May 31, 2026

Silvercore Club

Gun Club Membership for an ATT in Canada (2026)

By Travis Bader, founder of Silvercore Outdoors. RCMP-approved ATT club operator since 2007.

There is one fact about gun club membership in Canada that I want you to walk away from this page knowing, because it matters more than the rest of what is written here: the requirement that you belong to a club or range to get an Authorization to Transport is RCMP Canadian Firearms Program policy, not legislation. The Firearms Act does not say it. Parliament did not pass it. The CFP wrote it into its issuance practice, and provinces apply it with some variation.

I have been involved in challenging that policy myself, including assisting on a case against a provincial Chief Firearms Officer in Ontario. The distinction between policy and law matters in court, and it matters to anyone trying to understand why the requirement exists at all. That said, in BC and across most of the country in 2026, the policy is current and active. If you want an ATT to transport a restricted firearm, you need a club or range membership. The rest of this page covers how that actually works.

The short answer

You need an Authorization to Transport (ATT) to lawfully transport a restricted firearm in Canada. To be issued an ATT, you need to belong to an RCMP-approved gun club or range, in most provinces and under current CFP policy. The Silvercore Club is $59 a year and meets that requirement. We were the first gun club in Canada to receive official RCMP approval for ATT issuance and have operated continuously since 2007.

Non-restricted firearms do not require an ATT. You can transport them with a valid PAL and the firearm unloaded.

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What is an Authorization to Transport (ATT)?

An ATT is a written permission, issued by the provincial or territorial Chief Firearms Officer, to transport a restricted (or prohibited) firearm between specific places. It is not the same as your licence. Your RPAL allows you to own and acquire restricted firearms. The ATT allows you to move them.

ATTs come in two basic forms. A short-term ATT covers a specific trip, such as moving a firearm from your home to a gunsmith for repair. A long-term ATT (sometimes called a standing or routine ATT) covers ongoing transport between standard destinations, typically your home and approved ranges or shooting clubs. Most restricted firearms owners hold a long-term ATT.

You do not need an ATT for non-restricted firearms. Most rifles and shotguns used for hunting and sport shooting are non-restricted and can be transported with a valid PAL and the firearm unloaded.

Why does the RCMP require gun club membership for an ATT?

This is the question that has been litigated, debated, and pushed back against, including by me personally. Here is the actual answer.

The Firearms Act does not require club membership for an ATT. The statute sets out the licensing scheme, classifications, and the basic transport framework, but the specific requirement that you belong to a club or range is not written into the legislation. It comes from CFP policy, applied by the Chief Firearms Officers in each province.

The CFP's position is that club or range membership is evidence of bona fide use: you have a legitimate, ongoing reason to transport the restricted firearm because you are using it at an approved facility. From a policy standpoint, the membership is the documentation that supports the issuance.

The pushback on this, including the cases I have been involved with, centres on whether the policy is consistent with the statute and whether the CFP can effectively gate access to restricted firearms ownership through a requirement Parliament did not enact. Those arguments have had mixed results in court. The practical reality in 2026 is that the policy is in force in every province I am aware of, and if you want a restricted PAL and an ATT, you need to satisfy it.

This page is not legal advice. If you have a specific dispute with a CFO over ATT issuance, you should speak to a lawyer strong in procedural law. The point I want you to take from this section is simpler: the requirement exists as policy, you need to meet it, and understanding that distinction is part of being an informed firearms owner in Canada.

What counts as an RCMP-approved gun club or range?

The CFP maintains specific approval standards for clubs and ranges that issue letters of membership for ATT purposes. The club or range must be sanctioned by the CFO of the province in which it operates, and it must demonstrate ongoing compliance with the standards in the regulations.

Practically, this means there are two kinds of memberships that can satisfy the ATT requirement:

Shooting range memberships. These are full memberships at an active shooting range, with physical access to the range, range officer programmes, and the infrastructure of a working facility. They typically cost $200 to $1,000 or more per year and include benefits beyond the ATT (range time, training, league participation, member events).

Approved gun club memberships. These are organizational memberships that satisfy the CFP requirement for ATT issuance without necessarily including physical range access. They are typically less expensive than range memberships and exist specifically for owners who need to meet the documentation requirement but may shoot at multiple ranges, including drop-in facilities, rather than belonging to a single one.

Both forms are valid for ATT purposes if the club or range holds current CFP approval. Which one suits you depends on how you actually use your restricted firearms.

How much does gun club membership cost?

Range memberships at active shooting ranges typically run $200 to $1,000 per year, sometimes more for ranges with extensive facilities, indoor handgun lanes, or competition infrastructure. That price reflects the full cost of access: the range itself, the staff, the safety infrastructure.

The Silvercore Club is $59 a year. We are an RCMP-approved gun club operating since 2007, and our membership exists specifically to meet the CFP requirement for ATT issuance while also providing the benefits that come with belonging to a properly organized firearms community: liability insurance, partner discounts, included online courses, and access to the Silvercore network.

The Silvercore Club is the right fit if you want to satisfy the ATT requirement and have access to insurance, discounts, and community without paying for range infrastructure you may not use exclusively. If you want a single home range with regular access and a community of regulars at one facility, a full range membership is the right fit instead, often in addition to a club membership rather than instead of it.

How the Silvercore Club fits

The Silvercore Club was the first gun club in Canada to receive official RCMP approval for ATT issuance. We have been continuously operating since 2007, have undergone numerous RCMP screenings and approvals over those years, and currently hold the credentials your CFO is looking for when they issue your ATT.

What that membership gets you, beyond the ATT eligibility:

$5 million in liability coverage through Lloyd's of London while you are engaged in lawful firearms activities. This matters more than people realize. The moment something goes wrong on a range, in the field, or during transport, personal coverage that does not depend on whose property you were on is worth having.

A certified electronic membership letter and wallet-sized card. This is the proof your CFO needs when they review your ATT application, and we issue it immediately on membership purchase.

Our online firearms safety course free. The Silvercore Online Firearms Safety Course covers every concept in the CFSC and CRFSC. If you are still working toward your licence, or you want to refresh, it is included with membership at no additional cost.

Partner discounts. Currently includes 20% off Stoeger, member codes on Tangent Theta, SAI Optics, and Tenebraex optics, 15% off Grayl water filters, 20% off Nanuk cases, discounts at Frontiersmen Gear and Stuffers Supply, and 10% off Silvercore branded merchandise. New restricted firearms owners almost always buy gear in the first year. The discounts pay back the membership cost on a single purchase in most cases.

Access to The Outpost, our private member podcast. Conversations and content that do not appear on the public Silvercore Podcast feed.

The Club is the most cost-effective route in Canada to meeting the CFP requirement for an ATT while also being insured, equipped, and connected to an organized firearms community. Membership is $59 a year. Join the Silvercore Club here.

What ATT conditions are now standard on the RPAL itself?

In 2022 and the years following, the CFP moved some standard ATT conditions onto the RPAL itself, meaning certain transport movements no longer require a separate ATT document. The shift is technical and the specifics depend on your CFO's current practice.

In general, transport to and from a CFO-approved range can be covered as a standard condition on your RPAL when you hold a current club or range membership. Specialty movements (to a gunsmith, to a sanctioned competition outside your usual range, across provincial lines) still require a specific ATT in most cases.

The practical implication: confirm your current conditions with your CFO before assuming a transport is covered. The conditions vary by province and by date of issuance. Do not rely on what was true for someone you know, or what was true when you were first licensed, if either was more than a year or two ago.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an ATT in Canada to transport a restricted firearm?

Yes. You require an ATT to lawfully transport a restricted firearm. The exception is for non-restricted firearms, which do not require an ATT. A collector's licence has its own narrow exceptions.

Do I need a gun club membership for an ATT?

In most provinces and under current RCMP CFP policy, yes. The requirement is policy rather than legislation, but it is the policy CFOs apply when reviewing ATT applications. The Silvercore Club meets the requirement for $59 a year.

Is the gun club membership requirement actually a law?

No. The requirement is RCMP Canadian Firearms Program policy, not legislation. The Firearms Act does not require club membership for an ATT. The policy has been challenged in court with mixed results. As of 2026, it is current and active across the country.

Do I need an ATT to go to the range?

If you are taking a restricted firearm, yes (or you need the equivalent standard condition on your RPAL, which itself depends on holding a current club or range membership). For non-restricted firearms, no.

Do I need an ATT to buy a handgun?

Yes. The ATT covers purchase, possession, and transport of restricted firearms. Without one, you cannot complete the acquisition.

Do I need a range membership to buy a handgun in BC?

You need a club or range membership that meets the CFP requirement for an ATT. The Silvercore Club is an RCMP-approved gun club and satisfies this requirement.

Do I need a range membership to buy a handgun in Canada?

Yes, in every province I am aware of, under current CFP policy. The specific approval criteria for the club or range may vary slightly by province. The Silvercore Club meets the requirement nationally.

How much is a gun club membership?

Range memberships at active shooting ranges run $200 to $1,000 a year, sometimes more. Approved gun club memberships that satisfy the ATT requirement without including range infrastructure can be much less. The Silvercore Club is $59 a year and is the most cost-effective option I am aware of in Canada.

Do I need an ATT for non-restricted firearms?

No. ATTs apply only to restricted and prohibited firearms. Non-restricted firearms can be transported with a valid PAL and the firearm unloaded.

Can I belong to more than one gun club or range?

Yes. Many serious shooters hold both a full range membership at their home range and a club membership like Silvercore for the broader coverage. There is no rule against multiple memberships.

Does the Silvercore Club include physical range access?

No. The Silvercore Club is structured as an organizational membership for ATT eligibility, insurance, and benefits, not as a single-range facility membership. Many of our members combine Silvercore Club membership with a range membership at the facility they use most.

What if my CFO denies my ATT?

A denial comes with written reasons and a formal way to challenge it. Under section 74 of the Firearms Act, you can refer the decision to a provincial court judge within 30 days of receiving notice. If you are at this point, get legal advice from a lawyer strong in procedural law.

Where to take your CFSC or CRFSC with Silvercore

Silvercore teaches across British Columbia from a permanent classroom in Delta and at established venues on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.

Lower Mainland

Delta — Silvercore Training Facility, #115 – 7198 Vantage Way. Our permanent classroom and the home base for most of our weekend courses.
Langley — The Range Langley, 9938 201 Street #2.
New Westminster — Douglas College, 700 Royal Avenue.

Vancouver Island

Nanaimo — Vancouver Island University, 900 Fifth Street.
Parksville — Shelly Hall, 186 Shelly Road.
Comox — Comox Valley Sports Centre, [VERIFY: full street address]
Victoria — Quality Inn Downtown, 850 Blanshard Street.

To book your CFSC, CRFSC, or both in a single weekend, see the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (Non-Restricted and Restricted) at Silvercore.

About the author

Travis Bader is the founder of Silvercore Outdoors, Canada's largest firearms safety training company. He has personally taught the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course since 1994, holds a Business Firearms Licence, and operates the Silvercore Club, an RCMP-approved gun club for ATT issuance that has been continuously operating since 2007. Travis has been involved in policy challenges around ATT club membership requirements, including assisting on legal proceedings against a provincial Chief Firearms Officer in Ontario. He hosts the Silvercore Podcast, where he explores firearms, hunting, and the outdoors with leaders from across the industry.

Travis Bader

Silvercore Outdoors