Security License Training · Ontario and Alberta
How To Get a Security Guard License in Ontario
Two courses are mandatory before you can sit the Ministry test for your Ontario security guard licence: a 40-hour security guard training course, plus First Aid & CPR. Coast2Coast handles the Canadian Red Cross first aid training and partners with an accredited provider for the security guard training. Book both together and notice the discount on your first aid class.
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Course Detail
Security Guard License Training in Ontario
Coast2Coast First Aid & Aquatics offers Security License training in Ontario in association with one of our Ministry approved training partners. Obtaining an Ontario security guard licence is a two-course process. Be 18, be legally entitled to work in Canada, hold a clean criminal record, then complete both courses before the province books your test.
Training in Alberta works differently. Alberta accepts either the Alberta Basic Security Training Course or the Accredited Basic Security Training Course. The first aid requirement below is the Ontario one, and it is mandatory in both provinces. Both eligible first aid courses also meet Ontario WSIB Regulation 1101 for workplace first aid, so one certificate covers both.
- Online training
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~33.5 hours
Of the 40-hour course, self-paced
- Requirements
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- 18 years or older
- Clean criminal record
- Legally entitled to work in Canada
- Training completion
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Training Completion Number within 24 hours of finishing
Learn more
- Course content
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View the 11-topic course overview
- Introduction to the Security Industry
- Private Security and Investigative Services Act, and the Code of Conduct
- Basic Security Procedures
- Report Writing
- Health and Safety
- Emergency Response Preparation
- Canadian Legal System
- Legal Authorities
- Effective Communications
- Sensitivity Training
- Use of Force Theory
- Literacy requirements
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Read, write, follow instructions, do basic calculations.
- Student support
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7 days a week, by phone and email
Security Guard License training runs completely online. Complete the registration forms and your login arrives within 24 hours. If it does not, call us for assistance.
- Minimum required
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Basic/Emergency First Aid & CPR/AED Level C
One day. CPR C covers adult, child and infant.
- Eligible for the discount
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- Basic/Emergency First Aid & CPR/AED Level C
- Intermediate/Standard First Aid & CPR/AED Level C
- Certificate
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Canadian Red Cross, valid 3 years
Issued within 48 hours, with a free 90-day skills practice retake.
Learn more
- Two formats
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- Traditional All In-Class: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Online Blended: ~4 hours online, then 9:00 AM – 2:30 PM
- Requirements
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- 100% attendance of the course
- 75% on the multiple choice examination
- Hands-on skills testing with an AED
- Which one should I take?
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Basic/Emergency meets it in 8 hours. Intermediate/Standard runs 16 and adds head and spine injuries, bone and joint injuries, and poisons — and the majority of workplaces require Intermediate first aid certification.
Security guards must hold First Aid & CPR certification to receive and maintain an Ontario security license. Register for the security course first — its confirmation email carries the discount code.
Inside the Course
What the Security Guard Training Course Covers
The course overview runs to 11 topics and they build in order. You open with an introduction to the security industry and the Private Security and Investigative Services Act — the law that sets the Code of Conduct every licensed guard works to. Private security is a regulated job in Ontario, and the first hours are about what that means for you.
From there it moves through basic security procedures, report writing, health and safety, and emergency response preparation. Report writing gets more time than most people expect, and it should: a guard’s notes become evidence.
The back half is legal and practical — the Canadian legal system, your legal authorities, then effective communications, sensitivity training, use of force theory. Use of force comes last. Most of what a security guard does is talk, watch and write things down.
Three things have to be true before you start: you are 18 or older, you hold a clean criminal record, and you are legally entitled to work in Canada. Complete the course and your Training Completion Number follows within 24 hours. Complete the first aid day and your training certificate arrives within 48.
Registration
How Do I Register?
Complete the forms below, or call our office for assistance. Complete both for a discount on your First Aid & CPR course. Online access arrives within 24 hours.
Toll-Free: 866-291-9121 · Email: contact@c2cfirstaidaquatics.com
Two Ways to Train
Do I Need First Aid & CPR Training?
Yes. Every security guard license applicant in Ontario must pass a First Aid & CPR training course. The minimum is Basic/Emergency First Aid & CPR/AED Level C, one day, and Coast2Coast runs it as Canadian Red Cross training in two formats.
Pick Your FormatEverything taught in the room by a certified instructor — the full classroom experience, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with manikins, an AED trainer and the written examination.
Complete the online portion of the training at your own pace — roughly 4 hours — then attend a 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM classroom session for the skills and the evaluation. Same certificate either way.
Finish the online portion before your classroom day. The instructor teaches the practical half assuming the theory is done.
Why Coast2Coast
Why Guards Book Both Courses With Coast2Coast
Most providers sell one half of the requirement.
Testimonials
What Students Say
Reviews From Our Students
4.9
Google Reviews
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Charity Moncrieff Coast2Coast Student
★★★★★
I actually really enjoyed it. I finally feel confident enough to potentially save a life one day. Happy I went. Instructors were great and made it a positive experience.
On Video
Who It Is For
Why Is Security Guard Training Essential in Ontario?
A security guard’s work consists primarily of guarding and patrolling, and the point of it is protecting persons and property. Ontario licenses the job under the Private Security and Investigative Services Act — the same law that licenses private investigators, and private investigators answer to the same Code of Conduct.
Security guard license training is the first step into the security industry. These security guard roles all need an Ontario security guard licence:
- Airport guards
- Office guards
- Condo guards
- Body guards
- Doormen
Your Ontario security guard licence is not tied to one employer, so you carry it to any security guard job in the province. Employers check its status and read it as proof you can handle conflict resolution and emergency response.
See our Ontario training locations →-
Government-recognized training
Every hour you complete counts toward the 40-hour requirement.
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Study at your own pace
The 33.5 online hours are self-paced, with support 7 days a week.
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First aid you will use
Recognizing an emergency, activating EMS, the recovery position, severe bleeding — a guard meets it first.
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Canadian Red Cross instructors
First responders, nurses and other medical professionals teach our classes, every one a Canadian Red Cross instructor.
- 40 hrsSecurity course
- 33.5 hrsOnline
- 24 hrsTo your TCN
- 18+Minimum age
Step by Step
How Do I Receive a Security License?
Obtaining your licence, step by step. The last three steps of the process run on the province’s clock.
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Finish the security course
Complete the Ministry approved 40-hour course, of which a minimum of 33.5 hours is online. A criminal record check comes first. It covers use of force theory requirements, report writing and the Canadian legal system.
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Pass First Aid & CPR
Basic/Emergency First Aid & CPR/AED Level C is the minimum — one day, booked with the discount code from your confirmation email.
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Collect your TCN
Complete both courses and you receive a Training Completion Number (TCN) — the one thing that lets you book the test.
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Book and sit the licensing test
Book online and write it at an Ontario test centre. Sixty multiple-choice questions, 75 minutes, 62% to pass. Pay the exam fee, pass it, then apply. No limit on retakes.
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Renew on your birthday
An Ontario security license expires against your birthday, not its issue date. A new licence runs until two birthdays have passed, then every two years. Take one out six months before your birthday and the window does not change. Licensed October 10th 2019 with a January 5th birthday? It expired January 5th, 2021.
After the Test
Applying for Your Ontario Security Guard Licence
Passing the test is not the last step. You still apply to the Ministry for the licence itself, and that application carries its own fee — the ServiceOntario licensing fee, separate from the exam fee you paid to sit the test. The application also includes a judicial matters check, which is why your criminal record matters from your first day of training rather than your last.
Once it is approved a new licence is issued to you. Keep the physical copy with you on shift. Registered employers expect to see the licence itself rather than a photo of it, and a physical copy in your wallet settles the question at the gate. Registered employers are the ones hiring.
Registered employers hire licensed guards, and most registered employers check the number before a first shift. The licence runs against your birthday, not its issue date: take one out six months before your birthday, or six months after, and it still holds until two birthdays have passed.
Renewal repeats the shape of it — a fee, a judicial matters check, and a fresh physical copy. Neither the renewal fee nor the judicial matters check changes because you have held a licence before, so budget for both. Lose the physical copy and you ask for a replacement; you do not sit the test again.
Cost
What Does a Security Guard License Cost in Ontario?
The Ontario security guard exam fee is $35.00 plus 13% HST, the ServiceOntario licensing fee is separate, and training courses run $150 to $300 depending on the provider. Complete the process and the fee is the last of it. Check that the content is approved and the mandatory First Aid included, not sold to you later.
Book both with us and the discount code comes off your first aid course.
Inside the Classroom
Your First Aid Day
Common Questions
Security License Questions, Answered
How long does security license training take?
Ontario requires a 40-hour Security Guard Training Course, of which a minimum of 33.5 hours is online. Add one day for First Aid.
Do I need First Aid & CPR training to get a security license?
Yes — the minimum is Basic/Emergency First Aid & CPR/AED Level C. CPR C covers adult, child and infant.
Who needs security license training?
Anyone starting a career as a security guard in Ontario needs the license.
How do I book the Ministry test?
You book the Ministry test with the Training Completion Number. Fee and pass mark are above.
What happens if I fail the security guard exam?
You can retake the test as many times as you need. Each attempt costs the exam fee again; your TCN stays valid.
How long is my security license valid?
An Ontario security license expires against your birthday, not its issue date. Example in step 5.
Does the Private Security and Investigative Services Act cover private investigators?
The Private Security and Investigative Services Act is the Ontario law that licenses security guards and private investigators.
Is it a security guard license or a security guard licence?
Both spellings mean the same credential — Ontario writes licence, most job postings write license.
What is the process for obtaining a security license in Ontario?
Obtaining an Ontario security license is a four-step process: the training course, First Aid & CPR, your TCN, then the test.
Does a criminal record stop a security guard licence?
Yes — a criminal record can stop your application. You must also be 18 or older.
What is a judicial matters check?
A judicial matters check is part of the Ministry licence application, alongside the licensing fee. It is why a clean criminal record matters before you pay for training, not after.
Do I get a physical copy of my security licence?
Keep the physical copy of your licence on you at work. Registered employers expect to see the licence rather than a photo of it. Lose the physical copy and you ask for a replacement — you do not sit the test again.
When does my first security licence expire?
Your first licence holds until two birthdays have passed, then renews every two years. Issued six months before your birthday or six months after, it lands on the same renewal date either way.
Is Intermediate First Aid the same as Standard First Aid?
Yes — Intermediate First Aid and Standard First Aid are two names for one course. The Canadian Red Cross changed the wording. Both qualify for the discount. See our first aid courses.
Start your security guard license today
Register, take the discount into your First Aid & CPR class, then book the test with your TCN.