Canada PAL photo maker

A Canada firearms licence (PAL) photo is 45 mm wide by 57 mm high, with your head at least 30 mm high, on a plain white or light-coloured background, and less than 12 months old. For an online application the RCMP asks for a portrait JPG between 200 KB and 6 MB.

Free, no watermark
Photo stays on your device
No retouching
Rules checked 12 November 2026

Canada PAL photo requirements

Photo size	45 mm wide by 57 mm high (1¾ × 2¼ inches)
Head height	At least 30 mm (1³⁄₁₆ inches)
Online file	JPG or JPEG, 200 KB to 6 MB, portrait orientation
How recent	Less than 12 months old
Background	Plain white or light-coloured
Colour	Colour or black and white
Printed photo	On photo quality paper, not larger than 45 × 57 mm
Back of the photo	Your name, plus your guarantor's full name and signature (not needed for a renewal)
Editing	An original photo, not altered in any way

Checked against the official source on 12 November 2026. Source: RCMP: Photo requirements for a firearms licence · RCMP 5592: Information sheet, Possession and Acquisition Licence (PDF) · RCMP: Apply for a firearms licence. Rules change without notice, so read the official page before you submit.

What the photo must show

Only you, with your face and shoulders centred and squared to the camera, not tilted in any direction.
A neutral expression: eyes open and clearly visible, looking straight at the camera, mouth closed, not smiling or frowning.
A clear, sharp photo with uniform lighting and no shadows, glare or flash reflections, including around your ears and in the background.
Your natural skin tone and a clear difference between your face and the background.
Glasses only with your eyes clearly visible and no glare. Sunglasses and tinted lenses are not accepted, even prescription ones.
Hair off your face so the edges of your face show. Hats and head coverings only if worn daily for religious beliefs or medical reasons, with your full face visible.
Not a photo of another photograph or of a piece of government ID.

Recommended framing: the official rules give no exact head size for this photo, so the examples use our recommendation of about 53 to 63% of the photo height, from chin to the top of the hair. The tool marks it as a recommendation, not a rule.

Why there is no background remover. Official photo rules refuse photos whose background has been changed by software, so this tool never alters your photo. If the check says the background is not plain, retake the photo against a plain, light wall: how to get a plain background at home.

Online or by mail

The RCMP's online service is for first-time applicants aged 12 or over who have never held a firearms licence. You need a digital licence photo and email addresses for your references and your photo guarantor. Everyone else applies by mail with form RCMP 5592 and a printed photo. The RCMP recommends a digital passport-type photo: if you have had passport photos taken, it asks you to submit the digital file.

Your photo guarantor

A photo guarantor confirms that the photo identifies you. The RCMP 5592 information sheet says the guarantor must have known you for at least one year and be at least 18. Your spouse or common-law partner, or one of your references, can be your guarantor. On a mailed application the guarantor signs a photo sticker that goes on the back of the photo; the RCMP photo page says you write your name on the back and the guarantor writes their full name and signs it. A renewal does not need a guarantor signature.

The printed photo

Print the photo on photo quality paper, then cut it so it is no larger than 45 × 57 mm. The tool on this page frames your head at 30 mm or more, as the RCMP requires, and can also save a JPG for the online application.

Common problems with PAL photos

A head smaller than 30 mm, or a full-body shot.
A photo cropped too close or not centred.
Tinted prescription glasses, or sunglasses worn on the head.
A ball cap or other hat not worn daily for religious or medical reasons.
Shadows on the face, behind the head or around the ears, or a dark textured background.
A file under 200 KB, often a copy shrunk by a messaging app.

A fictional woman photographed correctly for an ID photo: facing the camera, neutral expression, plain off-white wall, even light. — Example photos show a fictional person and were generated for this site as illustrations.

The same woman lit from one side, with a dark shadow on the wall behind her and one side of her face darker. — Example photos show a fictional person and were generated for this site as illustrations.

More on this in why ID photos get rejected. The examples use an off-white wall. The background row in the table above gives the exact colour this document asks for.

How to use this tool

Ask someone to take the photo from about 1.5 m, at eye level, in even daylight in front of a plain wall.
Add the photo above. The tool finds your face and frames it to the size on this page.
Check the green lines: one on the top of your head, one on your chin. Drag or zoom to adjust.
Read the automatic checks, then download. Nothing in the photo is retouched, only cropped and resized.

Questions about the Canada PAL (firearms licence) photo

What size is a Canada PAL photo?

The RCMP asks for a photo 45 mm wide by 57 mm high, with your head at least 30 mm high. Online, the file must be a JPG or JPEG between 200 KB and 6 MB, in portrait orientation.

Can I use a passport photo for my PAL?

The RCMP recommends a digital passport-type photo and asks you to submit the digital file if you have had passport photos taken. The photo must still meet the PAL rules, including 45 × 57 mm and less than 12 months old.

Who can be my PAL photo guarantor?

Someone who has known you for at least one year and is at least 18. Your spouse or common-law partner, or one of your references, can be your guarantor, according to the RCMP 5592 information sheet.

Can I wear glasses in a PAL photo?

Yes, if your eyes are clearly visible and there is no glare on the lenses. The RCMP does not accept sunglasses or tinted glasses, including tinted prescription lenses.

Does a PAL renewal photo need a guarantor?

No. The RCMP photo page says a photo guarantor signature is not required when the photo is sent with a licence renewal application.