Summary
- Every province licenses its own security guards. You need a licence from the province where you will work.
- The core steps are the same everywhere: meet the eligibility rules, finish about 40 hours of approved training, pass a provincial exam, clear a criminal record check and apply.
- In Canada, the licence costs $80 (CAD), the test costs $39.55 with HST, and a complete online application can be approved in up to 15 calendar days.
- In British Columbia you must be 19 or older. In Canada and Alberta the minimum age is 18.
- Canada licences are now digital only. You carry a digital or printed copy while you work.
To become a licensed security guard in Canada, you finish approved training and pass the provincial exam. Then you clear a criminal record check and apply to your province’s licensing office. In Canada, a full-time student who applies online can often be licensed in about four weeks. This guide is for anyone asking “how do I become a security guard?” in Canada, British Columbia or Alberta. You will learn the exact steps, the real government fees, how long each stage takes, and what employers look for when they hire new guards.
What Does a Licensed Security Guard Do in Canada?
A licensed security guard in Canada is a person paid to guard or patrol property, or to protect people. Each province requires a licence for this work under its own law. Canada uses the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005. British Columbia uses the Security Services Act. Alberta uses the Security Services and Investigators Act.
Day to day, a security guard might control who enters a building, patrol a site on a set route, respond to alarms, watch cameras, or write incident reports. Some guards work in one spot all shift. Others drive between sites on mobile patrol routes. The licence is what makes all of this legal, so it comes first.
How to Become a Licensed Security Guard: 6 Steps
The steps to become a licensed security guard are close to identical in every province.
- Check your eligibility. Confirm your age, your right to work in Canada, your English level and your criminal record status.
- Take an approved training course. Choose a school on your province’s approved list. Courses run about 40 hours, online or in class.
- Pass the provincial exam. Each province sets its own test and pass mark.
- Get your police record checks. Canada needs a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check. Alberta needs three police searches. BC takes your fingerprints.
- Apply and pay the fee. Submit your application online or by mail with your photo, ID and payment.
- Carry your licence on shift. Every province expects you to show your licence when asked.
Who Is Eligible to Be a Security Guard in Canada?
To be eligible for a security guard licence in Canada, you must meet a minimum age, be legally allowed to work in Canada, and have a clean criminal record. The minimum age is 18 in Canada and Alberta and 19 in British Columbia. BC and Alberta also require English fluency, and Alberta sets that at Canadian Language Benchmark level 5.
A clean record matters most. In Canada, you can’t hold a licence if you were convicted of an offence on the province’s Clean Criminal Record Regulation list, unless you received a pardon or record suspension. Alberta also rules out anyone with outstanding charges or who is under criminal investigation. If you have an old conviction, sort out your record suspension before you pay for training.
Security Guard Licence Requirements by Province
Security guard licence requirements differ most on age, exam pass mark, fees and licence length. The table below compares Canada, British Columbia and Alberta using figures from each provincial government’s own licensing pages, checked in September 2026.
Fees are in Canadian dollars.
| Requirement | Ontario | British Columbia | Alberta |
| Minimum age | 18 | 19 | 18 |
| Training | At least 40 hours, including emergency first aid and CPR | 40-hour Basic Security Training (BST) | Alberta Basic Security Training (ABST) or an accredited course |
| Exam | 60 multiple-choice questions in 75 minutes | 75 questions in 90 minutes, 70% to pass (JIBC) | 80% or higher to pass |
| Exam fee | $39.55 including HST | $64.14 (JIBC assessment) | Set by the training provider |
| Police checks | Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check | Criminal record check with fingerprints | Criminal record check, vulnerable sector search and local police database search |
| Licence fee | $80 | $120 (1 year), $180 (2 years), $240 (3 years) | $100, plus a $9 registry charge in person |
| Licence length | Until your second birthday after issue | 1, 2 or 3 years | 2 years |
| Licensing office | Service Canada and the Ministry of the Solicitor General | Security Programs Division | Security Programs, Alberta Public Safety and Emergency Services |
How to Become a Security Guard in Canada
To become a security guard in Canada, you finish at least 40 hours of basic training with an approved provider, pass the ministry test, and apply through ServiceCanada. The Government of Canada updated its licence rules page in August 2026, and several details have changed from older guides.
Canada training and first aid
Canada basic training must run at least 40 hours and include emergency first aid and CPR certification. You can take it in a classroom or online, but online courses must allow live interaction with an instructor. If you already hold a valid first aid and CPR certificate from a St. John Ambulance or WSIB-certified instructor, you can skip that part of the course. When you finish, your school gives you a training completion number (TCN). You need it to book the test.
The Canada security guard test
The Canada security guard test has 60 multiple-choice questions, and you get 75 minutes to finish. Serco Canada runs it for the province, online or at select DriveTest centres. According to the Canada Security Testing booking page, each attempt costs $35 plus 13% HST, for a total of $39.55. Bookings can’t be cancelled or refunded, so book only when you’re ready. Results come within 2 business days.
How to get a security guard licence in Canada
Once you pass, you apply for your security guard licence in Canada online or by mail. You’ll need your TCN, an Canada mailing address and your Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check in its original format. Add a passport-style photo, copies of two different government IDs and the $80 fee. Your police check must be issued within six months of your application date. Health cards and SIN cards are not accepted as ID.
Here is what changed. A correctly completed online application can take up to 15 calendar days to approve, and a mail application up to 30. Canada no longer issues plastic cards. Your licence arrives as a digital licence, and you must carry a digital or printed copy at all times on the job. It expires two birthdays after the day it’s issued.
How to Become a Security Guard in British Columbia
To become a security guard in British Columbia, you complete Basic Security Training (BST) and pass the exam with at least 70%. Then you apply for a security worker licence through the Security Programs Division. You must be 19 or older. Even if you hold a licence from another province, BC still requires its own licence.
The Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC) delivers BST for the province, online or in person. Approved schools in Burnaby, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Victoria and Prince George also teach it. At JIBC, the 40-hour theory course costs $343.77 and the exam costs $64.14, according to the JIBC BST page. You must pass the exam within six months of finishing the course, and you get two attempts.
When you apply, BC requires your fingerprints, a criminal record check, proof of training, proof you can work in Canada, a passport-quality photo and photo ID. The Government of BC lists new licence fees of $120 for one year, $180 for two years and $240 for three years. A 90-day licence costs $60.
How to Become a Security Guard in Alberta
To become a security guard in Alberta, you complete an approved course, score 80% or higher on the provincial exam, and submit your application with three police searches. Alberta Justice issues the licence under the Security Services and Investigators Act. It costs $100 and lasts two years.
The Government of Alberta requires a criminal record check, a vulnerable sector search and a local police database search. When you ask for them, list the employment type as “security services.” These documents expire 90 days after they’re issued, so get them near the end of your course. You can apply at a registry agent that offers Security Programs services or by mail. If you’re approved, you get a temporary licence valid for 60 days while your card is mailed.
Alberta also offers a 30-day training licence if you’re enrolled in an approved course, but your employer must apply for it. The Alberta licence is portable, so it stays valid if you change employers.
How Much Does a Security Licence Cost?
A security licence in Canada usually costs a few hundred dollars in total once you add training, the exam, police checks and the government fee. Training is the largest and most variable cost, because schools set their own prices. Government fees are fixed and listed below.
| Cost item | Ontario | British Columbia | Alberta |
| Training course | Set by each school | $343.77 at JIBC (other schools vary) | Set by each approved provider |
| Exam | $39.55 per attempt | $64.14 per attempt at JIBC | Check with your provider |
| Police checks | Set by your police service | Fingerprinting fee varies | Set by your police service |
| Licence | $80 | $120 to $240 | $100 plus $9 at a registry |
Security licence cost in Canada is the lowest of the three at the government level: $80 for the licence and $39.55 for the test. Before you pick a school anywhere, ask what the tuition includes. Some Canada courses bundle first aid and CPR, and some don’t.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Security Guard Licence?
Getting a security guard licence usually takes a few weeks from the first day of training. In Canada, a 40-hour course takes about a week full time, test results arrive within 2 business days, and a complete online application takes up to 15 calendar days. That adds up to roughly four weeks. JIBC’s online BST in BC gives you up to eight weeks to finish the course, so self-paced students can take longer.
You can save time by working in parallel. Order your police checks while you’re in the course, as long as they’ll still be valid on your application date. Prepare your photo and IDs early. In Canada, apply online rather than by mail, since online files are processed in half the time.
Can You Transfer a Security Licence Between Provinces?
Yes, in some provinces. Canada accepts a valid security guard licence from another Canadian province or territory in place of its training and test. Under Canada’s “As of Right” rules, out-of-province applications are processed within 10 business days once complete. Alberta also accepts a valid licence from another province in place of its training requirement.
British Columbia is stricter. You still need a BC security worker licence to work there, even if you’re licensed elsewhere. If you have past police, corrections or border services experience, contact the BC Registrar to ask about a training exemption before you enrol.
Checklist: What to Have Ready Before You Apply
Paperwork errors are the easiest way to lose time. Canada returns applications with errors or missing information, and if you don’t fix them within 90 calendar days, the file closes and you lose your fee. Use this checklist before you submit, whichever province you’re in.
- Training certificate or completion number (Canada TCN)
- Exam pass confirmation
- Police checks, still inside the valid window (6 months in Canada, 90 days in Alberta)
- Two different government IDs, with names matching your police check exactly
- A recent passport-style photo that meets your province’s size and background rules
- Proof you can work in Canada (for example, a PR card or work permit)
- First aid and CPR certificate (Canada)
- Payment method your province accepts (credit card online, or certified cheque or money order by mail)
How Imperial Security Hires and Trains New Guards
At Imperial Security, we have hired security officers in British Columbia and Alberta since 1993. Your licence gets you in the door. What we check next is whether you can write a clear report, stay calm with the public and follow a site plan to the letter.
New officers start with a site orientation before their first solo shift.
On most of our sites, guards log each checkpoint with our guard tour tracking system and file electronic reports with photos from their phone. Mobile patrol officers work with real-time GPS vehicle tracking and dash-cam verification. If you have never used these tools, you will learn them on the job.
We hire for on-site posts, fire watch, alarm response and patrol work across cities such as Vancouver and Calgary.
If you want a head start, read our guide to the skills every security guard needs.
Security work also pays a steady wage. The 2023 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey reported an average of $21.49 per hour (CAD) for security guards in Alberta.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I get a security guard licence?
You get a security guard licence by completing approved training and passing your provincial exam. Then you clear a criminal record check and apply to the provincial licensing office with your ID, photo and fee. In Canada that office is ServiceCanada. In BC it is the Security Programs Division. In Alberta it is Security Programs under Public Safety and Emergency Services. - Can I become a security guard without training?
No. Canada, British Columbia and Alberta all require approved training before a full licence. Alberta offers a 30-day training licence while you’re enrolled, and BC offers a 90-day licence, but both are short-term. People with past police or peace officer experience can ask their province about a training exemption. - How much does it cost to get a security guard licence in Canada?
The Canada government fees are $80 for the security guard licence and $39.55 for each test attempt, including HST. You also pay for your 40-hour training course, which each school prices on its own, and your Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check, which your police service prices. Compare several schools before you enrol. - Can I work as a security guard with a criminal record?
It depends on the offence. In Canada, a conviction listed in the Clean Criminal Record Regulation makes you ineligible unless you have a pardon or record suspension. Alberta refuses applicants with a criminal record, outstanding charges or an open investigation. Get advice about your record before you pay for training. - Is the security guard exam hard?
The exam is fair if you study the course material. Canada’s test has 60 multiple-choice questions in 75 minutes. BC’s JIBC exam needs 70% to pass, and Alberta’s needs 80%. Canada publishes a free security guard study guide. Review the legal sections on arrest and use of force, and don’t book until you’re scoring well in practice. - Do I need a car to become a security officer?
No. A car is not a licence requirement. Many on-site posts don’t need one, though some mobile patrol jobs ask for a valid driver’s licence and a clean driving record. Having your own transport helps with overnight shifts when transit is limited. - How often do I renew my security licence?
Canada licences expire two birthdays after issue, and you can renew up to 90 days before expiry. Alberta licences last two years, and renewal follows the same steps as a new application. BC licences last one, two or three years, depending on the term you pay for.
