC course and exam will still be able to apply for a PAL with restricted privileges.
Are all restricted firearms affected by the recent ‘handgun freeze’ regulations?
Only transfers of handguns have been affected by recent ‘handgun freeze’ regulations.All other restricted firearms transfers will continue to be transferred normally.
Why should I take the CRFSC (RPAL) Course if I have no interest in restricted firearms or if there is a ‘handgun freeze’?
There are many reasons to take the CRFSC, and we are encouraging students to continue forward obtaining their RPAL licence:
1. Not all handgun transfers have been frozen. The government has a list of exceptions where handguns transfers will still be granted;
2. You still require an RPAL licence for many employment purposes (ie. many security, law enforcement, wilderness protection, and other employment opportunities);
3. You still require an RPAL licence to purchase restricted rifles/shotguns;
4. You still require an RPAL licence to borrow restricted firearms;
5. You still require an RPAL licence to use restricted firearms at a range (handguns are still used at shooting ranges, and there are clubs that have handguns available for use);
6. The firearms laws in Canada are currently in an extreme state of flux. Many new changes to firearms laws have occurred recently and more and more changes keep being proposed. It makes sense in this climate to maintain the highest level of licencing privileges on your firearm licence. The government can re-classify your one-time non-restricted firearm into the restricted firearm category at any time (even without passing any new legislation); and
7. You also get a broader introduction to firearms safety training, and extra hands-on training time with firearms by attending the CRFSC. You should learn how to handle all firearms safely.
8. Many students come back later to upgrade their licence for personal or employment reasons. Do it all at once to be prepared for the future and take a combo course..
UPGRADE YOUR PAL TO AN RPAL WITH OTTAWA FIREARM SAFETY
Students always get the best experience when high quality firearms are used and when there are enough firearms in the classroom for all of the students. Ottawa Firearm Safety will always offer both, so students won’t waste their time standing around waiting for a firearm to practice on.
Firearm handling time will never be rushed, and the firearms are clean, smooth handling and easy to use. Ensuring each students’ comfort and familiarity with all of the firearms by the end of the course, and results in very high practical firearms-handling exam scores.
Proper instruction of students from small class sizes enhances the student experience. Firearms Safety Instructors certified by the Chief Firearms Officer (CFO) of Ontario deliver the CRFSC course material and exams.
Important Information Before Registering for a CFSC Standalone (PAL Only) Course
Before you register in a CFSC Standalone:
It is important to understand the implications of enrolling in a Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC) as a standalone course. Once you have completed the CFSC Standalone, it can be very challenging to find a Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC) offered on its own at a later date. This difficulty arises because most providers do not offer the CRFSC as a separate course; instead, they typically include it as part of a combined CFSC/CRFSC Combo course.
No, it is not easy to find a CRFSC course that is not part of a combo course
We are hearing from more and more students recently who have enrolled in CFSC Standalone courses with other providers. These students are under the impression that it is easy to find a CRFSC course at a later date. Please understand that this is not the case. And many people are finding themselves in a situation where they need to upgrade their licence and end up retaking the entire CFSC course as part of a combo course in order to get the CRFSC designation on their licence – which is very expensive and time consuming.
Upgrading your PAL Licence
If you intend to upgrade your Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) in the future, please be aware that the CRFSC Standalone course is longer than the CRFSC portion of a Combo course and the cost is higher than when taken as part of a combo course. In addition, it is not possible to simply attend only the CRFSC portion of a Combo course if you have already completed the CFSC Standalone.
As a result, you will likely have to repeat the CFSC course and invest additional time and resources should you wish to add the CRFSC training at a later date.
CRFSC Standalone Course Availability
Due to the intense demand for CFSC/CRFSC Combo courses, most training providers will offer the CFSC/CRFSC Combo course. It is uncommon to find providers in the region offering both CFSC & CFSC standalone options separately. Therefore, carefully consider your long-term licensing needs before registering for a CFSC standalone course. Also understand that many people initially didn’t expect themselves to be interested in, or require an RPAL licence, but then circumstances change where they want it, or need it later.
The CRFSC course is always available on our schedule as part of a Combo course, but you must attend the CFSC portion of the Combo course in order to attend.
The only possible exception: If you have taken your CFSC course within 30 days, it is possible to sit in on the CRFSC portion of a Combo course. Contact us if you are in this situation, and in rare circumstances, we may be able to assist you. However, if you took your CFSC over 30 days ago you must find a CRFSC Standalone course or take a Combo course.