How to get a hunting licence in Ontario

Step by step

1. Take the Ontario Hunter Education Course

   The ministry offers two ways to take it: an in-person, instructor-led course or a self-directed online course. It covers hunting safety and equipment, regulations and laws, hunter responsibilities, wildlife management, hunting techniques and wildlife identification.

   Source: Ontario — Hunter education

2. Pass the exam and keep your proof of completion

   Both versions end with an exam. When you pass, you receive proof of completion, which you need for the next step. New Ontario residents who have lived here for at least 6 months and took hunter education in their home jurisdiction may not need the course.

   Source: Ontario — Hunter education

3. If you will hunt with a gun, complete the federal firearms course

   Gun hunters must also have passed the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and hold a valid PAL, a valid minor's licence or proof of completing the course. Many instructors offer a one-stop course that combines the hunter education course and the firearms safety course; you can also take them separately.

   Source: Ontario — Hunter education

4. Register your hunter accreditation at ServiceOntario

   Bring your proof of completion in person to a participating ServiceOntario location that offers hunting licence services, so your hunter accreditation is added to your Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service account. The ministry says online submission of accreditation will also be accepted starting in early 2027.

   Source: Ontario — Hunter education

5. Get an Outdoors Card

   A valid Outdoors Card is required before you can buy hunting products. It costs $8.57 plus HST, is valid for 3 calendar years and can be bought online through the Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service, by phone at 1-800-288-1155, from a licence issuer or at a participating ServiceOntario location. The card can take up to 20 days to arrive by mail; your licence summary is temporary proof meanwhile.

   Source: Ontario — Get an Outdoors Card and licence summary

6. Buy the licences and tags for your game

   Once your accreditation is on file you can buy licences and tags online, by phone, at a licence issuer or at ServiceOntario. Licences are specific to the game and expire on December 31 each year unless stated otherwise; deer, moose, elk, black bear and wild turkey need tags, and some big game requires a draw.

   Source: Ontario — Hunting licence (Ontario residents)

7. File your mandatory hunter report

   If you buy or are issued a tag for deer, elk, black bear, wild turkey or wolf/coyote (where a tag is required), or a moose licence, you must complete a hunter report, even if you did not hunt or harvest an animal. Failing to report adds a $25 surcharge.

   Source: Ontario — Hunting licence (Ontario residents)

Who can get it

• Ontario resident: your primary residence is in Ontario and you have lived here for at least 6 consecutive months in the 12 months before you apply for a licence. Source: Ontario — Hunting licence (Ontario residents)
• At least 16 years old to hunt as a resident, or 15 with written parental consent. Residents aged 12 to 14 can hunt only through the Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Program, under a licensed mentor. Source: Ontario — Hunting licence (Ontario residents)
• A pass in the Ontario Hunter Education Program or an Ontario-recognized equivalent, submitted so that hunter accreditation is on your Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service account. Older proof, such as an Ontario hunting licence issued after January 1, 1968, also counts. Source: Ontario — Hunting licence (Ontario residents)
• To hunt with a gun: a pass in the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and a valid PAL, a valid minor's licence or proof of completing the course. Source: Ontario — Hunter education

What it costs

Fees change. Check the amount on the official page or with the provider before you pay.

Where to take the test

Choose an in-person, instructor-led course or the self-directed online course. The ministry points to the Firearms Safety Education Service of Ontario to find an instructor, including one-stop courses that combine hunter education with the Canadian Firearms Safety Course. Source: Ontario — Hunter education

What to bring or have ready

• To ServiceOntario: your copy of the proof of completion from the hunter education course. Only participating ServiceOntario locations that provide hunting licence services can file it. Source: Ontario — Hunter education
• To buy an Outdoors Card: your legal first, middle and last name, date of birth, mailing or residential address, height and eye colour, and parental consent if you are a resident hunter aged 12 to 15. Payment is by Visa, Visa Debit, Mastercard or Debit Mastercard. Source: Ontario — Get an Outdoors Card and licence summary
• In the field: your valid Outdoors Card, a licence summary listing your licence (paper or on your phone) unless it is printed on the back of the card, any required tags, and federal firearms accreditation such as your PAL if you hunt with a gun. Source: Ontario — Hunting licence (Ontario residents)

After you pass

Take your proof of completion to a participating ServiceOntario location to register your hunter accreditation. Once it is on file, and you hold a valid Outdoors Card, you can buy hunting licences and tags and apply to big game draws. Source: Ontario — Hunter education

Validity and renewal

You pass hunter education once; what you renew are the products. Hunting licences expire on December 31 each year unless stated otherwise, the Outdoors Card is valid for 3 calendar years, and a small game licence can be bought for 1 or 3 years. Source: Ontario — Hunting licence (Ontario residents)

Common mistakes

• Trying to buy your first licence online straight after the course. New hunters must have their accreditation added in person at a participating ServiceOntario location before any hunting product can be bought. Source: Ontario — Hunting licence (Ontario residents)
• Forgetting the federal side. Hunter education alone does not let you hunt with a gun: you also need the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and a PAL or other firearms accreditation. Source: Ontario — Hunter education
• Skipping the hunter report because you did not hunt. Tag and moose licence holders must report even without a harvest, or pay a $25 failure-to-report surcharge. Source: Ontario — Hunting licence (Ontario residents)
• Letting online course access lapse. The online course must be finished within 90 days of payment, after which access expires. Source: HUNTERcourse.com — Ontario online hunter education FAQ
• Leaving the licence summary at home while the Outdoors Card is in the mail. The card can take up to 20 days; carry the licence summary, on paper or your phone, as temporary proof. Source: Ontario — Get an Outdoors Card and licence summary

Prepare for the test

Free practice written from the official material: full practice tests, a study guide, a printable sheet and a timed mock exam.