r/canadaguns • u/OkPineapple7726 • Aug 09 '26

Application / Regulation advice Gun registration Quebec?

Hi, hope everyone is doing well. I just had a question regarding Quebec gun ownership. Let's say I live in Ontario and plan on moving to Quebec with unrestricted firearms. Do I have to register them?

The reason I'm asking is because im seeing a lot of differing opinions online and can't seem to find a very straight answer. Some say you only have to register them if you keep them longer than 2 months in the province? So if every month I go to the range in Ontario, I never have to register them because the "clock" gets reset every time I go?

Some say QC only has a ~25-35% registration rate, so I guess the vast majority of people are "not keeping them for longer than 60 consecutive days in the province"?

If I purchase firearms in the future and send them to my parents' house in ON, then collect them, and every 59 days I bring them across the border in ON, I never have to register them?

Thank you for any insight on this; I appreciate it!

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u/FilterAccount69 Aug 10 '26

Nobody registers them here, who cares. It's not criminal and I've never heard of someone getting in trouble. In theory if you hunt they are supposed to ask, they didnt ask when the game warden stopped me. Only wanted to see my PAL and hunting license.

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u/lessard14 Aug 10 '26

NAL, safest way to go is almost always to follow the rules. But yeah as far as I'm aware nobody register them unless they have to. It's also very common when selling between Quebec PAL holder to ask in various ways if a gun is registered. I've heard "Never went to the SAAQ" (Société de l'assurance automobile, car registration), "never registered" etc.

Because someone selling wouldn't want to keep guns they don't own registered under their name, you're forced to register them when buying an already registered gun, for the seller to be unburdened by the registry.

For many, preferences complexify the purchasing process. For instance, the few people I know that are interested in owning a makasi/Carmel wouldn't buy it from a store because it would come registered.

If you're the better safe than sorry type, just register them. Realistically, it shouldn't be an issue. If you're like most, don't worry about it and just don't. Realistically, it shouldn't be an issue.

Again, not a lawyer.

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u/FilterAccount69 Aug 10 '26

People on reddit just repeat not a lawyer for some reason as if it matters, even if you were a lawyer it wouldn't be construed as legal advice... You don't need to say not a lawyer it's a useless phrase.

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u/lessard14 Aug 10 '26

You're right, but no one wants to be looked at as a source of legal certainty, and that's why its used. Basically OP needs to fully understand there's risks associated with the decision to be taken and a lawyer could help them properly assess those risks and help them take a decision. But Reddit isn't the right place for that. It's all opinion based feedback, not a professional consultation. But I get your point. It's kind of obvious and hopefully OP clearly understands this without every redditor repeating NAL with every response.

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u/OkPineapple7726 Aug 10 '26

I understand, thanks!