Drone Laws in Canada: Licence, Registration and Rules

If you own a drone that weighs 250 g or more, Canadian law asks four things of you: register it with Transport Canada, mark it with the registration number, hold a drone pilot certificate, and follow the operating rules in Part IX of the Canadian Aviation Regulations, SOR/96-433. For most hobby and camera drones that means a Basic certificate, flying below 400 feet, staying in sight, and keeping well clear of people, airports and emergencies.

Drones under 250 g are lighter on paperwork but not rule-free. And whatever you fly, the camera brings privacy law and the Criminal Code into the picture.

This page covers federal law that applies across Canada: Part IX of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (consolidation current to September 30, 2026, last amended June 17, 2026), the Aeronautics Act, Parks Canada's drone rules, and the Criminal Code provisions on voyeurism and interception. It does not cover provincial park rules, municipal bylaws or provincial privacy statutes, which can add limits where you fly. For other vehicle and mobility rules, see our Canadian driving and traffic laws hub.

The short answer for most drone owners

Transport Canada's rule of thumb is weight-based. If your drone, with everything attached to it, weighs at least 250 g and no more than 25 kg, you are flying a small drone and you need:

• Registration through the Drone Management Portal, with the registration number marked on the drone.
• A drone pilot certificate. A Basic certificate covers the simplest flights; an Advanced certificate covers controlled airspace and flying closer to people.
• Compliance with Part IX, including the 400-foot altitude ceiling, visual line of sight, distance from bystanders, and the airport, heliport and emergency-site limits.

The certificate is what most people mean by a "drone licence". It is not a licence in the driving sense: it never expires, but you must show recent training before you fly.

Weight categories: what you fly decides the rules

Part IX measures a drone by its operating weight, which section 900.01 defines as its weight at any point during a flight, "including any payload and any safety equipment that is on board or otherwise connected to the aircraft." Transport Canada adds that the remote control does not count, but optional cameras and safety cages do.

A small accessory can move a drone into a heavier category. Transport Canada's registration page says a drone under 250 g does not need to be registered "unless something is attached to it that increases its weight to 250 g or more."

Microdrones under 250 g

Microdrones are the most misunderstood category. Transport Canada says pilots of microdrones "don't need to register their drone or get a drone pilot certificate to fly them," but that is where the exemptions end.

These rules still apply to a microdrone:

• No reckless or negligent flying. Section 900.06 applies to every drone: no one may operate one "in such a reckless or negligent manner as to endanger or be likely to endanger aviation safety or the safety of any person."
• Stay away from emergencies. Transport Canada tells microdrone pilots to stay away from emergency sites such as house fires, traffic accidents, floods and wildfires.
• Restricted airspace is off limits without authorization. Transport Canada says all drones, including those under 250 g, are prohibited from entering restricted zones without the proper authorizations.
• Advertised events need permission. Since April 1, 2025, flying any drone at an advertised event, microdrones included, requires a special flight operations certificate.

Transport Canada also recommends, without making them mandatory for microdrones, that you keep the drone where you can always see it, fly below 400 feet, keep a safe distance from people and stay far from aerodromes.

Drone pilot certificates

Every pilot of a drone with an operating weight from 250 g up to and including 150 kg must hold a pilot certificate. You take the exams, see your results and get your certificate through Transport Canada's Drone Management Portal.

For the Advanced and Level 1 Complex privileges that involve people, medium drones, controlled airspace or flying beyond sight, the drone itself must also meet Transport Canada's safety feature requirements for that operation.

Basic certificate

The Small Basic Exam has 35 multiple-choice questions, a 90-minute limit and a pass mark of 65%. You must be at least 14 to take it. If you fail, you must wait 24 hours before trying again, and you can retake it as many times as you wish.

Passing issues the certificate; Transport Canada lists the certificate as included in the exam fee. As of April 1, 2026, its fee listing sets the fee for taking or retaking the Small Basic or Advanced exam at $10.17 each time. With a Basic certificate you may fly a drone of no more than 25 kg that you can always see, in uncontrolled airspace, more than 30 metres (100 feet) horizontally from any person not involved in the flight, more than 5.6 km (3 nautical miles) from the centre of a certified airport, and more than 1.9 km (1 nautical mile) from the centre of a heliport. Transport Canada's own summary: if you do not meet all of those conditions, you are conducting advanced or complex operations.

Advanced certificate and the flight review

The Advanced Exam has 50 multiple-choice questions, a 60-minute limit and a pass mark of 80%, and you must be at least 16. After passing it, you complete a flight review with a flight reviewer, who is associated with a self-declared drone flight school. Under section 901.64, the flight review must be completed within the 12 months before you apply for the certificate.

Flight reviewers set their own prices. Transport Canada says results come within 24 hours, and if you fail you may schedule another review the next day. Once the review is passed, the certificate costs $25.43 as of April 1, 2026, per Transport Canada's fee listing.

The Advanced certificate opens up flying in controlled airspace with permission from air traffic services, flying less than 30 metres but more than 5 metres (16.4 feet) from people, flying within 5 metres of or over people with a drone declared to meet the right safety standard, sheltered operations, extended visual line-of-sight operations and medium drones.

Level 1 Complex and the RPAS operator certificate

Level 1 Complex is the newest certificate and covers some lower-risk flights beyond visual line of sight. Under section 901.90 you must be at least 18, pass the Advanced Exam, complete 20 hours of RPAS ground school delivered by a training provider, pass the Level 1 Complex Exam (50 questions, 90 minutes, 80% to pass) and complete a flight review.

You must also fly under an RPAS operator certificate (RPOC). Transport Canada says anyone conducting Level 1 Complex operations needs to operate under an RPOC, and foreign individuals cannot hold one. As of April 1, 2026, Transport Canada's fee listing sets the Level 1 Complex exam at $50.85, the certificate at $127.13 and the RPOC at $127.13.

Keeping your certificate current

Your pilot certificate does not expire. Instead, under sections 901.56 and 901.65, before you fly you must have done one of the following within the previous 24 months: been issued your certificate, retaken an exam, passed a flight review, or completed a seminar, recurrent training or self-paced study program.

Carry the proof. Transport Canada says a valid certificate is a printed or electronic document it issued, and "no other form of certification will be accepted." Section 901.57 requires the certificate and your recency documentation to be easily accessible to you while flying.

Flying without a certificate under supervision

Section 901.54(2) lifts the certificate requirement when the flight is conducted under the direct supervision of a person permitted to fly that system. Transport Canada puts it plainly: people without a licence can fly if supervised by someone with one, and that includes clubs, camps and other youth groups.

Registering and marking your drone

Section 900.13(1) says no person shall operate a drone with an operating weight of 250 g or more "unless the remotely piloted aircraft is registered." This includes custom-built drones, kit drones and off-the-shelf models.

Registration is done through the Drone Management Portal. Transport Canada says it takes about three minutes and you need the purchase date, the make, model and serial number, and a payment card. The fee was set at $10 from April 1, 2025, and Transport Canada adjusts its fees for inflation each April 1; as of April 1, 2026 its fee listing sets registration at $10.17 per drone.

Your obligations after registering:

• Mark the drone. Section 900.14 requires the registration number to be clearly visible; Transport Canada suggests a permanent marker, permanent label or engraving.
• Keep the certificate of registration at hand. Section 900.20 requires it to be easily accessible to the pilot.
• Report changes within seven days. Section 900.18 requires the owner to notify the Minister within seven days of events such as the drone being destroyed, lost or transferred, and section 900.19 sets the same seven-day limit for a change of name or address.

Only certain owners qualify. Under section 900.15, the registered owner must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, an entity formed in Canada, or a government, and an individual must be at least 14.

The core flying rules

These rules come from Part IX and apply to small drones flown within visual line of sight unless you hold the certificate or special permission that allows otherwise.

• Altitude. Section 901.25(1) bars flying higher than 400 feet (122 m) above ground level, or more than 100 feet (30 m) above a building or structure when you are within 200 feet (61 m) of it horizontally. Higher flights need an SFOC.
• Visual line of sight. Section 901.11(1) requires that you or a visual observer keep the drone in sight, except for the extended, sheltered and beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations allowed under the Advanced and Level 1 Complex rules or an SFOC.
• Distance from people. Section 901.26 bars flying a small drone less than 100 feet (30 m), measured horizontally and at any altitude, from anyone not involved in the operation unless you are operating under the Advanced rules. For medium drones the distance is 500 feet (152.4 m).
• First-person view needs a spotter. Under section 901.38, flying by video goggles or a screen requires a visual observer.
• Night. Section 901.39(1) allows night flying only if the drone has lights sufficient for you or your observer to see it, and the lights are on.
• No flying from a moving vehicle. Section 901.37 bars operating a drone while operating a moving vehicle, vessel or crewed aircraft.
• Sobriety. Section 901.19(2) bars crew members from acting within 12 hours after consuming an alcoholic beverage, or while under the influence of alcohol or an impairing drug.
• No hazardous drops. Section 901.50 bars dropping objects from a drone in a way that creates a hazard.
• Site survey first. Section 901.27 bars operating a drone unless, before the operation, you conduct a site survey that takes into account listed factors such as the type of airspace, nearby airports and heliports, obstacles and the weather.
• Keep records. Section 901.48 requires the owner to keep a record of the pilots and crew involved in each flight and the time of each flight, kept for 12 months, and a record of maintenance, modifications and repairs, kept for 24 months.

Insurance is not required for the standard operation categories, though Transport Canada recommends it. SFOC operations may require proof of insurance.

Airports, heliports and controlled airspace

A Basic certificate does not allow flying in controlled airspace at all, and both certificates are subject to distance limits around airports and heliports.

Section 901.47 bars flying a drone within visual line of sight less than 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) from the centre of an airport or 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) from the centre of a heliport, unless an Advanced pilot follows the procedure established for that site under section 901.73. Near any listed aerodrome you must not fly in a way that could interfere with aircraft in the traffic pattern. Within 3 nautical miles of a military aerodrome you need authorization from the Department of National Defence.

To fly in controlled airspace you need an Advanced certificate and, under section 901.71(1), an authorization from the provider of air traffic services in the area. In airspace controlled by NAV CANADA, you request that permission through NAV CANADA's NAV Drone app or its web version, which also shows where you can fly. Airspace controlled by the Department of National Defence needs a flight authorization from the military aerodrome authority.

Places you cannot fly without special permission

Some places are off limits regardless of your certificate.

• Emergency sites. Section 900.08(1) bars flying "over or within the security perimeter established by a public authority in response to an emergency." Transport Canada also tells pilots not to fly within 9.3 km (5 nautical miles) of a wildfire. Police, firefighting and life-saving operations are excepted.
• Restricted airspace. Class F special use restricted airspace and zones closed by a section 5.1 NOTAM are prohibited for all drones, including microdrones, without the proper authorizations.
• Advertised events. Section 901.41(1) bars flying at any advertised event except under an SFOC. Section 900.01 defines an advertised event as an outdoor event advertised to the general public, "including a concert, festival, market or sporting event."
• Special aviation events. If your drone is a performer in an airshow or drone show, Transport Canada requires an SFOC for a special aviation event.

Indoor flying is different. Transport Canada says Part IX does not apply to indoor or underground drone operations, so the question becomes whether the building owner gives you permission.

National parks

Parks Canada takes a stricter line than the aviation rules. Transport Canada says drone pilots "are not allowed to take-off or land within a national park," though a park superintendent may allow it in some cases.

Parks Canada's Banff National Park drone page states that "recreational use of drones at all Parks Canada places is prohibited." The superintendent may issue a restricted activity permit only for resource management and protection, public safety, law enforcement, or park administration purposes, and commercial use is by permit only for those same purposes. Parks Canada warns that flying in a park without an approved permit "may result in law enforcement action and a fine of up to $25,000."

Provincial parks, cities and other local rules

Aviation is federal, so Part IX applies everywhere in Canadian airspace. That does not mean it is the only rule. Provinces and municipalities can control what happens on land they manage, including taking off and landing in provincial and municipal parks, and Transport Canada's privacy guidance lists "violations of provincial or municipal laws" among the ways drone use can lead to charges.

Those local rules vary and are not covered on this page. Before flying in a provincial park, a city park or a public space, check with the park operator or your municipality.

What changed in 2025

The Regulations Amending the Canadian Aviation Regulations (RPAS, Beyond Visual Line-of-Sight and Other Operations), SOR/2025-70, were made by Order in Council P.C. 2025-273 on March 5, 2025, registered on March 6, 2025 and published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, Vol. 159, No. 7, on March 26, 2025. Transport Canada says they allow medium-drone operations and some beyond-visual-line-of-sight flying without an SFOC.

The changes came in two stages, which explains why the consolidated regulations show the new text in force from April 1, 2025 while Transport Canada says some operations could not start until later:

• April 1, 2025. Section 100(1) of SOR/2025-70 brought most of it into force on this date. Transport Canada says that from April 1, 2025, registration rose to $10, an SFOC became required to fly microdrones at advertised events, and pilots could take the Level 1 Complex exam and apply for an RPOC.
• November 4, 2025. Section 100(2) delayed listed sections to November 4, 2025, and a new section 900.02.1 provided that the rules on extended visual line-of-sight and sheltered operations, the RPOC regime and related provisions "do not apply until November 4, 2025." Transport Canada says BVLOS, EVLOS and sheltered operations could not begin until that date. SFOC fees also began then, at $20 for very low complexity, $75 for low, $900 for medium and $2,000 for high complexity applications, except for government organizations involved with emergency response. After the April 1, 2026 inflation adjustment, Transport Canada lists them at $20.34, $76.28, $915.30 and $2,034.

The 2025 package also expanded what Advanced pilots can do (sheltered and extended visual line-of-sight operations, and medium drones within visual line of sight) and added new technical standards. Part IX has been amended again since, so check the current consolidation on the Justice Laws website before relying on any specific section.

Recreational vs commercial: a distinction that mostly ended

Part IX, in place since 2019, does not split drone pilots into recreational and commercial. It applies to "the operation of remotely piloted aircraft systems" and organizes everything by drone weight and type of operation. A hobbyist and a paid photographer flying the same drone in the same place need the same registration and the same certificate.

The distinction survives in a few places:

• Commercial air services. Section 900.09(1) limits who may provide a commercial air service with a drone of 250 g or more, subject to listed exceptions.
• National parks. Recreational use is banned outright; commercial use is possible by permit for limited purposes.
• Privacy law. Businesses must follow federal or provincial private-sector privacy law when they collect personal information with a drone.
• Wording on fines. Transport Canada's registration page still phrases the unregistered-drone fine as $5,000 for "recreational users" and $25,000 for "commercial users"; its main safety page states the same figures as individual and corporate fines.

Visiting pilots and foreign-owned drones

If you are not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, or you want to fly a foreign-owned drone, Transport Canada says you need to apply for an SFOC for RPAS, and that some exceptions apply. Foreign pilots and operators cannot register drones in Canada, and foreign individuals cannot hold an RPOC, though Transport Canada says they can conduct Level 1 Complex operations if they fly with a Canadian organization that holds one. Plan ahead and check with Transport Canada before your trip.

Fines and penalties

Transport Canada enforces Part IX mainly through administrative monetary penalties. Section 103.08(2) of the Canadian Aviation Regulations says the amounts in Schedule II to Part I, Subpart 3 are the maximum amounts payable for each designated provision. For the rules on this page, that schedule sets these maximums:

Transport Canada's web pages summarize these penalties in broader categories. Where a summary differs from the schedule, the schedule sets the maximum: for example, Transport Canada's microdrone page lists up to $15,000 (its figure for a corporation) for flying a microdrone at an advertised event, while the schedule sets $1,000 for an individual and $5,000 for a corporation under section 903.01.

Transport Canada adds that if you break more than one rule, you could receive multiple penalties, and that it investigates reports of unsafe flying and may involve local police if you break other laws.

Those schedule amounts are not the ceiling the Aeronautics Act allows. As the Aeronautics Act now reads, section 7.6(1)(b) lets the regulations set administrative penalties of up to $150,000 for an individual and $1,500,000 for a corporation. Separately, section 7.3(3) makes breaching the Act or its regulations an offence punishable on summary conviction, with maximum fines of $150,000 for an individual and $1,500,000 for a corporation under sections 7.3(4) and (5). A second or subsequent conviction carries a minimum fine of $250.

Privacy and filming people with a drone

Aviation rules say where you may fly; they say little about what you may film. Transport Canada's privacy guidance is blunt: "Privacy laws may not mention drones by name but these laws do apply to pictures, videos or other information collected by a drone." It lists voyeurism, mischief, creating a nuisance and violations of provincial or municipal laws as ways drone use can lead to charges.

Voyeurism under section 162 of the Criminal Code

Section 162(1) of the Criminal Code (as amended by S.C. 2026, c. 19, s. 14, in force July 18, 2026) makes it an offence to surreptitiously observe (including by mechanical or electronic means) or make a visual recording of a person who is in circumstances that give rise to a reasonable expectation of privacy, if:

(a) the person is in a place in which a person can reasonably be expected to be nude or nearly nude, to expose their sexual organs or to be engaged in explicit sexual activity; (b) the person is nude, is nearly nude, is exposing their sexual organs, or is engaged in explicit sexual activity, and the observation or recording is done for the purpose of observing or recording a person in such a state or engaged in such an activity; or (c) the observation or recording is done for a sexual purpose.

A "visual recording" includes "a photographic, film or video recording made by any means," which covers a drone camera. Under section 162(5), the offence is punishable by up to 10 years in prison on indictment, or on summary conviction. Distributing a voyeuristic recording is a separate offence under section 162(4), and section 162(6) provides a public-good defence.

On the text alone, the offence needs secrecy, a reasonable expectation of privacy and one of the three listed situations. Hovering a camera over a backyard pool or outside a bedroom window can fall within it; filming a landscape that happens to include people generally does not meet those elements. Our Canadian criminal law hub covers other offences.

Audio, video and section 184

Section 184 of the Criminal Code deals with intercepting "a private communication" by "electro-magnetic, acoustic, mechanical or other device." Its text says nothing about video, so a drone recording silent video is not an interception under section 184. If your drone records audio of a private conversation, that is a separate question; see our guide to Canada's recording laws.

Transport Canada's privacy guidelines and business use

For recreational pilots, Transport Canada's guidelines (not statute) ask you to be accountable for your flights, take reasonable steps to avoid capturing personal information you do not need, such as by blurring faces or licence plates, get consent where you are likely to capture someone, store recordings securely and respond respectfully to complaints.

Businesses face legal obligations. Transport Canada says businesses must follow the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) when using drones, except organizations operating entirely within Alberta, British Columbia or Quebec, which have their own private-sector laws. Federal institutions follow the Privacy Act. Our Canadian privacy law hub explains those regimes, and our guide to security camera and doorbell laws in Canada covers fixed cameras pointed at neighbours.

Provincial privacy statutes and court-made privacy claims can also apply to drone filming. They vary by province and are not covered on this page.

What to check before you fly

Some answers depend on where and how you fly, and on rules this page does not cover:

• Fees. Transport Canada adjusts its fees for inflation each April 1, so check the amount in force when you register or apply.
• Your exact location. Check NAV Drone for controlled airspace and aerodromes near you, and stay clear of any emergency perimeter or restricted zone.
• Parks and public land. Check with Parks Canada, the provincial park operator or your municipality before taking off or landing.
• Special operations. If you plan to fly above 400 feet, beyond sight without a Level 1 Complex certificate, at an event or as a visitor, check Transport Canada's SFOC requirements.

If you also ride an e-scooter or e-bike, our guide to e-scooter laws in Canada covers the provincial rules for those.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a drone licence in Canada?

If your drone weighs 250 g or more (including anything attached to it, such as a camera or cage), yes. Transport Canada calls it a drone pilot certificate, and every pilot of a drone from 250 g up to and including 150 kg must hold one. The common starting point is the Basic certificate, which you get by passing the online Small Basic Exam through the Drone Management Portal. Drones under 250 g need no certificate.

Do drones under 250 grams have any rules in Canada?

Yes. You do not need to register a microdrone or hold a certificate, but you must not fly it in a reckless or negligent way that could endanger aviation safety or anyone, you must stay away from emergency sites, and restricted airspace is off limits to all drones without the proper authorization. Since April 1, 2025 you also need a special flight operations certificate to fly a microdrone at an advertised event such as a concert, market or sporting event. If an add-on pushes it to 250 g or more, it must be registered.

How old do you have to be to fly a drone in Canada?

The minimum ages are for certificates: 14 for the Basic certificate, 16 for the Advanced certificate and 18 for Level 1 Complex. You must also be at least 14 to be the registered owner of a drone. Younger people can fly a drone that needs a certificate only under the direct supervision of someone permitted to fly it, which is how clubs, camps and youth groups operate.

Is there still a separate recreational drone licence?

No. Part IX of the Canadian Aviation Regulations sorts drone flying by the weight of the drone and the kind of operation, not by whether you are paid. A hobbyist and a real estate photographer flying the same drone in the same place need the same certificate. Commercial status still matters for Parks Canada permits, for privacy law that applies to businesses, and for some rules on commercial air services.

Can I fly my drone at night in Canada?

Part IX does not ban night flying outright. Section 901.39 requires the drone to carry lights sufficient to make it visible to the pilot or a visual observer, and those lights must be turned on. All the other rules, including keeping the drone in visual line of sight, still apply.

How close to an airport can I fly a drone?

Under section 901.47, a drone flown within visual line of sight must stay at least 3 nautical miles (about 5.6 km) from the centre of an airport and 1 nautical mile (about 1.9 km) from the centre of a heliport, unless you hold an Advanced certificate and follow the procedure set for that site. Military aerodromes need Department of National Defence authorization within 3 nautical miles. NAV CANADA airspace also requires its permission.

Can I fly a drone over my neighbour's property?

Aviation rules do not give a simple yes or no. A Basic pilot must stay at least 30 metres horizontally from people not involved in the flight, and Transport Canada reminds pilots that trespassing laws still apply. Filming a neighbour can raise privacy issues, and secretly recording someone in a place where they can expect privacy, such as a bedroom or changing area, can be voyeurism under the Criminal Code. Municipal bylaws may add limits.

Can I knock down or jam a drone flying over my home?

Section 7.3(1)(d.1) of the Aeronautics Act makes it an offence to intentionally interfere with the operation of a drone, or with its crew, while the system is powered on, unless the activity is authorized under the Act. If a drone is being flown unsafely, Transport Canada says it investigates reports of unsafe flying and may involve local police.

Can tourists fly drones in Canada?

Visitors who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents, and anyone flying a foreign-owned drone, generally need a special flight operations certificate for RPAS from Transport Canada; Transport Canada says some exceptions apply. Foreign pilots and operators cannot register drones in Canada, and foreign individuals cannot hold an RPAS operator certificate, though they can conduct Level 1 Complex operations with a Canadian organization that holds one. Check with Transport Canada before you travel.

Does a Canadian drone pilot certificate expire?

No, but it is only usable if your skills are current. Before each flight you must have, within the previous 24 months, been issued your certificate or completed one of: retaking an exam, passing a flight review, or a seminar, recurrent training or self-paced study program recognized by Transport Canada. Keep your certificate and your proof of recency easily accessible while flying.

How much does it cost to register a drone and get certified?

As of April 1, 2026, Transport Canada lists registration at $10.17 per drone and the Small Basic or Advanced exam at $10.17 per attempt. The Basic certificate is included in the exam fee, the Advanced certificate costs $25.43, and Level 1 Complex has a $50.85 exam, a $127.13 certificate and a $127.13 RPAS operator certificate. Transport Canada adjusts these fees for inflation each April 1, so check its fee listing when you apply. Flight reviewers set their own prices.

Can I fly a drone in a provincial park or a city park?

Federal aviation rules apply everywhere in Canadian airspace, but provinces and municipalities can add their own limits on taking off and landing in their parks and public spaces. Those rules vary and are not covered here. Check with the park operator or your municipality before flying.