Firearms Verification and Appraisal Service

In May 2020, the Government of Canada passed an Order in Council (OIC) banning 1,500 models of firearms and components of newly prohibited firearms. The federal government introduced Bill C-21 in spring 2022 that amended the Criminal Code and Firearms Act to prohibit the sale, import, purchase and transfer of handguns by Canadian firearms owners. Since then, additional OICs have passed, and at present, approximately 2,500 firearm models have been reclassified as prohibited for sale, use or transfer in Canada.

The federal government granted a federal amnesty order in May 2020 to ensure firearms owners and businesses do not face criminal liability while the national firearms buyback program is developed. The amnesty order was originally extended until the end of October 2025, and it has been extended a final time until October 30, 2026. After the amnesty order ends, firearms owners and businesses may face criminal charges and/or financial risks if they continue to possess firearms prohibited by federal legislation.

Learn more about the federal firearms ban and buyback program.

So far, the federal government has provided over $22 million in compensation to collect roughly 12,000 prohibited firearms from businesses across Canada through its business buyback program.

Compensation for individual firearms owners will be capped at roughly $250 million, which the federal government acknowledges is insufficient to compensate all affected firearms owners in Canada. As a result, the federal government will award compensation on a “first-come, first-served” approach.

Individual firearms owners were asked to declare an interest in receiving potential compensation for their prohibited firearms through the federal firearms buyback portal by March 31, 2026. Compensation is not guaranteed, and non-transferable firearms accessories and ammunition are not eligible for compensation under the buyback program.

Firearms owners who submitted a declaration may be contacted by the federal government to set up a collection appointment to turn in their prohibited firearms OR receive instructions on how to permanently deactivate them. All surrendered firearms will be destroyed by the federal government.

If you choose to deactivate a firearm, you will be responsible for covering all costs associated with the deactivation process. Note: Deactivations must be conducted by a business that is authorized to perform deactivations to be considered eligible for federal compensation through the buyback program.

Saskatchewan is not preventing firearms owners and businesses from participating in the federal firearms buyback program. We are offering additional supports and adopted legislation to help ensure all Saskatchewan residents affected by federal firearms legislation receive fair compensation for their legally owned and purchased property.

Like all Canadian firearms owners, Saskatchewan residents affected by federal firearms legislation have the option of:

1. Participating in the federal firearms buyback program to potentially receive compensation from the federal government. However, as this is a federal program, the province has no control over whether the federal government will award compensation to firearms owners.
2. Deactivating, surrendering or destroying their prohibited firearms before the amnesty ends on October 30, 2026.

With the passing of amendments to The Saskatchewan Firearms Act, Saskatchewan residents can also comply with federal firearms legislation by:

1. Requesting an appraisal from the SFO to determine the fair market value of their property that has been rendered valueless by federal legislation. This appraisal can include prohibited firearms, as well as non-transferable firearms accessories and ammunition. Firearms owners will be able to use this appraisal as proof of value to hold the federal government accountable for providing fair compensation to all Saskatchewan firearms owners affected by its legislation.
2. If you request an appraisal and your firearm is affected by federal legislation, eligible Saskatchewan residents will receive a certificate of exemption from the SFO Commissioner. These certificates allow Saskatchewan residents to continue legally storing their prohibited firearms on behalf of the Government of Saskatchewan while they pursue compensation for their affected property.
3. If you are unable or would prefer not to continue storing your prohibited firearms while you pursue compensation, you can also ask the SFO to store them on your behalf.

Note: Both the storage and certificates of exemption will help protect Saskatchewan residents from potential criminal charges after the amnesty ends on October 30, 2026.

Saskatchewan firearms owners are not required to request an appraisal, receive a certificate of exemption or store their prohibited firearms with the SFO to participate in the federal firearms buyback program. These are optional supports in place to help meet the needs of firearms owners across Saskatchewan.

Municipal and First Nation police services in Saskatchewan are NOT serving as a collection point for prohibited firearms that are being surrendered in the federal buyback program. Nor will they accept firearms you wish to store with the Saskatchewan Firearms Office. Please contact the SFO for more information.

Individual firearms owners can view the full list of firearms affected by federal legislation. If you are unsure whether your firearm(s), ammunition or accessories are affected, you can submit a request through the FVA service and request an appraisal at the same time.

SFO staff will review your request and let you know if your personal property is affected. If your items are affected, you will receive a certificate of exemption and an appraisal, or certificate of value, to learn the true value of your personal property.

Appraisals detail the true value of your affected firearms, as well as the non-transferable accessories and ammunition that have been rendered valueless by federal firearms legislation.

Appraisals are not required to participate in the federal buyback program, and you do not need to participate in the buyback program to receive an appraisal. Businesses can request an appraisal of their affected inventory whether or not they participated in the business buyback program earlier this year.

The SFO and Government of Saskatchewan believe non-transferable firearms accessories and ammunition should also be included in the compensation package to reflect the true financial losses experienced by citizens. If individuals and businesses cannot use or sell ammunition and accessories that were legally bought at the time of purchase due to changes in federal legislation, then the federal government is required under Saskatchewan law to provide fair compensation for all affected property. That is why non-transferable firearms accessories and ammunition are included in our appraisals.

Firearms owners and businesses can use these appraisals, known as certificates of value, as proof of value as they pursue compensation. Owners and businesses may choose to pursue compensation in cases where they either did not receive compensation or the compensation provided did not reflect the true value of their affected property.

Before pursuing compensation, we encourage you to seek independent legal advice to ensure your interests are best met through this process.

There is no cost to use the FVA Service service or request an appraisal from the SFO.

Eligible individuals will receive a certificate of exemption from the SFO Commissioner once their firearm is verified as being affected by federal firearms legislation. Certificates will only be awarded to Saskatchewan residents, 18 years or older, who:

• own at least one firearm affected by federal legislation;
• hold a valid Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) or Restricted Possession and Acquisition Licence (RPAL);
• are pursuing compensation for their prohibited firearms from the federal government; and
• follow all firearms storage laws that pertain to their reclassified firearms.

Failure to maintain a PAL/RPAL or follow firearms storage laws will result in certificates of exemption becoming inoperative, and you may face criminal charges.

Certificates will also become inoperative if the pursuit of compensation is discontinued by the certificate holder. Holders of Certificates of exemption must notify the SFO within seven days of discontinuing their pursuit for compensation.

If a certificate of exemption is listed as inoperative, the individual can ask the SFO to store their prohibited firearms OR they must deactivate, destroy or surrender their prohibited firearms to continue complying with federal firearms legislation after the amnesty ends on October 30, 2026.

There is no cost to receive a certificate of exemption from the SFO and they do not need to be renewed.

Saskatchewan residents also have the option of safely storing their prohibited firearms with the SFO while pursuing compensation. Storage is being offered to ensure Saskatchewan firearms owners cannot be charged with criminal possession of a prohibited firearm as they pursue compensation.

After receiving an appraisal, if you elect to store your prohibited firearms with the SFO, a SFO staff member will contact you to determine a date/time for their collection.

Individuals will continue to own their prohibited firearms while they are stored with the SFO. Individuals can ask the SFO to return their firearms at any time, provided it is before the end of the amnesty period and they have a certificate of exemption from the SFO.

There is no cost to store prohibited firearms with the SFO while individuals and businesses pursue compensation.

Storage options will be available starting in late summer 2026.

Note: Please do not drop off prohibited firearms for storage without first setting up an appointment with the SFO.

To access the FVA service, you must have a Saskatchewan Account. Saskatchewan Account is free to use and allows individuals and organizations to securely access a variety of online Government of Saskatchewan services.

Individual Saskatchewan Accounts

Individuals without a Saskatchewan Account can quickly and easily create one by following the steps outlined in Create an Individual Account, which includes a video tutorial.

Organization Saskatchewan Accounts

Clients can create an organization account. Businesses requiring an Organization Saskatchewan Account, must have a director of the business registered with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) create the organization account. For details and step-by-step video tutorials on how to connect a business account and complete business verification, please visit the Create an Organization Account page.

Once you are registered for a Saskatchewan Account, you must link the FVA service card to your account.

Multi-factor Authentication

The Government of Saskatchewan uses multi-factor authentication (MFA) to help keep Saskatchewan Account users safe online. MFA is a great way to secure your personal information online. MFA uses two or more ways to confirm your identify (such as a password AND a code that is texted to you). This makes it harder for anyone to illegally access your Saskatchewan Account and share or use your personal information.

Individuals using the FVA Service are strongly encouraged to enable MFA when logging into their Saskatchewan Accounts. We understand that not everyone will be able to use MFA, so it is not mandatory, but it is highly recommended when using the FVA service.

Sign in to the FVA service

Questions about the FVA Service? Call the SFO at 1‑833‑792‑2706 or email fvasupport@gov.sk.ca.