Deactivation Notice Form Unregistered Firearms for individuals
Use this form if you are an individual participant in the Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (ASFCP), to notify Public Safety Canada that your unregistered firearm has been modified and can no longer discharge a projectile, nor can it be adapted or re-modified to do so.
For further assistance or inquiries, please call the program's contact centre at 1-833-759-4551, Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm (local time) or visit Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program.
Thank you for your participation in the program.
Public Safety Canada (PS)
Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program (ASFCP)
Deactivation Form Unregistered Firearm for individuals
Download in PDF format(322 KB, 8 pages)
The following provides clarification on specific sections of the form and will assist you in answering some of the questions. Please remember that this form is only for notifying Public Safety Canada about the deactivation of unregistered firearms under the ASFCP. The information collected will not be used for any other purpose. We recommend reading the instructions carefully as you complete the form. If you have any questions or need further assistance, call the program's contact centre at, 1-833-759-4551.
Program deactivation guidelines
For the firearm to be considered deactivated by the Government of Canada, the firearm must first be confirmed deactivated by an approved deactivation center. Once deactivated, it will no longer be considered a firearm as per the definition of a "firearm" in S. 2 of the Criminal Code (listed below).
Section 2 of the Criminal Code states that a "firearm" means a barrelled weapon from which any shot, bullet or other projectile can be discharged and that is capable of causing serious bodily injury or death to a person, and includes any frame or receiver of such a barrelled weapon and any that can be adapted for use as a firearm.
The instructions outlined below are provided as general guidelines and do not constitute mandatory requirements.
1. Deactivation of small arms of calibre 20mm or less
- Semi-automatic, fully automatic, selective fire, and converted firearms
- A hardened steel blind pin of bore diameter or larger must be force fit through the barrel at the chamber, and where practical, simultaneously through the frame or receiver, to permanently prevent chambering of ammunition. Furthermore, the blind pin must be permanently welded in place so that the exposed end of the pin is completely covered by weld. The strength and hardness of the weld must be that of the metal used in the construction of the firearm. In the case of firearms having calibres greater than 12.7 mm (0.500 inch), the pin need not be larger in diameter than 12.7 mm. In the case of multi-barrelled firearms, all barrels must be pinned, using as many pins as necessary to block all chambers
- The barrel must be permanently welded to the frame/receiver to prevent replacement
- The breech face or portion of the breech bolt which supports the cartridge must be removed or cut at an approximate 45-degree angle,, so that the bolt can no longer support the cartridge. The breech block, bolt and/or bolt carrier must be welded to the barrel, barrel extension and/or receiver/frame in the closed position so that it cannot be easily removed
- The firing pin must be removed, ground or cut to a length where it cannot protrude outside the firing pin channel. When ground or cut it must be welded in place to prevent replacement
- Where applicable, the receiver/frame must be welded closed to prevent replacement of the breech bolt. In the case of handguns, the slide must be welded to the receiver/frame of the handgun in the closed position
- The trigger mechanism must be rendered unusable and non-replaceable. The trigger mechanism may be rendered unusable by either cutting or removing the primary (and secondary) sear points, or by welding the trigger and sear connection together. The trigger mechanism may be welded to the receiver/frame, or the trigger pins may be welded to prevent replacement. Please note that the firearms where the receiver/frame is welded closed, preventing access to the trigger mechanism is sufficient
For fully automatic firearms any trigger mechanism part or component, which is necessary for full-automatic fire, must be destroyed by cutting or grinding and permanently welded in place to prevent replacement.
- Rifles, shotguns and handguns other than revolvers
- The barrel, bolt and frame or receiver must be modified as in section 1. "Deactivation of small arms of calibre 20 mm or less"
- For break-action firearms and other designs where the breech face is integral to the receiver/frame, the breech can either be modified as section 1. "Deactivation of small arms of calibre 20mm or less" a. or may be drilled out to at least twice the thickness of the rim and at least 2mm (0.078 inch) larger diameter than that of the cartridge case head. If this step is taken, the firing pin hole must be completely drilled through to no less than five millimetres
- For all manually repeating firearms, the actuator (ex: bolt, lever, pump and action bar) must be welded to the receiver/frame in the closed position
- Revolvers, revolving rifles and shotguns, and cap and ball revolver
- The barrel and cylinder must be permanently blocked by a hardened steel pin of bore diameter which traverses the entire length of the cylinder, through the cylinder gap and into the barrel at least 50mm (1.970 inch). This must also be done to prevent removal or replacement of the barrel and cylinder. The pin must be permanently welded in place at the breech end of the frame and base of the cylinder (except for muzzle-loading firearms), the cylinder gap and, the muzzle, where applicable. The barrel must be welded to the receiver/frame of the revolver
- Where applicable, the action must not be able to open, using welds or pins to prevent opening of the revolver
- The firing pin must be removed from the firearm so that it cannot make contact with a primer. For percussion cap revolvers, the hammer must be ground down so that is cannot make contact with the cap
- The major trigger components (trigger, sear and hammer) must be ground or cut to prevent contact between these parts and welded to the receiver/frame to prevent replacement. The hammer must be welded in the half-cock/safety-cock or un-cocked position
- Black powder rifles and shotguns
- The barrel must be blocked immediately forward of the flash hole using a blind pin in the manner described in paragraph 1.c.1. or using a vertical blind pin at least the interior diameter of the barrel
- The flash hole must be permanently welded closed. In the case of percussion guns, the nipple must be welded closed and then permanently welded to the barrel to prevent replacement
- The major trigger components (trigger, sear and hammer/lock) must be ground or cut to prevent contact between these parts and welded to the receiver/frame to prevent replacement. For matchlock, wheellock or flintlock firearms with a jaw or dogleg to hold flint or match, the jaws should be welded closed together to prevent placement of a flint or match. The hammer or lock must be welded in the half-cock/safety cock or un-cocked position
2. Deactivation of small arms and artillery of calibre equal to 20mm or greater
- Semi-automatic, full-automatic, selective fire and converted automatic firearms
- A hardened steel blind pin of no less than 25 mm (0.984 inch) diameter or larger must be welded in place perpendicular to the chamber, and another pin of the same style and diameter through the barrel at the muzzle, to permanently prevent chambering of ammunition. Furthermore, the blind pins must be permanently welded in place so that the exposed ends of the pins are completely covered by weld. In the case of multi-barrelled firearms, all barrels must be pinned in the same manner. Hardened steel plates or blocks may be force fit and welded in the chamber and barrel instead, but these plates must be welded to the interior diameter of the barrel no less than half of the total diameter
- Where applicable, the barrel must be permanently welded to the receiver/frame to prevent replacement
- The breech block, bolt and/or bolt carrier must be welded to the barrel, barrel extension and/or receiver/frame in the closed position so that it cannot be opened or easily removed
- The firing pin must be removed, ground or cut to a length where it cannot protrude outside the firing pin hole. The firing pin hole must be welded closed. For electrically primed artillery, the igniter, wiring and power source must be removed and the igniter cavity must be welded over
- Where applicable, the receiver/frame must be welded closed to prevent replacement of the breech bolt and/or firing mechanism
- The trigger mechanism must be rendered unusable and non-replaceable. The trigger mechanism may be rendered unusable by either cutting or removing the primary (and secondary) sear points, or by welding the trigger and sear connection together. The trigger mechanism must be welded to the receiver/frame, or the trigger pins must be welded to prevent replacement. Please note that for firearms where the receiver/frame is welded closed, preventing access to the trigger mechanism is sufficient. For fully automatic firearms any trigger mechanism part or component, which is necessary for full-automatic fire, must be destroyed by cutting or grinding and permanently welded in place to prevent replacement
- Manually operated firearms, including automatically ejecting artillery
- A hardened steel blind pin of no less than 25mm diameter or larger must be welded in place perpendicular to the chamber, and another pin of the same style and diameter through the barrel, to permanently prevent chambering or ammunition. Furthermore, the blind pin must be permanently welded in place so that the exposed end of the pin is completely covered by weld. In the case of multi-barrelled firearms, all barrels must be pinned, using as many pins as necessary to block all chambers. Hardened steel plates or blocks may be force fit and welded in the chamber and barrel instead, but these plates must be welded to the interior diameter of the barrel no less than half of the total diameter
- Where applicable, the barrel must be permanently welded to the receiver/frame to prevent replacement
- The breech bolt, bolt and/or bolt carrier must be welded to the barrel, barrel extension and/or receiver/frame in the closed position so that it cannot be opened or easily removed
- The firing pin must be removed, ground or cut to a length where it cannot protrude outside the firing pin hole. The firing pin hole must be welded closed. For electronically primed artillery, the igniter, wiring and power source must be removed and the igniter cavity must be welded over. For bag charge artillery using blank rounds for ignition, the firing pin must be modified as above, and the blank chamber must be welded over or a pin must be force fit and welded to block chambering of blank rounds
- Where applicable, the receiver/frame must be welded closed to prevent replacement of the breech bolt
- The trigger mechanism must be rendered unusable and non-replaceable. The trigger mechanism may be rendered unusable by either cutting or removing the primary (and secondary) sear points, or by welding the trigger and sear connection together. The trigger mechanism must be welded to the receiver/frame, or the trigger pins must be welded to prevent replacement. Please note that for firearms where the receiver/frame is welded closed, preventing access to the trigger mechanism is sufficient
- Black powder guns
- The barrel must be blocked as per 2.a.1
- The flash hole must be permanently welded closed. In the case of the percussion guns, the nipple must be welded closed and then permanently welded to the barrel to prevent replacement
- The major trigger components where applicable (trigger, sear and hammer/lock) must be ground or cut to prevent contact between these parts and welded to the receiver/frame to prevent replacement. The hammer or lock must be welded in the half-cock/safety cock or un-cocked position
3. Firearms of unusual design or construction
Allowances may be made for variations of the procedures outlined in paragraphs 1.a to 1.d and 2.a to 2.c if the firearm is made of unusual substances or is of an unusual design such as firearms with split receiver/frames of dissimilar material or receiver/frames made of materials that cannot be welded. For example, the use of two-part urethane or polyurethane type adhesives for polymer framed firearms or the use of cement based non-shrink metallic aggregate for large artillery pieces could be allowed under this section on a case by case basis. However, any variation in the procedure must accomplish the same goals as the original procedures. The firearm must be made to be permanently inoperable and incapable of chambering or firing ammunition.
4. Deactivation of accessories and prohibited devices
- Magazines
- The magazine follower must be permanently welded to the interior of the magazine to prevent loading of ammunition
- The body of the magazine must be permanently welded to the frame or receiver to prevent removal or replacement
Note: These deactivation procedures are only to be considered active and viable if the magazine is permanently attached to the firearm. This is NOT to be accepted as a way to deactivate a standalone magazine.
- Upper receivers prescribed as prohibited devices
Note: Standalone upper receivers that are prescribed as Prohibited Devices cannot be deactivated.
A - Firearm owner information
Section A must be completed by the Individual Possession and Acquisition Number (PAL) owner who owns the firearm or by the person who is authorized.
Box 1 a)
Possession and acquisition number (PAL)
Box 1 b) to 1 d)
If you are applying as an individual, print your name.
Box 1 e)
If you are applying as an individual and you do not have a Firearms License or FAC, print your date of birth in Box 1 e).
Box 1 f) and g)
Daytime and evening phone number
B - Firearm Deactivation Information
Section B must be completed by the licensed business authorized to perform deactivations who confirms that the firearm has been properly deactivated as per the definition of a "firearm" in S. 2 of the Criminal Code.
Box 2 f) and g)
Using the legend provided on the deactivation notice, enter the code for the firearm type and action. For example, if you are confirming the deactivation of a rifle, print RI in Box 2 e).
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