By request, below we’ve provided a summary of the special instructions for Minors applying for Hunting / Firearms Licenses.
Graduate Information for Minors (under 18yrs)
Ontario Hunter Education Program
-Guardian must sign Ontario Hunter Education Consent Form (avail. in class, or online at ww.ohep.net) if student is aged 12-15.
-Guardian must sign Consent Form for Hunting License and Outdoors Card (avail. at Ministry of Natural Resources/Services Ontario) if student is aged 12-15. If two Guardians reside at the same address, then both must sign the Consent Form.
-Students entering the “Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Program” will obtain either a Class A1 or Class A2 Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Card (apply at MNR or Services Ontario Center).
-Class A1 Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Card: permits the cardholder to hunt with all methods permitted under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act. Applicants for this version of the Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Card must be 12 years of age or older and will have to provide documentation that they have passed both the Ontario Hunter Education Course exam and the Canadian Firearms Safety Course exam. (Note: to own, acquire and register a gun, you must be 18 years of age or older).
-Class A2 Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Card: permits the cardholder to hunt with all methods permitted under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and regulations except guns. Applicants for this version of the Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Card must be 12 years of age or older and provide documentation that they have passed the Ontario Hunter Education Course / Exam.
-NOTE: The Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Program is mandatory for qualified participants under the age of 15 but is optional for new hunters who are 15 years of age or over.
Other Requirements:
-The Apprentice must be a resident of Ontario.
-The Apprentice, while hunting, must be under the direct and immediate supervision of a mentor who is 18 years of age or older, and who holds a valid Outdoors Card of the equivalent class and hunting license tag for the game species being hunted.
-The Apprentice must share a single firearm with the mentor.
-An Apprentice must possess a federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit to hunt migratory game birds.
-With the exception of migratory game birds, game wildlife taken by the Apprentice must be added to the daily bag limit of the mentor.
-If wild turkey is being hunted, the Apprentice must take the Ontario Wild Turkey Education Course and pass the exam.
-A Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Card is valid for a period of three years.
-The Apprentice must carry the Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Card with them while hunting.
Canadian Firearms Safety Course
-Students aged 12-17 may receive a Minor’s License if applicable.
-A Minors’ License will enable young people to borrow a non-restricted rifle or shotgun for approved purposes such as hunting or target shooting. Generally, the minimum age for a Minor’s License is 12 years. Applicants must have taken the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and passed the test.
-Once a person turns 18, they are no longer eligible for a minor’s license. Instead, they must apply for a Possession and Acquisition License (PAL) and pay the applicable fee.
-In order to obtain a Minor’s License Application, the student’s guardian must call 1-800-731-4000 (then press 1-1-7503) and request hard copy/fax of a Minor’s License Application.
-Upon request, they can fax or mail the necessary forms to a parent / guardian.
Thanks for this! This is a huge help, as I was unsure about the firearms and hunter license application process for minors.
Also, is it legal for a minor (under age 16) to challenge his/her restricted firearms exam?
Susan Wallace
Hi Susan.
Minors (Under 18 yoa) cannot challenge the test. They can only acquire certification, as cited, through the CFSC / OHEP All-in-One Course and subsequent apprenticeship process..
We have recently updated this post with relevant details to help parents and students through this process./
Remember people phone us any time with your questions.
Big Red.
hopefully i can get some help here i have both my minors licence and apprenticeship safety card. I wish to hunt on my own without a mentor with a non restricted firearm i turn 16 this September does this make me eligible to hunt on my own? any help is appreciated
Hi Jake,
At 16, you can technically hunt alone (without direct supervision), provided you’ve acquired your minor’s permit for firearms.
Cheers,
MJ
Mark,
Just to clarify, my son (age 14) can hunt with me (or another licensed person) sharing a gun between us if he has an A1 license and is in direct supervision of a mentor. OR if he has a minors license he can borrow a gun and hunt without the direct supervision of a mentor?
Please clarify the second point. Also if this is the case he would need both the A1 apprenticeship safety card AND the minors license?
Thanks,
Paul
Paul,
You have it correct once your son has received his minor’s permit he can hunt without direct supervision of a Mentor. The level of supervision is decided by the parent or guardian of the Minor and should reflect the level of experience and the circumstances of both the minor and the situation.
Good Luck and Good Hunting.
Red.
Hello, I am 14 years of age. I read that at my age in Ontario, I can obtain my minor’s permit but only borrow a firearm to target shoot, is this correct? And also, another point I wasnt cleared is, When I am 15 and have my minor’s permit for hunting, may I borrow another persons firearm and go out hunting alone, assuming I have the appropriate licence? Also, my father lives 1200km away, and is it possible he purchases a gun and leaves it with me, and I use the “borrow” method, but he doesn’t reside in my town?
Hi Tanner,
In short:
If you’ve already got your Outdoors card, then you’re halfway there.
Yes, you can borrow a firearm for target practice, and at 15 you may definitely borrow a firearm for the purposes of hunting. The Firearms Office will just want to confirm it’s ok with your parent(s), and will briefly speak to them, and/ or your guardian/ mentor on the phone. Whether the distance between you and your father is a problem is a question best answered when he calls.
To get the Minor’s License application, a parent must phone the firearms office to get the form. They will fax or send it by courier.
The numbers and shortcuts are at the bottom of the attached instructions we send home with student’s under aged 18:
===============================================
· Students aged 12-17 -Minor’s License Instructions
A Minors’ License will enable young people to borrow a non-restricted rifle or shotgun for approved purposes such as hunting or target shooting. Generally, the minimum age for a Minor’s License is 12 years. Applicants must have taken the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and passed the test. They will have his test records on file
Once a person turns 18, they are no longer eligible for a minor’s license. Instead, they must apply for a Possession and Acquisition License (PAL) and pay the applicable fee.
In order to obtain a Minor’s License Application, the student’s guardian must call 1-800-731-4000 (then press 1-1-7503) and request hard copy/fax of a Minor’s License Application.
Thanks for the question
MJ
I also read that if you have your minors lisence you are eligible to purchase ammunition, is this true?
true.
Just to clarify, a minor with a license doesn’t have to be under direct supervision to shoot, right? It sounds to me like that is the case but I haven’t read anything saying it is/isn’t true.
Correct. Once you have your minors permit, you no longer have to be under the direct and immediate supervision of a valid PAL holder.
Cheers,
MJ
Hi
Can a 17 year old take the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC) now and then wait 8 months (when they turn 18) and then apply for the Possession and Acquisition License (PAL), or do they have to get their Minor’s License when they take the CFSC?
How long is the Canadian Firearms Safety Course valid, before applying for a License?
Yes. T
They can take the course, and then wait until they are 18 to apply. The “proof” mailed to you by the CFO after successfully completing the course never expires.
Hope that answers you question.
Cheers,
MJ
My son has a minors lisence. Can he hunt where ever he wants? Or do I have to be hunting as well?
Robert,
Does he have his minor’s hunting license, as well as the minor’s firearms license?
How old is he?
Are there any conditions outlined on his license?
As per the RCMP:
“Conditions may be placed on the licence. For example, some supervision may be required when the minor uses a firearm.”
Provided he has his minor’s PAL and no conditional supervision was mandated with the issuance of the license, he should be ok to hunt on lands where he has permission.
MJ
I am looking at getting my 12 year old daughter into hunting. If she obtain’s a A1 hunting licence and minor’s permit for firearm, can we both hunt together with each of us having our own gun or would we still have to share one gun between both of us?
I answered this question earlier on the thread:
Are there any conditions outlined on her license?
As per the RCMP:
“Conditions may be placed on the licence. For example, some supervision may be required when the minor uses a firearm.”
Provided she has his minor’s PAL and no conditional supervision was mandated with the issuance of the license, she should be ok to hunt on lands where he has permission.
Hope this helps
MJ
I am 12 and I am wondering can I use a gun to Target Practice without supervision with my Minor’s Licence?
Please see the previous reply
Hi this is bob I am just wondering if you could purchase ammo when your under 18 with a minors PAL?
Yes. You can.
MJ
Im 15 and dads showed me all my life how to hunt and track. i have my firearms and a hunting outdoors card but dad now lives far away. can a fire arm travell from his house and stay at mine for “borrow”
So if you are 16 you can’t call the CFO to get the forms, your guardian has to?
Yes. You must call 1 800 731 4000
Hi my son is 14 and has his apprentship card and passed his firearms course but I lost his test results. The place where he attended the course has retired and moved .is there a way to obtain a copy somewhere and at what age can one buy a tag
Thanx
In response to your question.
You can call 1 800 731 4000.
That is the chief firearms office primary contact.
If you have the date which you took the course, you can provide it to them and they should be able to look you up in the system.
Cheers,
MJ
Hi, I’m 15. Am I allowed to hunt with a gun with no supervision?
If someone bought me a gun am I allowed to keep it in my own house or does it have to stay at the persons house who bought it for me?
Also can I buy ammo by myself if I have my minors licence or H1?
Sorry for all the questions, thanks!
Hi Nathan,
No problem, ask any questions you have!
1) You can hunt with your own gun as long as you have a Minors’ Licence. However, you do need to be under supervision, meaning someone else has to be out hunting with you (not necessarily in the stand with you, but out in the field at the same time).
2) You can only borrow a gun with a Minors’ Licence, which means that guns have to be stored by someone over 18 with a full PAL.
3) You are allowed purchase ammo with a Minors’ Licence (ammo purchases are covered by the minors’ firearms licence, not the H1 hunting licence).
Hope that helps.
my son is 15 and has his hunting licence and minors licence .So this means he can carry his own gun to hunt, and does not have to share a gun . Is that correct.
thanks
Hi James,
That is correct. He still needs to be supervised while hunting i.e. you or another fully licenced individual need to be out in the field with him, but do not need to be directly by his side.
If doing and passing the firearms course at the age of 16 Is there anyway i can purchase my own firearm or is the borrowing method the only way ?
Hi Jake,
With a Minors’ Licence, you can only borrow non-restricted firearms.
Couple more years!
Howdy! My son is twelve and he passed the minors POL. I got mailed his results but Incant seem to find out what I do with the passed test in order to get his POL card. ALSO i know the minors can obtain ammo legally if they have their minors pol. Im not intirrly sure tho if each province also has restrictions on the minors with pols. I believe even canadian tire has an 18yr plus policy. Or do u know if they will except the cards of a minor. It would be nice if the CFC page had easy to read and understand facts on the subject. Instead they seem to post little tidbits of info that have various and usless info. I live in Ontario by the way. Thanks in advance
Hi Al,
If you send us an email, we can send you the “Graduate Information for Minors” form. It tells you how to apply for a minors’ Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL). You need to contact the CFO for Ontario to have this application sent to you (see the link below for more information).
In terms of buying ammo, minors with a Minors’ Licence Ontario law allows minors to purchase ammo, but each store may have its own policy as well.
See these pages for more information on Minors’ Licences:
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/fs-fd/minor-mineur-eng.htm
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_94a20_e.htm
Contact information for the CFO:
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/cfo-caf/index-eng.htm
Hope that helps!
If I have my minors license when I turn 18 can just apply for my pal or do I unarmed to retake the course or anything lime that? Thanks
You can apply for the adult license as soon as you turn 18.
If you have any questions about the minor to Adult transitions, you can contact the CFO directly at 1800 731 4000
Hello, sorry, I see you have previously answered this question further down the thread, but I was just verifying. I have my hunting liscence but still have yet to accuire my minors liscence. I’m 16 and no one in my house hold has their PAL. I understand I am alowed to hunt with a gun without supervision (with a borrowed gun) but I can’t store it at my house for a short periode of time? I would be borrowing the gun from a relative that lives about 20 minutes away and don’t realy have the time to get up extra early just to pick up the gun I’m going to use for the day. Anyway… My question is is it possible for me (when I have my minors liscence) to borrow a 12gauge from my relative like one night before I go hunting so it’s already at my house (under lock and key) for when I want to leave then it would be returned to him after the hunt.
Thanks in advance for your time and reply!
Bailey
In order to store it in a home, an adult with a PAL must reside in that house. Make time to get up early to stay legal. 🙂
MJ
My son got his “Hunter Apprentice” card in September 2012 when he was 12 and is now turning 15 and his card will expire September 2015. Does he have to retake the courses or is this just a renewal.
Dan
Hi Dan,
He simply needs to renew his A1 license. He can soon apply for his Minor’s PAL
Do you still have the info sheet we sent him home with? I’ve emailed a copy to you, it includes the steps for him to acquire his minors PAL.\
Let me know if there’s anything else we can do.
Thanks,
MJ
Hello, I am 16 and would just like to try going out with my grandpa to see how I like it, do I need a license or can I go out without since he is over 18 and has his?
can you define “borrowing” a firearm? does this mean you are only allowed to operate a firearm that is owned by someone over the age of 18?
I’m now 28 I had my FAC done at 14 but never renewed it again does anyone know if I have to do the coarse again?
I took my minor firearms licence and i am applying for my pal but it asks when i took my minor firearms licence and to attach proof. But im not sure when i took it ? And what to attach?
If I am 15 and turn 16 does that mean I can hunt by myself if I use the borrow method to acheive a gun?
Hi, I turn 16 next week, i have my outdors card and minors licence, just wondering if im able to go turkey hunting at the back of my farm by myself. Thanks
Hi I’m confused on the part of apprenticeship can you hunt alone at 16 with a gun? I’ve gotten several different answers.
To own yourself, YES. To borrow for hunting or target practice. 12 – 18 y/o
thanks.
MJ
Hi Jacob,
The Apprentice, while hunting, must be under the direct and immediate supervision of a mentor who is 18 years of age or older and who holds a valid Outdoors Card of the equivalent class and hunting license tag for the game species being hunted. The Apprentice must share a single firearm with the mentor. Please see the following link for more information: RCMP: Firearm Users Younger Than 18
Thanks,
Sharyl
Hello, my daughter and I are taking the hunter safety course for the sole purpose of bow hunting. She is 12. It says she would have to use my bow when hunting is that correct.