Restricted firearms: storage, display and transport
Handguns and some rifles are restricted. Storage asks more of you than it does for a non-restricted firearm, and the difference is a single word in the regulation.
A locking device on its own is not enough
For a non-restricted firearm a secure locking device or a locked container complies. For a restricted firearm you need the locking device and a locked container — or, as the alternative, a vault, safe or room built or modified specifically for storing restricted firearms. Those are the only two ways to comply.
These are not airport rules
These are storage and handling rules under the Firearms Act. They are not airport rules. Satisfying them does not mean an airline will carry your firearm, and aviation security requires a locked hard-sided container that these rules do not.
Storing it at home
The firearm must be unloaded, and then one of the two routes in paragraph (b) must be met in full. There is no exception for predator control or for remote wilderness areas — those exist only for non-restricted firearms.
Each rule is shown twice where both exist: the regulation’s own wording, and the RCMP’s plain-language version of it. Where they differ in detail, the regulation is the text that governs.
SOR/98-209 s.6 permits an individual to store a restricted firearm only if it is unloaded, and either (i) it is rendered inoperable by a secure locking device AND stored in a securely locked container, receptacle or room that cannot readily be broken open or into, or (ii) it is stored in a securely locked vault, safe or room specifically constructed or modified for the secure storage of restricted firearms. Ammunition must not be readily accessible unless it is in a securely locked container or such a vault/safe/room.
What the source says — Provision 66 An individual may store a restricted firearm only if (a) it is unloaded; (b) it is (i) rendered inoperable by means of a secure locking device and stored in a container, receptacle or room that is kept securely locked and that is constructed so that it cannot readily be broken open or into, or (ii) stored in a vault, safe or room that has been specifically constructed or modified for the secure storage of restricted firearms and that is kept securely locked; and (c) it is not readily accessible to ammunition, unless the ammunition is stored, together with or separately from the firearm, in (i) a container or receptacle that is kept securely locked and that is constructed so that it cannot readily be broken open or into, or (ii) a vault, safe or room that has been specifically constructed or modified for the secure storage of restricted firearms and that is kept securely locked.
Source: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca Verified 1 November 2026
Official page last modified: 30 November 2012
Regulation currency: current to 2026-09-30, last amended 2012-11-30
The RCMP states restricted and prohibited firearms must have a secure locking device attached AND be locked in a cabinet, container or room that is difficult to break into, OR be locked in a vault, safe or room built or modified specifically for firearm storage. Automatic firearms must additionally have removable bolts or bolt carriers removed and be locked in a separate room that is difficult to break into.
What the source saysAttach a secure locking device so the firearms cannot be fired and lock them in a cabinet, container or room that is difficult to break into; or Lock the firearms in a vault, safe or room that was built or modified specifically to store firearms safely. For automatic firearms, also remove the bolts or bolt carriers (if removable) and lock them in a separate room that is difficult to break into.
Source: rcmp.ca Verified 1 November 2026
Official page last modified: 12 November 2024
Displaying it
Display is stricter than storage in one respect: inside a dwelling-house the firearm must be securely attached to a non-portable structure, and no locked-container alternative is offered. The regulation treats restricted and prohibited firearms together here, and sets separate conditions for displaying outside a dwelling-house.
SOR/98-209 s.9(1) permits an individual to display a restricted or prohibited firearm in a dwelling-house only if it is unloaded, rendered inoperable by a secure locking device, securely attached to a non-portable structure so it cannot readily be removed, and not displayed with or readily accessible to ammunition that can be discharged from it; and for an automatic firearm with a removable bolt or bolt-carrier, that part is removed and stored in a different securely locked room.
What the source says — Provision 9(1)9 (1) An individual may display a restricted firearm or a prohibited firearm in a dwelling-house only if (a) the restricted firearm or prohibited firearm is unloaded; (b) the restricted firearm or prohibited firearm is rendered inoperable by means of a secure locking device; (c) the restricted firearm or prohibited firearm is securely attached to a non-portable structure in such a manner that it cannot readily be removed; (d) the restricted firearm or prohibited firearm is not displayed with and is not readily accessible to ammunition that can be discharged from it; and (e) in the case of an automatic firearm that has a removable bolt or bolt-carrier, the bolt or bolt-carrier is removed and stored in a room that is different from the room in which the automatic firearm is displayed, that is kept securely locked and that is constructed so that it cannot readily be broken open or into.
Source: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca Verified 1 November 2026
Official page last modified: 30 November 2012
Regulation currency: current to 2026-09-30, last amended 2012-11-30
The RCMP states a displayed restricted or prohibited firearm must have a secure locking device attached AND be securely attached to something that cannot be moved, and that the bolts or bolt carriers must be removed from any automatic firearms if removable.
What the source saysAttach secure locking devices to the firearms; and Securely attach them to something that cannot be moved. Remove the bolts or bolt carriers from any automatic firearms (if removable).
Source: rcmp.ca Verified 1 November 2026
Official page last modified: 12 November 2024
SOR/98-209 s.9(2) and s.9(3) permit display of a restricted or prohibited firearm somewhere other than a dwelling-house only if it is unloaded, rendered inoperable by a secure locking device, securely attached by a chain, metal cable or similar device to the structure it is displayed on so it cannot readily be removed, and not displayed with or readily accessible to dischargeable ammunition unless that ammunition is in a securely locked container; for prohibited automatic firearms the bolt or bolt-carrier must also be removed to a different securely locked room. Under s.9(4) the attachment requirement does not apply while the firearm is detached so it can be handled under the direct and immediate supervision of the individual displaying it.
What the source says — Provision 9(2), 9(3), 9(4)(2) An individual may display a restricted firearm in a place other than a dwelling-house only if it (a) is unloaded; (b) is rendered inoperable by means of a secure locking device; (c) is, subject to subsection (4), securely attached to a structure on which it is displayed by a chain, metal cable or similar device in such a manner that the restricted firearm cannot readily be removed; and (d) is not displayed with and is not readily accessible to ammunition that can be discharged from it, unless the ammunition is displayed in a container or receptacle that is kept securely locked and that is constructed so that it cannot readily be broken open or into. (3) An individual may display a prohibited firearm in a place other than a dwelling-house only if (a) the prohibited firearm is unloaded; (b) the prohibited firearm is rendered inoperable by means of a secure locking device; (c) the prohibited firearm is, subject to subsection (4), securely attached to a structure on which it is displayed by a chain, metal cable or similar device in such a manner that the prohibited firearm cannot readily be removed; (d) the prohibited firearm is not displayed with and is not readily accessible to ammunition that can be discharged from it, unless the ammunition is displayed in a container or receptacle that is kept securely locked and that is constructed so that it cannot readily be broken open or into; and (e) in the case of an automatic firearm that has a removable bolt or bolt-carrier, the bolt or bolt-carrier is removed and stored in a room that is different from the room in which the automatic firearm is displayed, that is kept securely locked and that is constructed so that it cannot readily be broken open or into. (4) Paragraphs (2)(c) and (3)(c) do not apply if the firearm is detached from the structure so that the firearm may be handled by a person under the direct and immediate supervision of the individual displaying it.
Source: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca Verified 1 November 2026
Official page last modified: 30 November 2012
Regulation currency: current to 2026-09-30, last amended 2012-11-30
Transporting it
Transport has its own section and an Authorization to Transport may be required. The transport page covers it in full, including the requirement that the container be non-transparent — which no aviation source mentions.
The RCMP states that restricted and prohibited firearms must be unloaded, have secure locking devices attached, be locked in a sturdy non-transparent container, have bolts or bolt carriers removed from automatic firearms if removable, and that an Authorization to Transport must be obtained.
What the source saysUnload the firearms; and Attach secure locking devices to the firearms; and Lock the firearms in a sturdy, non-transparent container; and Remove the bolts or bolt carriers from any automatic firearms (if removable). Obtain an Authorization to Transport (call 1-800-731-4000).
Source: rcmp.ca Verified 1 November 2026
Official page last modified: 12 November 2024
Section 11 states that an individual may transport a restricted firearm only if it is unloaded, rendered inoperable by a secure locking device, and in a locked opaque container strong enough that it cannot readily be broken into or accidentally opened during transportation.
What the source says11 An individual may transport a restricted firearm only if (a) it is unloaded; (b) it is rendered inoperable by means of a secure locking device; (c) it is in a locked container that is made of an opaque material and is of such strength, construction and nature that it cannot readily be broken open or into or accidentally opened during transportation; and (d) if it is in a container described in paragraph (c) that is in an unattended vehicle, (i) when the vehicle is equipped with a trunk or similar compartment that can be securely locked, the container is in that trunk or compartment and the trunk or compartment is securely locked, and (ii) when the vehicle is not equipped with a trunk or similar compartment that can be securely locked, the vehicle, or the part of the vehicle that contains the container, is securely locked and the container is not visible from outside the vehicle.
Source: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca Verified 1 November 2026
Official page last modified: 15 October 2026
Regulation currency: current to 2026-09-30, last amended 2012-11
Ammunition
As with every class, the ammunition rule is paragraph (c) of the storage section. For a restricted firearm the accepted containers are a securely locked container or receptacle, or a vault, safe or room built for restricted firearms.
Your airline is likely to require the opposite
Sharing one locked case is permitted for storage. Airlines commonly forbid it. For a flight, follow your airline's packing rule.
SOR/98-209 has no section dedicated to ammunition storage. The ammunition requirement is paragraph (c) of each firearm storage section - s.5(1)(c) for non-restricted, s.6(c) for restricted and s.7(c) for prohibited firearms. In each case the firearm must not be readily accessible to ammunition unless the ammunition is kept in a securely locked container or receptacle, which may be the same one holding the firearm; for restricted and prohibited firearms a purpose-built locked vault, safe or room is an accepted alternative. For display the parallel provisions are s.8(c), s.9(1)(d), s.9(2)(d) and s.9(3)(d).
What the source says — Provision 5(1)(c), 6(c), 7(c)(c) it is not readily accessible to ammunition, unless the ammunition is stored, together with or separately from the firearm, in a container or receptacle that is kept securely locked and that is constructed so that it cannot readily be broken open or into.
Source: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca Verified 1 November 2026
Official page last modified: 30 November 2012
Regulation currency: current to 2026-09-30, last amended 2012-11-30
The RCMP states ammunition must be stored separately from firearms or locked up, and may be stored in the same locked container as the firearms.
What the source saysStore the ammunition separately or lock it up. It can be stored in the same locked container as the firearms.
Source: rcmp.ca Verified 1 November 2026
Official page last modified: 12 November 2024
Do the official sources agree?
Yes, on this point. The RCMP's plain-language page says a restricted firearm needs a locking device and a container, which reads stricter than the pattern used for non-restricted firearms and might look like the RCMP overstating the regulation. It is not: the regulation says the same thing. FlyerArms checked this against s.6 directly rather than leaving it as a suspected conflict, and records the result.
RESOLVED - no conflict. The 2026-11-01 research pass flagged a possible conflict between the RCMP explainer (locking device AND container for restricted and prohibited firearms) and a suspected OR structure in SOR/98-209. Reading s.6 and s.7 directly shows the regulation offers two alternatives, the first of which is itself a conjunction: a locking device AND a locked container, OR a purpose-built locked vault, safe or room. The RCMP wording is a correct statement of the regulation, and the RCMP page states the vault/safe/room alternative too.
What the source says — Provision 6(b)(b) it is (i) rendered inoperable by means of a secure locking device and stored in a container, receptacle or room that is kept securely locked and that is constructed so that it cannot readily be broken open or into, or (ii) stored in a vault, safe or room that has been specifically constructed or modified for the secure storage of restricted firearms and that is kept securely locked
Source: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca Verified 1 November 2026
Official page last modified: 30 November 2012
Regulation currency: current to 2026-09-30, last amended 2012-11-30
Status changed from open_question to resolved_no_conflict during the verification pass. The excerpt above is s.6(b) verbatim and is the text that settles it. THE SITE MUST NOT PRESENT THIS AS A CONFLICT. What the site should say, if it addresses the point at all, is the substantive rule: for a restricted or prohibited firearm there are two ways to comply, and the simpler-sounding "just a trigger lock" option that exists for non-restricted firearms (s.5(1)(b)(i)) does NOT exist for restricted or prohibited ones. The genuine asymmetry between s.5 and s.6/s.7 is the useful fact for a reader, not an inter-source disagreement. Kept as an entry rather than deleted so the resolution is auditable.
If your firearm was reclassified
A firearm that was restricted before an Order in Council prohibited it is still stored under this section, not under the prohibited one — the Amnesty Order points its owner back to s.6 by the firearm's former class. See firearms prohibited by Order in Council.