Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice. All materials in this post have been prepared and are provided for general information purposes only to permit you to learn more about the process. The information presented is not legal advice, is not to be acted on as such, may not be current, is subject to change without notice, and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter. You should not act or refrain from acting on the basis of any content included in this post without seeking legal or other professional advice. The contents of this post contain general information and may not reflect current legal developments or address your situation. I disclaim all liability for actions you take or fail to take based on any content on this post.
The basics
There are currently two ways for individuals to acquire handguns in Canada. This post explains one of them, commonly known as the "Olympic exemption." This post focuses on restricted handguns, so any reference to "handguns" below means restricted handguns.
To acquire a handgun you must obtain a registration certificate for that specific handgun. Registration certificates for handguns are no longer issued to individuals unless they are exempted by law. Individuals covered by the Olympic exemption can get registration certificates for handguns issued, meaning they can acquire handguns.
How do you get the Olympic exemption?
By annually providing an exemption letter from a provincial or national sport shooting governing body to a Chief Firearms Officer (CFO).
Quésaco?: the letter is what allows new acquisitions. It is NOT required TO KEEP a handgun you already have a registration certificate for. So if you acquire a handgun this year and don't provide a letter next year, you keep the handgun, you just can't acquire new ones until you provide another letter.
Provincial vs. national sport shooting governing body
Each province has its own process for getting a letter from the provincial shooting governing body, and some provinces don't issue them at all. For example, the FQTIR in Quebec does not issue them, but the BCTSA in British Columbia does.
If your province does not issue letters or if you live in a territory, you go through a national sport shooting governing body such as the Shooting Federation of Canada (SFC), which covers all of Canada and has a somewhat standardized process.
Do the provincial bodies in my province issue letters?
- Alberta — NO
- British Columbia — BCTSA
- Manitoba — NO
- New Brunswick — NO
- Newfoundland and Labrador — NO
- Nova Scotia — NO
- Ontario — NO
- Prince Edward Island — NO
- Quebec — NO
- Saskatchewan — NO
If there is a change in you province, please drop a comment or DM me so I can update this post.
How to get a letter from the SFC
The process is neither quick nor easy, but people have reported it working for them. It is not a recommended path, and not a guarantee that any given step is required or sufficient in your case. Adapt as needed for your situation and keep in mind that issuance of a letter is discretionary.
- Get your RPAL. If you're in Quebec, also complete your Loi 9 course.
- Join a shooting club.
- Join the SFC by buying a membership and stay a member in good standing (don't do anything stupid).
- Get access to a suitable handgun to train and compete with. For the SFC, "suitable" means a .22 LR handgun. In practice this means finding someone, a friend or a club, to lend you one, either on the spot or longer term. This is the convoluted step. Some people report using handguns of other calibers, air pistols/rifles, or even .22 LR rifles and still getting the letter. The most commonly reported method remains .22 LR handguns. If you've personally done it with something else, please share your first-hand story (not hearsay) in the comments.
- Train for roughly 4–6 months. This is the figure the SFC keeps citing as what most people submit. This means shooting at a club and documenting it (photos of yourself and/or dated, signed targets).
- Shoot at least one match during this period. Some say it must be a sanctioned event, others say club matches count, and a few report no competing at all. The most commonly reported method is at least one SFC-sanctioned match, because the SFC gets those results on file. For club matches, get proof (photos, scores, registry, etc.). The point is to show the SFC that you actually train and/or compete.
- Email the director of sport development (the members email on the SFC website) with all your collected proof and inquire about getting an exemption letter.
- Tell them which handgun make/model you want the letter for. The handgun must meet ISSF/Olympic pistol standards. Current policy appears to be at most 3 handguns per exemption, .22 LR only. If you wanted a 4th, you'd have to forfeit one of your existing exemptions (you keep any handgun you already acquired, you just lose the ability to acquire a new one under that slot). Some people report getting open-ended exemptions covering any and all .22 LR handguns meeting Olympic specifications.
- Wait for the SFC to send you the exemption letter. Once received, send it to the seller.
- Buy the handgun. The seller will initiate a transfer and submit your exemption letter to the CFO. \This step needs clarification on the timeline of the import process with an importer. Please share your experience.*
- Wait for CFO approval. Once approved, you can pick up the handgun and the transfer is complete. Don't forget your ATTs for every transport at this step.
None of this is a guaranteed formula. The SFC's decision is discretionary at every step, other people have gotten letters with different paths (see the caveats above), and your circumstances may call for a different approach.
Some clarifications from the SFC
- Proof of involvement in the sport is REQUIRED. They are adamant that the intention to train/compete is not sufficient.
- 25m Rimfire Pistol events appear to be the only eligible category. This means ISSF 25m Rimfire Pistol matches and potentially local clubs Bullseye matches.
- What do I submit as proof of involvement? Most shooters submit competition results from open matches, usually supplemented with proof of training such as pictures of signed/dated targets, and their coach or club leader's name and email as references to verify training dates. Some combination of the above, demonstrating involvement over a minimum 4–6 month period.
- How can I borrow a handgun? Clubs are generally aware of the requirements and offer beginner/entry opportunities, including formal or informal chances to borrow a firearm to be introduced to the sport. The harder way involves finding someone who already owns a handgun and is willing to lend it to you. This can be done either by allowing you to use it in their presence or by lending it to you for an extended period, by contacting the CFO.
- Which calibers are eligible? The SFC provides exemption letters for .22 caliber handguns. As part of the application you must specify which firearm you're seeking an exemption for and confirm it meets the ISSF pistol requirements (ISSF Rule Book 2026, Chapter 8, p. 375).
- *UPDATE July 24, 2026* Which competitions count? Based on reports from an Ontario club, Olympic-style Rimfire Pistol Bullseye club competitions DO count toward the exemption letter. However, the SFC advised Rifle Bullseye DOES NOT. Reports suggest you'll need a minimum of 3 match results, spread across at least 2 different clubs.
