PAL Wait Time

R-Pal applied from BC

Application received on 2023-05-02

Received an email on Monday asking if the reason for restricted was still target shooting, I responded "YES" and today this is what the site reads:

Updated yesterday:
Current status: Your application has been processed and your licence has been issued. If you have not received your licence within 2 weeks please contact the Canadian Firearms Program Toll Free number (1-800-731-4000).
 
Hi folks! New person here in QC, I'm still waiting for my PAL and I would like to share my timeline:

23/07/2023: CFSC in-person class, theory & practical exams
28/07/2023: CFSC pass result received
31/07/2023: Quebec IHF completed
01/08/2023: Paper application posted
03/08/2023: Delivered, waiting game starts…
14/08/2023: Credit card charged
15/08/2023: On portal: We have completed the initial review of your firearms licence application blablabla...
 
Hi guys, I got my license today and here is my timeline. I'm in BC.

June 29-30, 2023: took CFSC&CRFSC courses
July 05, 2023: Mailed out PAL&RPAL application
July 10, 2023: Mail delivered
July 20, 2023: Credit card charged.
Checked Status on the website: We have completed the initial review of your firearms licence application.......
August 07, 2023: Checked again online, and it changed to "Your application has been processed and your licence has been issued. If you have not received your licence within 2 weeks please contact the Canadian Firearms Program Toll-Free number (1-800-731-4000)"
August 16, 2023: received the license in the mail. and the issued date was August 10.
 
Oh wow that's a good timeline, I waited 11 months for my PAL/RPAL to come in, sent my stuff out Sept 2022 and just received my license 3 weeks ago... also did my courses and sent my application from Vanc Island
 
Just got up this morning and saw the charge, immediately went into the system and checked my application and found it's trackable online.

My timeline:

July 2023&first week of August: Completed both courses(restricted& non-restricted)
August 9: Mailed my Application.(Xpresspost)
August 14: CP said it was delivered on August 14.
August 28: Credit Card was charged at around 8:30AM and it became trackable after 20 mins or so.
Sept 5th: Called RCMP Miramichi, told me my reference's phone number seemed to be missing and then immediately gave them that info. Turned out they have to go through my files to get the phone number. After this, they forwarded my application to Alberta CFO.

Now we wait.
Located in Alberta

I also phoned them this morning and they told me they just processed my application and it was perfect, for now. If they need more information, they will send me an email/mail.

Note: I was not born here and haven't been in Canada for 5 years so I do need a criminal check from home. Fortunately, they have an online system where you can put your ID and they will send you a digital version of your criminal check.

Aug 31: IWS still shows initial review was completed, called CFO Alberta yesterday, lady from CFO was very professional and courteous. She told me my photo was waiting to be scanned in Miramichi and it's gonna take some time.
 
Last edited:
Still waiting.

May 27/28: Completed the courses
June 12: Got the courses' paperwork
July 10: Submitted online
July 10/11: References confirmed
July 11: Application submitted successfully
August 28: Called RCMP, application waiting for review, told me to call in 30 days if nothing happens.
 
The Gun Nut said:
A quick update:

May 10th: Took the course.

July 1st: Received the results.

July 17th: My mail application was received by RCMP.

Aug 1st: My credit card was charged. My application was trackable online for the first time.
My status was and still is: "We have completed the initial review of your firearms license application. If additional information is required, you will be contacted. Please check the status again at a later date."

Aug 15th: I emailed the CFO, and they replied on the same day:
Thank you for your email. Your application has been forwarded to us at the Chief Firearms Office for standard review. At this time, we are not able to provide a date of completion. Please expect a 6-month delay from the date received by the Canadian Firearm Program *2023/07/17* for initial review.
You can check the status of your application online here: https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/firearms/individual-web-services

I hope the wait time isn't actually 6 months!
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Called Ontario CFO today, they also informed me minimum wait time is 6 months for initial review and they cannot expedite an application before the 6 months is up.
 
GliderBuzz said:
Why is that? There's no legal reason for them to withhold the license if everything is good.
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I called the CFO today and according to the lady I talked to they process all applications in the order they received them. The wait time can in fact be less than 6 months, however, they cannot expedite an application before the 6 months is passed. Basically, if you call after 6 months, they pull your application and process it right away.

BTW she also said that the backlog from COVID is still very much alive. I read in the news somewhere that the RCMP had claimed otherwise earlier this year.
 
The Gun Nut said:
I called the CFO today and according to the lady I talked to they process all applications in the order they received them. The wait time can in fact be less than 6 months, however, they cannot expedite an application before the 6 months is passed. Basically, if you call after 6 months, they pull your application and process it right away.

BTW she also said that the backlog from COVID is still very much alive. I read in the news somewhere that the RCMP had claimed otherwise earlier this year.
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Yikes. Well, more time to save for that expensive rifle, I guess... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
Did you have to answer yes to any of the questions? I applied around the same time and got my PAL about 6 weeks after. A friend of mine applied applied a couple months before me but had to answer "yes" to the job related question and he is still waiting.
 
Bjord said:
Did you have to answer yes to any of the questions? I applied around the same time and got my PAL about 6 weeks after. A friend of mine applied applied a couple months before me but had to answer "yes" to the job related question and he is still waiting.
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No! I don’t even have a parking ticket and answered no to all questions.
 
My application was received during late August, and my credit card was billed around the same time. I am hoping a decision will be made before the end of the year.
 
KennyLogan said:
BC wait time:

Submitted in Nov 2022. I heard nothing until I emailed the CFO around July and I was instantly approved the next day!
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Applied for my renewal on Mar 12 , 2023 .. credit card was charged same day , my wife did digital signature for no objection while I was filling the application .. got my gun club membership renewed .. faxed the copy of my membership payment receipt to BC CFO along with a letter and mailed it too ... went to India on March 25 , 2023 .. came back on April 30th ... my firearm licence was already home ... took me about six weeks ...
 
Applied on August 11th. Checked my status on September 9th and my license had been issued and is in the mail. I'm in Ontario and applied online, no boxes checked.
 
I applied in early April. My new card is now in the mail and should be here within two weeks. So, it will have taken 5.5 to 6 months, depending when the mail arrives…
 
Spoke to CFO's office yesterday. Was told minimum wait time for new applicants in Ontario is 6 months due to back log. Have been waiting 4 months so far. Was told to call back after 6 months to expedite. Also inquired into wait times for physical copy of card to arrive after approval and was told that printing department was not backlogged and would be regularly scheduled Canada post mail times (3 to 4 weeks). Will update as necessary.
 
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