Free Quebec Gun / Firearm Bill of Sale
Quebec is the only province that layers a provincial firearms registry on top of the federal rules, and a private sale must satisfy both. Federally, since May 18, 2022, the seller of a non-restricted firearm must contact the RCMP Registrar to verify the buyer's licence and obtain a REFERENCE NUMBER before the transfer is legal. Provincially, the Firearms Registration Act requires non-restricted firearms in Quebec to be registered with the Québec Firearms Registration Service (SIAF) — so after the sale, the new owner's registration has to move too. The bill of sale is the record that ties both obligations together.
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Quebec Gun / Firearm Bill of Sale — What You Need to Know
Tax Details
GST/HST may apply on firearms sales if the seller is a GST registrant. Private individual-to-individual sales are typically exempt from sales tax.
Exemption: Gifts between spouses or to direct-line family members (parent, child) may qualify for a QST exemption with a sworn statutory declaration. Inherited vehicles transferred to a beneficiary are also exempt.
Inspection Requirements
No safety inspection is required for private firearm sales, but both parties must comply with the Firearms Act (Canada).
Quebec Gun / Firearm Sale — Step-by-Step Checklist
- Seller: verify the buyer holds a valid firearms licence (PAL/RPAL) for the class of firearm being sold.
- Seller: contact the RCMP Registrar to verify the licence and obtain the REFERENCE NUMBER — mandatory for non-restricted transfers since May 18, 2022. Record it on the bill of sale.
- Record the firearm precisely: make, model, type, calibre/gauge, barrel length, and serial number.
- Register the change with the Québec Firearms Registration Service (SIAF) — Quebec's Firearms Registration Act requires non-restricted firearms in the province to be registered.
- Restricted firearm? The transfer also requires RCMP registration in the buyer's name, and transport is governed by an Authorization to Transport from the provincial Chief Firearms Officer.
- Both parties sign the bill of sale and keep copies with the reference number recorded.
- Note: firearms in Quebec for 45 days or less are exempt from SIAF registration — a detail that matters for visiting hunters, not resident buyers.
Common Pitfalls
- Skipping the federal reference number: since May 2022 a non-restricted transfer without the Registrar's verification is not a legal transfer, no matter how good the bill of sale is.
- Forgetting SIAF entirely: Quebec is the one province with its own registry, and the obligation follows the firearm to its new owner.
- Assuming a pre-2018 firearm is exempt: the SIAF obligation applies even to firearms owned before the registry existed.
- Handing over a firearm to someone whose licence you have not verified — the seller carries that legal exposure.
Pro Tip
A Quebec firearm sale answers to two registries: the RCMP's reference number before the transfer, and SIAF's registration after it. Record both on the bill of sale and the deal is clean at every level.