Ontario Hunter Education Course:

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Last Updated: September 21 2026

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Question:How do I complete the Ontario Hunter Education Course online or in person and then register hunter accreditation in Ontario?

Answer:DefendCharges.ca™ can help Ontario hunters understand the steps to finish the Ontario Hunter Education Course (online self directed or in person instructor led), what the exam and proof of completion include, and how to use that proof to register hunter accreditation through Ontario’s Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service so you can then buy eligible licences and tags.  If your situation involves licensing timelines, missing documentation, or confusion about what is required versus the Canadian Firearms Safety Course, contact DefendCharges.ca™ at (647) 559-3377 to discuss practical options with an Ontario paralegal.

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Ontario Hunter Education Course

The Ontario Hunter Education Course provides the training and examination used to establish hunter accreditation for most new Ontario hunters.  The course covers hunting safety, hunting laws and regulations, hunter responsibilities, wildlife management, hunting techniques, equipment, and wildlife identification.

Note: Please contact DefendCharges.ca™ by phone at: (647) 559-3377 to discuss any specific questions that you may have.

Ontario currently offers two ways to complete the course: an instructor led course taken in person or a self directed online course.  Successful completion provides proof of hunter education that can be used to register hunting accreditation with Ontario's Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service.

This resource explains who normally needs the Ontario Hunter Education Course, what the course covers, how the in person and online options work, how hunter accreditation is registered, how the course differs from the Canadian Firearms Safety Course, and where to find current official Ontario government information.

What Is the Ontario Hunter Education Course?

The Ontario Hunter Education Course is the hunter training program approved by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources for establishing hunter education accreditation.

Ontario Regulation 665/98, Hunting, provides that an applicant may be issued a hunting licence after successfully completing a hunter education course approved by the Minister and providing proof of successful completion, subject to other recognized forms of hunter accreditation.

The course is intended to provide new hunters with the knowledge needed to understand responsible hunting practices, safety requirements, wildlife management, and Ontario hunting laws.

Who Needs to Take the Ontario Hunter Education Course?

Most new Ontario resident hunters need to successfully complete the Ontario Hunter Education Course before they can obtain hunting licence authority.

Ontario residents generally use successful completion of the course to establish their hunter accreditation.  Once that accreditation is registered with Ontario's licensing system, the person can obtain an Outdoors Card and purchase hunting licences and tags for which they are otherwise eligible.

However, not every person seeking an Ontario hunting licence must retake the Ontario Hunter Education Course.  Ontario recognizes certain previous hunting credentials and hunter education completed in other recognized jurisdictions.

What Is Hunter Accreditation?

Hunter accreditation means that Ontario has recognized the person's hunter education or other qualifying hunting credentials.

Hunter accreditation is recorded in Ontario's Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service and is separate from the Outdoors Card, hunting licence, Licence Summary, and hunting tag.

For a new Ontario hunter, successful completion of the Ontario Hunter Education Course is the usual way to establish accreditation.  Other legally recognized documents can also establish accreditation where the requirements of Ontario Regulation 665/98 are met.

What Does the Hunter Education Course Cover?

The course provides instruction on several subjects relevant to safe and lawful hunting.  Ontario identifies the main topics as:

• Hunting safety and equipment;
• Hunting laws and regulations;
• Hunter responsibilities;
• Wildlife management;
• Hunting techniques; and
• Wildlife identification.

The course is intended to provide a foundation for new hunters rather than replace the need to check current hunting regulations before each hunt.  Seasons, licence requirements, tags, Wildlife Management Units, hunting methods, and other rules can change after a person completes the course.

Can You Take the Ontario Hunter Education Course Online?

Yes.  Ontario currently offers a self directed online Hunter Education Course.

The online option allows students to work through the required course material and complete the examination online.  It provides an alternative for people who do not want or are unable to attend an instructor led classroom course.

The Ontario Hunter Education Program provides access to the current online course registration information.

View Ontario's official Hunter Education information.

Can You Take the Course in Person?

Yes.  Ontario also offers instructor led Hunter Education Courses.

In person courses are delivered by certified instructors and include the required course material and examination.  Depending on the instructor and schedule, a course can be offered in a single day or divided over more than one day.

The Ontario Hunter Education Program maintains information about available courses and certified instructors.

Find an Ontario Hunter Education Course or instructor.

Is There an Examination?

Yes.  Successful completion of the Ontario Hunter Education Course includes completing the required examination.

Students taking the instructor led option complete the examination through the course instructor.  Students using the online option complete the examination through the online course.

Successful students receive proof that they completed the approved hunter education course.

What Happens After You Pass the Course?

After successfully completing the course and examination, the student receives proof of completion that can be used to establish Ontario hunter accreditation.

Under the current 2026 system, a new Ontario resident hunter generally takes that proof to a participating ServiceOntario location that provides hunting licence services so the hunter accreditation can be entered into the Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service.

Once hunter accreditation is properly recorded, the person can obtain an Outdoors Card and purchase hunting licences and tags for which they are eligible.

Completing the course itself does not create hunting authority.  The applicable Outdoors Card, hunting licence, tag, season, and other hunting requirements must still be satisfied.

Can Hunter Accreditation Be Submitted Online?

Ontario has announced that online submission of Ontario hunter accreditation will become available through its new licensing system in early 2027.

The new FishHuntON licensing system will allow Ontario hunter accreditation information to be submitted online rather than requiring every new accreditation submission to be completed through the current in person process.

Until that transition occurs, the current 2026 procedures should be followed.

View Ontario's FishHuntON licensing modernization information.

Do You Need the Hunter Education Course to Hunt With a Bow?

Hunter education accreditation is required for ordinary Ontario hunting licence eligibility regardless of whether the person intends to hunt with a bow or a gun.

Successful completion of the Ontario Hunter Education Course establishes the hunter education component needed by a new hunter.  Once the applicable licences, tags, seasons, and other requirements are satisfied, the person may hunt using a bow where Ontario law permits that hunting method.

The separate Canadian Firearms Safety Course requirement becomes particularly relevant when hunting with a gun.

Is the Hunter Education Course the Same as the Canadian Firearms Safety Course?

No.  The Ontario Hunter Education Course and the Canadian Firearms Safety Course are different courses with different purposes.

• Ontario Hunter Education Course: Provides hunter education and establishes Ontario hunter accreditation;
• Canadian Firearms Safety Course: Provides the federal firearms safety training associated with lawful firearm possession and use requirements.

The Ontario Hunter Education Course addresses hunting laws, wildlife, hunting techniques, safety, and hunter responsibilities.  The Canadian Firearms Safety Course focuses specifically on firearm safety and federal firearms requirements.

A person intending to hunt with a gun must satisfy both the applicable Ontario hunting requirements and applicable federal firearm requirements.

Can the Hunter Education Course and Firearms Safety Course Be Taken Together?

Yes.  Many instructors offer the Ontario Hunter Education Course and Canadian Firearms Safety Course together as a combined course.

Ontario sometimes refers to this as a convenient one stop course.  The two courses remain legally distinct even when they are delivered together.

A person who only needs one of the courses can also take them separately.

What Is Required to Hunt With a Gun?

Hunting with a gun involves both Ontario hunting accreditation and federal firearms requirements.

Ontario's current hunter education guidance states that a person hunting with a gun must have successfully completed the Canadian Firearms Safety Course and carry the applicable federal firearm documentation.

Depending on the person and circumstances, that documentation can include:

• A valid Possession and Acquisition Licence;
• A valid Minor's Licence; or
• Recognized proof of completing the Canadian Firearms Safety Course where permitted.

Different federal documentation requirements can apply to non-residents of Canada.

Where Can You Find Canadian Firearms Safety Course Information?

The Canadian Firearms Safety Course is administered under the federal Canadian Firearms Program.

View Canadian Firearms Safety Course information.

Ontario also directs hunters to the Firearms Safety Education Service of Ontario for information about instructors and combined courses.

Find firearms safety training in Ontario.

Do New Ontario Residents Always Have to Retake Hunter Education?

No.  Ontario can recognize qualifying hunter education or hunting credentials from another jurisdiction.

A person who has moved to Ontario and established Ontario residency may not need to take the Ontario Hunter Education Course again where the person has Ontario recognized hunter accreditation from the jurisdiction where they previously lived.

The person's accreditation must still be recognized and properly recorded in Ontario's licensing system before applicable hunting products can be purchased.

Do Non-Residents Have to Take the Ontario Hunter Education Course?

Not necessarily.  A non-resident can use hunter accreditation from a jurisdiction that Ontario recognizes as having equivalent hunter education requirements.

A first time non-resident hunter generally must be at least 16 years old and provide acceptable proof of hunter accreditation before purchasing Ontario non-resident hunting products.

Non-residents who have previously hunted in Ontario and already have valid hunter accreditation recorded with the Ministry may not need to provide it again.

View Ontario hunting licence information for non-residents.

What Other Hunter Accreditation Can Ontario Recognize?

Ontario Regulation 665/98 recognizes several forms of previous hunter accreditation in addition to completion of the current Ontario Hunter Education Course.

Depending on whether the person is a resident or non-resident, qualifying proof can include certain:

• Previous Ontario hunting licences;
• Older Outdoors Cards that carried hunting accreditation;
• Ministry hunting licence verification letters or certificates;
• Hunter education certificates or equivalent credentials from recognized jurisdictions; and
• Other documentation specifically accepted under the Regulation.

The applicable document should be checked against the current regulation because the acceptable forms of accreditation have changed over time.

What Is the Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Program?

The Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Program allows qualifying young Ontario residents to develop hunting skills while under direct and immediate supervision of an experienced licensed hunter.

Under the current 2026 rules, the program applies to Ontario residents who are 12 to 14 years old and who have completed the required hunter education.

An apprentice must have an Outdoors Card with hunter accreditation and must comply with the applicable supervision, firearm, bag limit, licence, and tag requirements.

View Ontario's Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Program information.

Does an Apprentice Hunter Need to Complete Hunter Education?

Yes.  Hunter education is required before participating in Ontario's Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Program.

A qualifying apprentice must successfully complete the Ontario Hunter Education Course and have hunter accreditation recorded before obtaining the Outdoors Card used for the apprenticeship program.

If the apprentice will hunt with a gun, the applicable Canadian Firearms Safety Course and federal documentation requirements also apply.

What Rules Apply to Apprentice Hunters in 2026?

Under the current 2026 rules, an apprentice hunter must hunt under the direct and immediate supervision of a qualifying mentor.

The supervising hunter must generally:

• Be at least 18 years old;
• Hold a valid Outdoors Card;
• Hold the applicable hunting licence for the wildlife being hunted; and
• Hold the applicable tag where one is required.

The apprentice and mentor must share a single firearm where the apprentice is hunting with a firearm.  Wildlife taken by an apprentice who is hunting without their own licence or tag is generally included in the mentor's bag limit or tag authority, subject to Ontario's party hunting rules.

Can Apprentice Hunters Buy Their Own Licences and Tags?

Yes, for selected hunting products.

Ontario permits apprentice hunters to purchase certain licences and tags that are not obtained through a draw or allocation.  Examples can include a Small Game Licence, Wild Turkey Tag, or qualifying deer hunting authority.

Where an apprentice purchases their own licence or tag, they can hunt under their own applicable bag limit or tag authority rather than relying entirely on the mentor's limit.

Apprentice hunters who obtain products subject to mandatory hunter reporting must also complete the required hunter reports.

Does Hunter Education Expire?

Hunter education accreditation is not an annual course requirement.

Once qualifying hunter accreditation has been properly established and recorded, a hunter does not ordinarily repeat the Ontario Hunter Education Course each year simply because a new hunting season begins.

Hunting licences, tags, Outdoors Cards, seasons, and other requirements can expire or change independently of hunter accreditation.

Does Completing the Course Give You a Hunting Licence?

No.  Completing the Ontario Hunter Education Course establishes hunter education accreditation but does not itself issue a hunting licence.

After accreditation is recorded, the person must still obtain:

• A valid Outdoors Card;
• The hunting licence required for the wildlife being hunted;
• Any required hunting tag;
• Any additional permit or authorization required for the hunt; and
• Applicable federal firearm documentation when hunting with a gun.

The person must also comply with the applicable open season, Wildlife Management Unit, hunting method, reporting, property access, and other legal requirements.

Where Can You Find the Official Ontario Hunter Education Information?

Ontario maintains a dedicated government Hunter Education resource.

View Ontario's official Hunter Education page.

The Ontario government page provides current information about the Hunter Education Course, online and in person training, hunter accreditation, exemptions, the Canadian Firearms Safety Course, combined courses, and the Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Program.

Where Can You Find the Ontario Hunter Education Course?

The Ontario Hunter Education Program provides course registration and certified instructor information.

Visit the Ontario Hunter Education Program.

The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters administers the Ontario Hunter Education Program and provides information about instructor led and online courses.  Ontario's official government Hunter Education page directs prospective students to this program for course information.

Where Is Hunter Education Explained in the 2026 Hunting Regulations Summary?

The 2026 Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary contains a separate Ontario Hunter Education Course section.

View the Ontario Hunter Education Course section of the 2026 Hunting Regulations Summary.

The summary identifies the subjects covered by the course and explains the relationship between hunter education and the Canadian Firearms Safety Course.

Where Can You Read the Legal Hunter Accreditation Rules?

Ontario Regulation 665/98, Hunting, contains the legally binding provisions governing hunter education and recognized hunter accreditation.

Read Ontario Regulation 665/98 - Hunting on Ontario e-Laws.

Sections 11 and 12 contain the principal hunter education and accreditation provisions, while sections 22 and 23 address apprentice hunters.

What Is Changing in 2027?

Ontario's new FishHuntON licensing system will introduce online submission of Ontario hunter accreditation in 2027.

This will provide a new way for hunters to submit qualifying accreditation documents through Ontario's licensing system.

Separate regulatory changes also affect portions of the Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Program beginning January 1, 2027.  Hunters participating in the apprenticeship program should check the rules in force for the hunting year in which they participate.

Why Can Hunter Education Information Matter in a Legal Issue?

Hunter accreditation can matter whenever eligibility for an Ontario hunting licence or apprentice hunting authority is in question.

Relevant information can include the course completion record, Ministry accreditation record, previous recognized hunting credentials, Outdoors Card information, age, residency status, and the licensing rules that applied at the relevant time.

Hunter education accreditation should be distinguished from separate licence, tag, firearm, season, and document carrying requirements.

How Can DefendCharges.ca™ Help?

DefendCharges.ca™ can help explain how Ontario hunter education, hunter accreditation, Outdoors Cards, hunting licences, apprenticeship rules, and related requirements apply to a particular legal issue.  This can include identifying the applicable provisions of Ontario Regulation 665/98 and determining which accreditation requirements apply.

Where a hunting ticket, summons, investigation, seizure, or court proceeding involves hunter accreditation or licence eligibility, DefendCharges.ca™ can review the applicable legislation and records, explain the legal issues and potential consequences, and help the person understand their options.

Key Takeaways

• The Ontario Hunter Education Course is the principal training course used by new Ontario hunters to establish hunter accreditation;
• The course can currently be taken through an instructor led in person course or through a self directed online course;
• The course includes an examination and successful students receive proof of completion;
• The course covers hunting safety, laws and regulations, hunter responsibilities, wildlife management, hunting techniques, equipment, and wildlife identification;
• Most new Ontario resident hunters must establish hunter accreditation before obtaining hunting licence authority;
• Ontario recognizes certain previous hunting credentials and hunter education from recognized jurisdictions, so not every hunter must retake the Ontario course;
• The Ontario Hunter Education Course is separate from the Canadian Firearms Safety Course;
• Hunting with a gun requires compliance with applicable federal firearm training and documentation requirements;
• Completing hunter education does not itself issue an Outdoors Card, hunting licence, or hunting tag;
• Ontario's Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Program currently applies to qualifying Ontario residents who are 12 to 14 years old and requires hunter education;
• Online submission of Ontario hunter accreditation is planned through FishHuntON in 2027; and
• Ontario's official Hunter Education page and Ontario Regulation 665/98 should be used when confirming current hunter education and accreditation requirements.

Conclusion

The Ontario Hunter Education Course provides the training and examination used by most new Ontario hunters to establish hunter accreditation.  The course is available online or through certified instructors and covers hunting safety, laws, wildlife management, responsibilities, techniques, equipment, and identification.  Successful completion establishes the education requirement, while an Outdoors Card, applicable hunting licences and tags, open seasons, and other hunting requirements must still be satisfied separately.  Ontario's official Hunter Education page and current Hunting Regulation provide the appropriate starting points for confirming the requirements.