Summary
Every resident hunter in Quebec needs a certificat du chasseur (hunter's certificate). For firearm hunting, here's how you earn it:
- Check you're eligible — at least 12 and a Quebec resident.
- Pass two courses: the ICAF (online, hunting-specific) and the CCSMAF (in-person firearms safety), both run through FédéCP's Sécurité nature.
- The province then issues your certificate — a PDF by email, permanent, and what lets you buy a hunting licence.
Two things to know up front: the certificate is not the federal PAL you need to own a firearm (two separate things, two governments), and since April 1, 2026 the certificate alone no longer counts as firearms-safety proof for a PAL application. See hunting with a firearm in Quebec: the PAL and CCSMAF.
What is the hunter's certificate?
The certificat du chasseur is a permanent document issued by Quebec's Ministry of the Environment, Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP in French). You need it to buy a hunting licence. Think of it as your proof that you've been trained and tested — the government's way of knowing you understand safe and legal hunting before handing you a licence for deer, moose, or small game.
The certificate is permanent once issued. It doesn't expire. The only way to lose it is through a court ruling for poaching.
Since January 21, 2026, you no longer receive a plastic card in the mail. Your certificate is sent by email as a PDF, which you can also access through Quebec's Mon dossier chasse et pêche online portal.
Who has to get one?
You need a hunter's certificate if you're a Quebec resident hunting with a firearm, bow, or crossbow.
A few cases are exempt. Non-residents don't need the Quebec certificate. Neither do hunters using a first-time initiation licence (permis d'initiation à la chasse) — a once-in-a-lifetime way to try hunting under supervision before committing to the courses. And the certificate isn't required at all for a short list of small game: snaring hares or eastern cottontail rabbits, hunting frogs (leopard frog, green frog, or bullfrog), or hunting small game with a bird of prey. The full exempt list is on the government's hunter's certificate page.
What are the eligibility requirements?
To take the certification courses and earn your certificate, you must be at least 12 years old and a Quebec resident — meaning you're domiciled in Quebec and have lived here for at least 183 days in the past year. Bring photo ID to any in-person session.
One restriction to know: if your hunter's certificate has been cancelled, or you're under a court-ordered firearms prohibition, you can't earn certification while that order is in effect. Any course taken during that period won't be recognized.
The two courses you need for firearm hunting
If you want to hunt with a firearm, you need to complete two separate courses. You can take them in either order.
ICAF — Initiation à la chasse avec arme à feu
The ICAF is the hunting-specific course. It covers Quebec's hunting laws, wildlife management, ethical hunting, and how to safely handle firearms in the field. It's entirely online, so you can complete it from home at your own pace. It takes approximately five hours. The current cost is $49.47 including taxes, which includes a digital manual. You register through the FédéCP training portal.
CCSMAF — Cours canadien de sécurité dans le maniement des armes à feu
The CCSMAF is the federal firearms safety course. It's taught in person by a certified instructor. Sessions run 8 to 10 hours, and the cost is $113 including taxes, digital manual, and exams. You find a class near you through the regional course calendar.
Once you've passed both, you receive your hunter's certificate coded "F" — the F stands for firearms.
What does "coded F" mean?
Your certificate carries a code that tells the government which hunting tools you're certified to use. Code F means you're certified to hunt with firearms (including air rifles). Code A means you're certified to hunt with a bow and crossbow. You earn each code by completing the corresponding course. It's possible to hold both codes if you've done both training paths.
Note: certificates issued after April 1, 2026 no longer display the code letter directly on the document itself — see the What's new: the April 1, 2026 change section below.
How to register step by step
- Decide whether to start with the ICAF (online, flexible) or book the CCSMAF (in-person, requires scheduling). You need both, but order doesn't matter.
- Go straight to FédéCP's "Hunting with a firearm" registration — the page that bundles the ICAF + CCSMAF path.
- For the ICAF: click the online registration link and complete the course at your own pace.
- For the CCSMAF: use the regional calendar to find a session near you, and book early. Spots fill up before hunting season.
- Pass both exams. "Sécurité nature" will send you the CCSMAF results report (GRC form 5484) by email within approximately 3 to 4 weeks of completing the course.
- Your hunter's certificate (coded F) will be issued by the MELCCFP and sent to you by email in PDF format.
One practical note: FédéCP strongly recommends booking well in advance. Courses fill quickly before fall hunting season. If you're aiming to hunt in fall, register in late winter or spring.
What's new — the April 1, 2026 change
Important update in effect since April 1, 2026:
Before this date, having a hunter's certificate with a firearm code was enough to apply for a federal PAL (Possession and Acquisition Licence) — the licence you need to own a gun. That's no longer the case.
As of April 1, 2026, a Quebec hunter's certificate issued on or after that date is no longer accepted as proof of firearms safety training when applying for a PAL. To apply for a PAL, you now need to include the separate CCSMAF results report (GRC form 5484) issued directly by "Sécurité nature" — not just the hunter's certificate.
The certificate also no longer displays the code letter (F, A, etc.) on the document itself for certificates issued after this date. The code still exists in your provincial dossier, but the visual format of the certificate changed.
In practice, this means: keep the email with your CCSMAF report from "Sécurité nature." You will need it for the PAL application. See hunting with a firearm in Quebec: the PAL and CCSMAF.
FAQ
Do I need the certificate before I can buy a firearm?
No. To buy or own a firearm, what you need is the federal PAL (Possession and Acquisition Licence) — not the provincial hunter's certificate. The two get confused because both involve firearms training, but they do different jobs: the PAL is what gates buying and owning a gun, while the hunter's certificate is what lets you buy a Quebec hunting licence. You'll need both to hunt with a firearm, but only the PAL stands between you and the purchase.
Can I take the ICAF in English?
Yes. FédéCP offers the ICAF online in both French and English. The English version is listed as "Introduction to Hunting with Firearms" in the training portal.
How long does it take to get the certificate after I finish the courses?
"Sécurité nature" advises allowing 3 to 4 weeks after completing your courses before receiving your certification documents. Plan accordingly — don't wait until two weeks before hunting season opens.
Is the certificate valid in other provinces?
Not automatically — hunter certification is provincial. Your Quebec certificate is issued under Quebec law, so to hunt in another province you follow that province's own rules, though many recognize equivalent hunter-safety training from elsewhere in Canada — check the one you're headed to. The federal PAL is the piece that's valid Canada-wide. (Coming the other way — moving to Quebec with an equivalent certificate from another province or territory — you may be exempted from parts of the Quebec process; confirm with the MELCCFP.)
What if I only want to hunt with a bow, not a firearm?
You'd take the ICAA (Initiation à la chasse avec arc ou arbalète) instead of the ICAF and CCSMAF combination. That path gives you a certificate coded A. You don't need the CCSMAF for bow or crossbow hunting.
What if I'm under 18?
You can start the courses at age 12, and hunters under 18 can hunt. Some extra rules apply depending on the game and the setup — most often when a young hunter hunts under an adult's shared licence, which carries its own age and supervision conditions.
Find a hunting outfitter that matches your first season
Once your certificate is in hand, the next step is picking where to go. Quebec's pourvoiries (hunting and fishing outfitters) offer guided hunts across the province — a great option for first-timers who want to learn in the field alongside experienced guides.
