Must you carry your Firearm registration papers at all times?

greg11

greg11

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I was in the gun store and the clerk was selling a gun to another customer.
I was walking by and I heard him say to keep the recipt because it had on it all the relevant registration info and that a cop would want to see it if there was an issue...

Is this true or not? I don't think it is...
 
You can be asked to produce the registration certificate for a firearm. If you cannot produce the registration certificate, the firearm can be held until you do. The receipt isn't a registration certificate, but the information on it might be accepted.
 
Not true. In the case of a Restricted you must carry the reg cert and the appropriate ATT. In the case of a Non Restricted there is no such obligation to carry the reg cert with you but, if questioned by a peace officer, possession of such may assist you in avoiding having your firearm seized though such details as contained on the reg cert can be ascertained by a LE check of the registry ( not always possible in wilderness areas etc or if the peace officer is not a sworn member etc - e.g a conservation officer ).
 
True or not true, I don't really care, but I carry the cert for the firearm I have with me at the time, restricted or non restricted. My time is important to me, and I don't need it wasted waiting around for someone to verify if the firearms I have are mine or not. All my certs are laminated, are paper thin and I see no issue in putting them in my wallet, backpack, pant pocket, ammo can, and so on. If I get asked, I can produce the documents required and I am on my way within minutes, and I can enjoy my hunt, my target shoot, or even the drive to the activity or just getting home. I don't find it a burden to have the right documents with me, fortunately so far I have never been asked for them.

To me it's the same as having my drivers license, ownership, insurance, credit card, debit card, one never knows when one will need anyone of those, but being without them can only cause time loss if you don't have em with you and you need em......

Just to clarify, I only have my certs, att and any relevant paper work for my firearms only during the times I actually have firearms with me, the only 2 things I carry always that are firearm related are my RPAL and Outdoor Card
 
you do need to have the registration documents with the gun, in the scenario you over heard, it takes a few days to receive that document and in the mean time a receipt of sale can be used as a temporary registration document within reason of the date of sale
 
Two part answer:

Part 1: When you purchase a new gun, you will be given a receipt/transfer information which has a reference number for the firearm transfer, issued by the Registry. The actual registration comes in the mail in a few weeks. This should suffice for a non-restricted firearm until you receive the official document, otherwise, how do you get your new firearm home?


Part two: I carry my Registration papers with the firearm. Why not avoid any hassle should you be asked to produce it? Its a really small piece of paper. I figure let them check what they need, and I'll be on my way much sooner.
 
No need. COs, or police can get access the info in minutes. I had a CO run my serial number while on a moose hunt in Armstrong. He called it in on his satellite phone. There was apparently a bunch of rifles stolen in that area days before, and one of mine were the same. No issues, and no problem.
 
117.03 (1) Notwithstanding section 117.02, a peace officer who finds
(a) a person in possession of a firearm who fails, on demand, to produce, for inspection by the peace officer, an authorization or a licence under which the person may lawfully possess the firearm and a registration certificate for the firearm, or
(b) a person in possession of a prohibited weapon, a restricted weapon, a prohibited device or any prohibited ammunition who fails, on demand, to produce, for inspection by the peace officer, an authorization or a licence under which the person may lawfully possess it,
may seize the firearm, prohibited weapon, restricted weapon, prohibited device or prohibited ammunition unless its possession by the person in the circumstances in which it is found is authorized by any provision of this Part, or the person is under the direct and immediate supervision of another person who may lawfully possess it.

Return of seized thing on production of authorization

(2) Where a person from whom any thing is seized pursuant to subsection (1) claims the thing within fourteen days after the seizure and produces for inspection by the peace officer by whom it was seized, or any other peace officer having custody of it,



SHORT ANSWER YES YOU MUST. If not they can confiscate and you have 14 days to produce the registration. They do not have to run the serial or your name through the computer system to verify. Plus that part of the system could be down for maintenance.
 
Problem is they can call it in but what happens when the officer decides not to. If they are calling it in, it's a favor to you and they are being a decent guy at any point they can decided to not call it in and just take the rifle. Till you prove it's yours. I carry mine in my wallet now, I forget things a lot if they aren't in my wallet so that's where they stay.

The one and only day I forgot my lic. I ran into a cop in the parking lot of my range. He didn't stop me but still he was there and my lic. wasn't. Because I forgot my range bag where I use to keep my certs and my lic. I moved it to the wallet since that's the one thing I will take with me when I leave the house.
 
Last edited:
greg11 said:
I was in the gun store and the clerk was selling a gun to another customer.
I was walking by and I heard him say to keep the recipt because it had on it all the relevant registration info and that a cop would want to see it if there was an issue...

Is this true or not? I don't think it is...
Click to expand...

You over heard by your own admission part of a conversation.
The rest of the conversation was likely " When you take the gun home , after purchase the transfer number will be on the receipt"
It would appear the guy was about to be a new gun owner.
Tight Groups,
Rob
 
Interesting. I don't carry my registration cards with me when carrying my non restricted guns. Only for the restricted.

May have to change my plan. Thanks for the information.
 
I have a few photocopies of all my documents stashed in different places, so that I can't forget anything.
 
I keep photocopies of all my registration certificates in a little shoulder bag. Anytime I go shooting/hunting the bag gets tossed in the truck with the rest of my gear.
 
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