When a person dies, the liquidator of the succession is responsible for administering the deceased's property. If the deceased owned a firearm, the liquidator of the succession is responsible for transferring ownership of the firearms, disposing of them, or ensuring that the application for registration is made by the new owner.
Transferring ownership of a firearm as a liquidator of a succession
To transfer ownership of a firearm to another person to whom the firearm has been bequeathed, assigned, or sold, you must send us the following documents:
- Completed and signed Declaration of the liquidator of the succession (PDF 42 Kb).
- Photocopy of proof of death of the owner of the firearm (valid death certificate, deed, or attestation).
- Completed and signed Notice of transfer of ownership of one or more non-restricted firearms (PDF 53 Kb).
To complete the transfer notice, you must have
- the unique firearm number (UFAN), which should be indelibly and legibly inscribed or affixed on the firearm concerned.
- the firearm registration number (FARN), which had been assigned to the firearm in question, thus certifying its registration.
If you do not have access to these identification numbers, send the incomplete transfer notice anyway. The SIAF will contact you after receiving the documents to collect the missing information.
Particular attention should be paid to the different sections of the transfer notice. Section 1 should provide information about the deceased and Section 3 should provide information about the person to whom the firearm is being transferred:
If the liquidation of the succession is still in progress, the transfer is made to the person currently in possession of the firearm, i.e. an heir.
When the transfer is complete, the transfer is made to the person to whom the firearm has been bequeathed, assigned, or sold.
In all cases, the new owner will be obliged to apply for registration of the firearm in his or her name upon taking possession of the weapon in question.
For more information, see Selling, giving away, or disposing of a firearm as a citizen.
Transferring an unregistered firearm
It is possible that the deceased never registered the firearm. In this case, you do not have to follow the transfer of ownership procedure. However, you will need to ensure that the new owner, either an heir or the person to whom the firearm was bequeathed, assigned, or sold, applies to register the firearm.
For more information, see the Applying for firearm registration as a citizen section or contact us.
Disposing of a firearm by handing it over to the police
As the liquidator of a succession or heir, you can decide to dispose of the firearm without selling or assigning it. To do so, you must make an appointment at a police station 
to have the firearm safely destroyed. If the firearm was registered, you must notify the SIAF of the destruction of the firearm and provide the Declaration of the Liquidator of the Succession and proof of death.
Last update: February 1, 2024
