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Criminal Code

s. 103 Importing or Exporting Knowing it is Unauthorized

Importing or exporting knowing it is unauthorized

  • Weapons & Firearms
  • Weapons & Firearms
Maximum sentence
14 years (mandatory minimum 3 years for firearms, 5 years for repeat offences)
Classification
Indictable

Last verified: June 2026 · Source: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca

The law says

Criminal Code s. 103
Verify on justice.gc.ca(opens in a new tab)
  • (1)Every person commits an offence who imports or exports (a) a prohibited firearm, a restricted firearm, a non-restricted firearm, a prohibited weapon, a restricted weapon, a prohibited device, a firearm part or any prohibited ammunition, or (b) any component or part, other than a firearm part, designed exclusively for use in the manufacture of or assembly into an automatic firearm, knowing that the person is not authorized to do so under the Firearms Act or any other Act of Parliament or any regulations made under an Act of Parliament.
  • (2)Every person who commits an offence under subsection (1) when the object in question is a prohibited firearm, a restricted firearm, a non-restricted firearm, a prohibited device, a firearm part or any prohibited ammunition is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years and to a minimum punishment of imprisonment for a term of (a) in the case of a first offence, three years; and
  • (b)in the case of a second or subsequent offence, five years.
  • (2.1)In any other case, a person who commits an offence under subsection (1) is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term of not more than 14 years. (3) [Repealed, 2019, c. 25, s. 28]
Amendment History (10)
  • R.S., 1985, c. C-46, s. 103
  • 1991, c. 40, s. 15
  • 1995, c. 39, s. 139
  • 2008, c. 6, s. 12
  • 2015, c. 27, s. 26
  • 2019, c. 25, s. 28
  • 2022, c. 15, s. 8
  • 2023, c. 32, s. 1.5
  • 2023, c. 32, s. 14
  • 2023, c. 32, s. 71

Justice Laws is the authoritative version. If this copy and it ever differ, Justice Laws wins.

Immigration

Where this offence sits under IRPA

The Crown must charge this offence by indictment. A conviction is treated as serious criminality under IRPA s.36(1). Moving guns into or out of Canada without the right to do so may also bring in a second ground, organized criminality under IRPA s.37, where it was part of a criminal group's activity or of transnational crime.

This is how the law sorts the offence, not a reading of any one record. An officer decides each case.

IRPA sections involved

Guides on offences like this one

No guide cites this section directly. These guides cite related offences.

Weapons & Firearms Conviction Entry to Canada

Related sections

Criminal Code s. 99Weapons TraffickingIndictableCriminal Code s. 100Possession for Purpose of Weapons TraffickingIndictable