Security guard or private investigator licence for an agency sole proprietorship
Renew or apply for a new agency licence if your business sells the services of security guards, private investigators or both.
Overview
An agency sole proprietorship is an unincorporated business owned and run by one individual that is licenced to sell the services of:
- security guard: a person who performs work, for pay, that consists primarily of guarding or patrolling for the purpose of protecting persons or property
- private investigator: a person who performs work, for pay, that consists primarily of conducting investigations to provide information
- security guard and private investigator (Dual): an individual may hold both a SG and PI licence. However, they cannot work as both SG and PI at the same time
Requirements
In order to complete this application, you will be required to provide the following:
- legal name
- for renewing applicants: if there are changes made to your legal name you must provide a legible photocopy of one of the following documents:
- Change of Name Certificate: if your name has been legally changed under the Change of Name Act, you must provide a government-issued Change of Name certificate
- Certificate of Marriage: if you have assumed your married name, you must provide a copy of your government-issued certificate of marriage (Records of marriage, marriage extracts, records of solemnization of marriage, or church issued certificates are not acceptable)
- if you wish to go back to your maiden name, you must provide your government-issued marriage certificate and birth certificate
- business name/business name registration (if applicable)
- federal business number (BN9) (if applicable)
- agency head office address
- Ontario mailing address
- business phone number and email address
- Ontario agency branch office(s) address and manager contact information
- colour photographs of the agency’s uniforms and/or marked vehicles
- a valid Certificate of Commercial General Liability Insurance
- for new applicants: a valid Certificate of Commercial General Liability Insurance does not have to be submitted at the time of your application unless you wish to do so
- for renewing applicants: a valid Certificate of Commercial General Liability Insurance for at least $2,000,000 per occurrence must be submitted at the time of application; only if the certificate on file is expired or any changes have been made to the insurance
- a valid business firearms licence (if applicable)
- payment of $700.00 for a Private Investigator or Security Guard Licence or $1400 for a Dual Licence in the applicable format
The sole proprietor to provide the following:
- Information and Declaration/Consent for Background Check form
- the original copy of their valid Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check (CRJMC)
- legible photocopies of the front and back of 2 different pieces of acceptable government-issued identification document (IDs) from the Acceptable Identification Documents list. The IDs must be valid (non-expired, suspended, or revoked) at the time of the application
How to apply
Apply online
To apply online for a new Agency Sole Proprietorship licence or renew your existing licence you will need:
- a My Ontario account
- have the required information and documents ready to upload (in the format DOC, DOCX, PDF, JPG or JPEG)
- the appropriate form of payment
Once your application is approved you will receive your digital licence by email. You can also download or print your digital licence by logging into your My Ontario Account.
Your agency licence must be posted in a clearly visible location within your business office.
Apply by mail
To apply by mail for a new Agency Sole Proprietorship licence or to renew your existing licence you will need to:
- print and complete the Sole Proprietorship - Application Package for Security Guards and/or Private Investigators Agency Licence form
- have the required information and documents ready to submit
- provide the payment for your licence type in the form of a bank draft, money order, or certified cheque made payable to the Minister of Finance
Mail your completed application package to:
ServiceOntario
Occupational Licensing Services Office
P.O. Box 4500
Kingston, Ontario
K7L 0E1
Once your application is approved, you will receive your digital licence by email. You will be able to download and print your licence.
Your agency licence must be posted in a clearly visible location within your business office.
Change information on your current agency licence
You can update information on your licence during your licensing term if:
- your current licence is not expired
- your licence is not within 90 days of its expiry date
Changes that can be made online or by mail include:
- insurance information
- head Office and mailing address
- branch office(s) information
- legal name
- criminal offences
- declaration of the use of a:
- firearm
- baton
- handcuff
- guard dog
- marked vehicles
- uniform and/or marked vehicle changes
Depending on what change you are making you may need to provide specific information.
There is no fee to change your information.
Change by mail
Print and complete a Change of Information Application Form for Security Guard and/or Private Investigator Agency Licence - Sole Proprietorship
Mail your completed change of information form and required information to:
ServiceOntario
Occupational Licensing Services Office
P.O. Box 4500
Kingston, Ontario
K7L 0E1
Change your licence type
You can change your licence type during your licensing term, as long as your current licence is not expired and your current licence is not within 90 days of its expiry date.
If you currently hold a Security Guard Licence you can change to either:
- Private Investigator Licence
- Dual Licence
If you currently hold a Private Investigator Licence you can change to either:
- Security Guard Licence
- Dual Licence
If you currently hold a Dual Licence and wish to change to a either a Security Guard or Private Investigator, please contact the ServiceOntario Contact Centre to assist with your application Toll-free
To change your licence type you will need:
- an updated insurance document:
- photographs of the agency’s uniforms (if applicable)
- payment of $700.00 in the applicable format
When changing your licence type please note:
- the expiry date will remain the same as the original licence issued to you
Change by mail
- print and complete a Change of Licence Type form for Security Guard and/or Private Investigator Agency Licence – Corporation, Partnership and/or Sole Proprietor
- provide payment in the form of bank draft, money order, or certified cheque made payable to the ‘Minister of Finance’.
- mail your completed change of licence type form and required information to:
ServiceOntario
Occupational Licensing Services Office
P.O. Box 4500
Kingston, Ontario
K7L 0E1
Cost
To apply or renew:
- $700 for a private investigator or security guard licence
- $1,400 for a dual licence
To change your licence type
- $700
If you are applying online, you can pay with:
- Credit card (VISA® or MasterCard®)
- Debit card (VISA® or MasterCard®)
If you are applying by mail, choose one of these forms of payment made payable to the Minister of Finance:
- bank draft
- money order (postal or bank)
- certified cheque
Note: Credit cards, cash and personal cheques are not accepted by mail.
Payments are non-refundable. This applies to applications that are withdrawn, denied due to ineligibility, or returned due to errors or incomplete information where the information is not submitted within 90 calendar days. Payment will be retained as a processing fee.
Returned applications
If your application is returned because of an error or missing information, you have 90 calendar days to respond. If we do not receive the requested information from you within 90 calendar days, your application will be closed and your payment will be retained as a processing fee. A new application and payment will be required.
Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check (CRJMC)
As per section 11(2)(c) of the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 (PSISA), each officer, director, partner and/or sole proprietor must provide a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check (CRJMC) with their application.
A CRJMC includes:
- applicable criminal convictions
- findings of guilt under the federal Youth Criminal Justice Act
- absolute and conditional discharges
- outstanding charges, arrest warrants, and certain judicial orders
In Ontario, you must request a CRJMC from an:
- Ontario municipal police service
- Ontario First Nations police service
- Ontario Provincial Police
- a private business that is authorized to provide police record checks
All CRJMCs must be issued within the last six months to be considered valid for your application.
If you are applying online, your CRJMC must be the original format (digital PDF file) that you obtained online from the police record check provider.
If you are applying by mail, your CRJMC must be the original paper document you obtained from the police record check provider. Photocopies will not be accepted.
Out of province police record checks may be accepted for applicants who are unable to get a CRJMC because they reside outside of Ontario. The out of province police check must be equivalent to a CRJMC. An out of province police record check is considered equivalent to a CRJMC if it contains a search of records as specified in Column 3 (criminal record and judicial matters check) of the Schedule of the Police Record Reform Act, 2015.
Learn more about requesting a police record check.
Notice of collection
In order to process your request, ServiceOntario will collect some personal information on behalf of the Ministry of the Solicitor General under the authority of Section 11 of the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005. This information will be used for identification purposes and to issue and administer licences under the Act.
If you have any questions about the collection and use of your personal information, please contact the ServiceOntario Contact Centre at:
By mail:
ServiceOntario
Occupational Licensing Services Office
P.O. Box 4500
Kingston, Ontario
K7L 0E1
Contact Us
Email your questions to privatesecurity@ontario.ca or call Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm: