Canadian Firearms License Photo

Canadian PAL photo 

To be able to register any restricted or prohibited firearms you’ll need a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL). In order to apply for the licence, you will have to complete the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC) and Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC), and also attach one colour photo to your application. Do you know all the requirements for the Canadian PAL photo? It’s important to know the do’s and don’ts in terms of the PAL photo requirements, because an inadequate photo may cause your application to be rejected.

Below we will go over the PAL photo size requirements as well as discuss the process of applying for the Canadian gun licence itself.

We’ll also provide you with a special online photo tool which will make it easier for you to prepare your perfect photograph in a few moments.

PAL photo requirements

The photo you enclose with your Canadian Firearms Licence application must be original, meaning, not cut out of a larger photo. No other persons, objects, or shadows are allowed in the picture. You are required to use a plain, contrasting background. It can be hard to obtain, but our online photo app can help you with that by providing your photo with a light coloured background that complies with the PAL photo requirements.

The following are the basic PAL photo rules:

• your eyes must be clearly visible,
• your mouth must be closed (your teeth can’t be showing),
• you must look straight at the camera,
• you can’t tilt your head,
• you must maintain a neutral facial expression,
• the photo should have been taken in the last 12 months,
• your head and shoulders must be clearly visible in the photo (frontal view).

In your PAL photo you can:

• have your hair down,
• dress as you like,
• wear prescription glasses as long as they don’t produce a glare and/or obscure your eyes,
• have a beard.

PAL photo size and composition

The required Canadian PAL photo size is: 45 x 57 mm (1.77″ x 2.24″). Your head in the photograph must be at least 30 mm (1.18") high and be positioned centrally in the image. 

Head coverings and accessories in the PAL photo 

Generally speaking, you are not allowed to wear a hat, cap, or any other fashion head covering. The only head covering that’s allowed in your PAL photo is that worn for religious purposes. Still in the case of religious headwear, remember to make sure that your facial features are clearly visible. 

Sunglasses and tinted glasses are forbidden in the photo. Other accessories, such as massive jewelry or headbands which may obscure your jawline are not allowed.

Take your Canada Firearms Licence photo with our online photo tool 

It may be difficult to obtain a correct image on your own, but not with our online photo service. Give it a try and have your picture adequately cropped, resized, and adjusted. As the final step, our application will check the photograph and inform you if it’s correct and ready to attach to your application.

All you have to do is either upload an already existing photo that you think is suitable or take a photo with your digital camera or smartphone at a convenient time and place. Keeping all the PAL photo size requirements in mind, with our tool you actually don’t have to worry about them, because our AI system will adjust your photo to the correct size automatically. 

The same applies to removing the background - our background removal tool comes to your rescue and replaces your messy background with a contrasting background that complies with the Canadian Firearms Licence standards. 

Each photo is carefully verified to make sure it meets all the requirements - first it gets scanned by our AI system, and then the photo is passed on to our human expert for double verification. 

It’s a perfect solution for those who either can’t go, or just simply don’t feel like going, to a photography studio, drugstore, or photo booth to take their PAL photo.

Last update: 2023-05-28