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PAL Practice Test 2026 – Free CFSC / PAL Questions

Original questions written from the official Canada (national) handbook, with an explanation for every answer.

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Which of these meets the storage rules for an unloaded non-restricted rifle at home?

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7 sets of 25 questions. Each set is fixed, so you can repeat it until you score 100%.

Exam facts

Key facts: Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC) Written Test – PAL

Free PAL practice tests for the written exam of the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC). Every question is original and explains the safety rule behind the answer, with a citation to the RCMP's CFSC Student Handbook or a current RCMP Canadian Firearms Program page. No sign-up, no limits, and your progress stays on your device.

This is safety education only. Our questions cover the Vital Four ACTS, PROVE it safe, ammunition, actions and safeties, safe handling and carrying, range and field safety, care and cleaning, owner responsibilities, and the federal rules for storing, displaying and transporting non-restricted firearms. We do not cover buying, selling, building or modifying firearms.

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Every question is tagged to one topic from the official handbook. Pick a topic to drill just that area.

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Sample CFSC / PAL questions

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  1. 1Which of these meets the storage rules for an unloaded non-restricted rifle at home?
    • A. Leaving it unlocked under a bed
    • B. Keeping it in a closed soft case in the hall closet
    • C. A trigger lock fitted so it cannot be fired
    • D. Hanging it unlocked on a wall rack

    An unloaded non-restricted firearm must have a secure locking device (or its bolt removed) so it cannot fire, or be locked in a cabinet, container or room that is hard to break into.

  2. 2Which shotgun choke gives the tightest shot pattern?
    • A. Full choke
    • B. Modified choke
    • C. Improved cylinder
    • D. Cylinder bore

    Choke narrows the muzzle to control the spread of shot. Full choke gives the tightest pattern; modified and improved cylinder are more open, and cylinder bore, with no narrowing, is the most open.

  3. 3According to the course, how far can some rifle bullets travel?
    • A. No more than one kilometre
    • B. About the length of a football field
    • C. More than five kilometres
    • D. About 300 metres at most

    The handbook says shotguns can fire shot farther than the length of a football field, and some rifles can send a bullet more than five kilometres. Always know the dangerous range of your ammunition.

  4. 4You move to a new home. Within how many days must you tell the Canadian Firearms Program?
    • A. 90 days
    • B. 30 days
    • C. 7 days
    • D. 1 year

    Licence holders must inform the Canadian Firearms Program within 30 days of an address change.

  5. 5How is a pump-action firearm cycled?
    • A. By lifting and pulling back a bolt handle
    • B. By sliding the fore-end back and forth
    • C. By swinging a lever down behind the trigger
    • D. By breaking the barrel open at the breech

    A pump (slide or trombone) action is worked by moving the fore-end back and forth. It is most common on shotguns.

  6. 6Your hunting partner has had two beers at lunch. What should you do?
    • A. Make him use a shotgun instead of a rifle
    • B. Let him shoot if he feels fine
    • C. Not go shooting with him for the rest of the day
    • D. Let him carry an unloaded firearm only

    Never consume alcohol or drugs around firearms, and do not go shooting with anyone who has. Alcohol and some medications affect judgment, reactions and balance.

  7. 7You find an old original muzzleloader in a relative's attic. What should happen before anyone fires it?
    • A. Use smokeless powder for a cleaner burn
    • B. A qualified gunsmith should inspect it
    • C. Fire a light charge to test it first
    • D. Clean it and fire it with a full charge

    Older firearms may not be safe to fire. Have an old muzzleloader dismantled, examined and declared safe by a qualified gunsmith before use.

  8. 8What ammunition should you carry when you go shooting?
    • A. A mix of calibres in case you need them
    • B. Only the type you intend to shoot in that firearm
    • C. Any shells that fit easily in the chamber
    • D. Whatever ammunition is left from last season

    Carry only the type of ammunition you intend to shoot and use only the ammunition the firearm was designed for. Mixed ammunition leads to loading the wrong round.

  9. 9A hunter owns a modern reproduction of a percussion-cap muzzleloading rifle. Which is true?
    • A. It is an antique and needs no licence at all
    • B. It is a prohibited device that cannot be owned
    • C. It is a non-restricted firearm and needs a licence
    • D. It is a restricted firearm that must be registered

    Reproductions of flintlock, wheel-lock and matchlock long guns made after 1897 are antiques, but reproductions of percussion-cap muzzleloaders are non-restricted firearms. You need a licence to possess one; registration is not required.

  10. 10What does a mechanical safety actually do?
    • A. It blocks part of the firing system, such as the firing pin
    • B. It makes the firearm impossible to fire under any blow
    • C. It unloads the chamber automatically when the action is opened
    • D. It locks the magazine so no rounds can be fed

    A safety interrupts the firing sequence by blocking one or more of the trigger, sear, hammer or firing pin. It does not unload the firearm, and a hard blow can still fire some firearms with the safety on.

About the test

About the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC) Written Test – PAL

The Canadian Firearms Safety Course is the federal safety course for non-restricted firearms, such as most ordinary rifles and shotguns. According to the RCMP, every first-time applicant must pass it before applying for a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL). After the classroom instruction there is a written test and a practical test, both given by instructors designated by your province's or territory's Chief Firearms Officer.

Anyone 12 or older can take the course and its tests. Children under 12 may attend for education only. People aged 12 to 17 who pass can apply for a Minor's Licence, which lets them borrow non-restricted firearms for approved purposes; adults apply for the PAL, which is renewed every five years. Anyone who also wants restricted firearms must pass a second course, the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC). This site covers the CFSC only.

The RCMP lists what the CFSC teaches: the evolution of firearms, their major parts, types and actions; basic safety practices; ammunition; operating actions; safe handling and carrying; firing techniques; care of non-restricted firearms; the responsibilities of owners and users; and safe storage, display, transport and handling. Our twelve topics follow that list, and the practical test skills (handling actions, PROVE it safe, carries) are explained step by step so you can rehearse them in your head.

Our main source is the RCMP's CFSC Student Handbook, 5th edition (2014), the most recent edition we could find on the Government of Canada publications site. Some firearms laws have changed since 2014, so for licensing, storage, transport, classes of firearms and magazine limits we use the current RCMP Canadian Firearms Program pages instead. Every question is written in our own words; we never copy the handbook or any exam.

The RCMP does not publish the number of questions on the written test or the pass mark; instructors give and mark the tests. Course providers commonly describe a written test with a pass mark of 80 per cent, but because that is not on an official page we treat it as unconfirmed. Ask your instructor about the exact format. This site is independent: it is not affiliated with the RCMP, the Canadian Firearms Program or any Chief Firearms Officer, and passing our practice tests does not give you a course certificate or a licence.

Study plan

How to prepare

  1. 1Learn the Vital Four ACTS and the five PROVE steps until you can say them in order without thinking. They appear in almost every part of the written and practical tests.
  2. 2Practise the order for unloading a firearm with a detachable magazine: point safely, remove the magazine, then open the action and check the chamber, feeding path and bore.
  3. 3Know the six action types (muzzleloader, hinge, bolt, lever, pump, semi-automatic) and the common safeties, and remember that a safety is never a reason to relax.
  4. 4Study ammunition matching: head stamp to data stamp, gauge versus calibre, shell length, and why a 20-gauge shell in a 12-gauge barrel is so dangerous.
  5. 5Memorize the misfire rule: keep the muzzle pointed safely and wait 60 seconds before opening the action.
  6. 6Learn the six carries and when each one is safe, plus how to cross a fence alone and in a group.
  7. 7Read the RCMP page on storing, transporting and displaying firearms, and know how the rules differ for non-restricted and restricted firearms.
  8. 8Take one topic test at a time, read every explanation, then try the 50-question mock exams. Aim for 45 or more out of 50 before your course.

FAQ

CFSC / PAL test questions people ask

Do I need the CFSC to get a PAL?

Yes, as a general rule. The RCMP says first-time licence applicants must pass the Canadian Firearms Safety Course before applying for a Possession and Acquisition Licence. A few exceptions exist, such as some Manitoba and Quebec hunter-safety courses passed before 1995.

How many questions are on the CFSC written test?

The RCMP does not publish the number of questions or a fixed time limit. Instructors designated by the Chief Firearms Officer give and mark the test. Our mock exams use 50 questions as a practice standard.

What is the CFSC pass mark?

The RCMP pages do not state a pass mark. Course providers commonly describe 80 per cent on each test, but treat that as unconfirmed and ask your instructor. Our mock exams use 40 out of 50 (80 per cent) as a practice target.

Is there a practical test?

Yes. The RCMP says the CFSC has both a written test and a practical test after the classroom instruction. The practical test checks safe handling. Our questions explain the handling steps, but you can only practise them with real training firearms under an instructor.

How old do I have to be to take the CFSC?

Anyone 12 or older can take the course and its tests. Children under 12 can attend for educational purposes only. People aged 12 to 17 apply for a Minor's Licence; adults apply for a PAL.

Does this cover the restricted course (CRFSC)?

No. The Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course is a separate course with its own tests on handguns and restricted firearms. These practice tests cover the non-restricted CFSC only.

Are these the real CFSC exam questions?

No. The CFSC tests are not published. Every question here is original and written from the RCMP Student Handbook and current RCMP Canadian Firearms Program pages. Understanding the safety rules is what prepares you for the test.

How much does the PAL application cost?

The RCMP lists a fee of $70.38 for a non-restricted Possession and Acquisition Licence until March 30, 2027, rising to $72.35 on March 31, 2027. The safety course itself is priced by each instructor.

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