Getting into hunting in Alberta

Last reviewed: October 2026

1. A firearms licence (PAL)

To possess a firearm in Canada, you need a firearms licence. For most adults, that's a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL). The first step is the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC), which covers safe handling, storage and transport of non-restricted firearms such as hunting rifles and shotguns.

After passing the course, you apply to the RCMP's Canadian Firearms Program, using the information from your course report. You can apply online, or mail in a paper application. There is a minimum 28-day waiting period for all first-time applicants, so plan ahead of the season. Our how to get a PAL in Alberta guide walks through each step.

Youth aged 12 to 17 can take the CFSC and apply for a minor's licence. See firearms licences for minors.

Archery hunting is different: bows and crossbows are not firearms under federal law, so they don't need a firearms licence. You still need hunter education and a WIN.

2. Hunter education

First-time hunters in Alberta must complete the Alberta Conservation and Hunter Education course before buying a hunting licence. You count as a first-time hunter if you have never held a hunting licence, passed a hunter competency test, or completed a hunter education course in Alberta or elsewhere.

Hunter education is a separate course from the CFSC. The CFSC is about firearms safety and the law; hunter education covers conservation, wildlife identification, hunting ethics and Alberta's hunting rules. Many new hunters take both.

Once you pass, you add your hunter certificate number to your WIN profile. That is what makes you eligible to buy a hunting licence.

3. A Wildlife Identification Number (WIN)

Every hunter and angler in Alberta needs an active WIN before buying any licence, wildlife certificate or draw application. It is a 10-digit number that confirms your eligibility.

• Get one online at AlbertaRELM.com, in the AlbertaRELM app, or from a licence issuer (many sporting goods stores and other retailers).
• New WIN: a one-time activation fee of $10 plus GST ($2 less if you do it online). Your virtual WIN card never expires and never needs renewing.
• Already have an older WIN card? When it expires, you pay the activation fee one last time. After that, your virtual WIN card never needs renewing.
• Physical WIN cards are no longer mailed out. The virtual card is in the AlbertaRELM app.
• The same WIN works for hunting and fishing licences.

Youth hunters

Alberta allows youth to hunt, with extra rules:

• Hunters under 16 need written permission from a parent or guardian to buy a hunting licence.
• Hunters under 18 using a firearm must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or an adult with the parent's or guardian's written permission, unless they hold their own minor's firearms licence.
• Minimum ages depend on what you are hunting. Check the current Alberta Hunting Regulations.

A suggested order

1. Take the CFSC and apply for your PAL (allow several weeks or more for processing).
2. Take the Alberta Conservation and Hunter Education course.
3. Get your WIN and add your hunter certificate number to it.
4. Read the current Alberta Hunting Regulations for your area and species, then buy your wildlife certificate and licences.

Hunting rules change every year. Always check the current Alberta Hunting Regulations and mywildalberta.ca before you go.

View upcoming CFSC dates

Official sources: Hunting FAQs (My Wild Alberta) · New to AlbertaRELM and Virtual WiN Card (AlbertaRELM) · Licensing and costs (Alberta Hunting Regulations) · Apply for a firearms licence (RCMP)