Investigator licence

COVID-19 response: licence extensions end on July 2

Due to government lifting the provincial state of public health emergency, the extension on all business and individual licenses expiring between March 9, 2020, and July 1, 2020, will not extend past midnight, July 2, 2020.

See our fact sheet to learn more: COVID-19: Security, investigator and locksmith licence extension update (PDF, 37 KB)

For more information about Alberta’s COVID-19 response, visit COVID-19 info for Albertans.

Licence required

You must be licensed to work as a private or in-house investigator in Alberta. As an investigator you investigate things like:

accidents and personal injury
damaged or stolen property
backgrounds and whereabouts of people
organizations

While investigating you:

collect information
interview people
conduct surveillance
obtain statements
research reports or records

Licences are issued under the Security Services and Investigators Act by Alberta Justice and Solicitor General.

Policy manual

Read the Security Programs Policy Manual for more information about an investigator licence.

Licensing

The investigators licensing fee is $160. Your licence is valid for 2 years.

The renewal process is the same as the initial application process.

Investigators can’t hold a second licence as a locksmith or automotive lock bypass worker.

Your individual licence is portable. This means your licence is still valid if you change employers or if you work for multiple employers.

Eligibility

To apply for a licence you must:

be over 18 years old
be eligible to work in Canada
be fluent in English
have no criminal record
have no outstanding criminal charges
not be the subject of a criminal investigation

All investigators must meet a specific English fluency standard. This is a level 5 benchmark according to the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks.

Training

All investigators must:

successfully complete an approved investigator training course
score 80% or higher on the provincial final exam

There are 2 approved training courses. Take either the:

Alberta Professional Investigator Training Course, or
Accredited Investigator Training Course

These courses must be completed through an approved training provider.

Contact Security Programs if you’ve:

previously worked in law enforcement, or
completed equivalent training outside Alberta

Final exam

After you’ve successfully completed your final exam with a score of 80% or higher, you’ll get your training certificate by mail within one week.

Exam rewrites, challenges or reviews

For information about exam rewrites, or to find out if you’re eligible to challenge an exam, contact Security Programs.

Baton training

In order to carry a baton, you must:

have approval from your employer to carry a baton
complete an approved 40 hour baton use-of-force training course
submit a copy of your training certificate with your application

Baton training re-certification is required every 36 months.

Apply for or renew your licence

If you’re on a work or study permit, contact Security Programs for application and renewal steps.

Step 1. Records check

See your local police service website to find out how to get your documents.

All three searches are mandatory – no exceptions:

criminal record check
vulnerable sector search
local police database search

For all classes of licences:

your photo does not need to be signed on the back
these details are important when applying for a police information check:
- security services are designated as essential services
- you must specify the employment type as 'security services' – regardless of licence class
- ask for a print/mail copy of your results to attach to your application – if needed, police services can email results to [email protected]

These documents expire 90 days after they have been issued.

Step 2. Fill out the forms

Trouble opening or completing PDF forms?

Fillable forms do not open properly on some mobile devices and web browsers. To fill in and save this form:

Click on the PDF link to save it on your computer.
Launch Adobe Reader.
Open the PDF from within Adobe Reader. You can now fill and save your form.

Fill out all the forms in this package:

Application for Individual Licence (PDF, 569 KB)

Step 3. Gather your documents

When you apply, you’ll need to provide photocopies of your:

Canadian photo ID
approved training course certificate
40 hour baton use-of-force training certificate (if applicable)

You’ll also need to provide a current:

police information and criminal record check, and
passport-size colour photo

Step 4. Submit and pay for your application

There are 2 ways to submit your application:

In person

Take your application and documents to a registry agent that offers Security Programs licensing services.

Pay the licensing fee and service charge at the registry:

$100 security service licensing fee, or
$160 dual security service and investigators licensing fee, and
$9 service charge

If your application is approved, you'll get a temporary licence that's valid for 60 days.

By mail

Send us your:

completed application form
required documents
payment or online payment receipt for:
- $100 security service licensing fee, or
- $160 dual security service and investigators licensing fee

Pay the licensing fee with a (made payable to the Government of Alberta):

certified business cheque, or
certified personal cheque, or
money order, or
bank draft

Pay by credit or debit online:

print and mail the receipt with your completed application

Do not use this online payment if you are submitting your application at a registry agent.

Make your payment online

Address:

Security Programs
Alberta Justice and Solicitor General
P.O. Box 1023 Station Main
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2M1

If your application is approved, you'll get a temporary licence that's valid for 60 days emailed to you.

After you apply

Your licence card will be mailed to the address in your application.

You must provide a photocopy of your licence card to your employer and carry the original with you while you’re working.

Change, cancel or report a licence

Follow the below steps to:

update your personal information
modify your licence class
cancel your licence
report a lost, stolen or destroyed licence

Lost or stolen licences must be reported to Security Programs within 24 hours.

Step 1. Fill out the form

Trouble opening PDF forms?

Fillable forms do not open on some mobile devices and web browsers. To fill in and save this form:

Click on the PDF link to save it on your computer.
Launch Adobe Reader.
Open the PDF from within Adobe Reader. You can now fill and save your form.

Update to Individual Licence (PDF, 1.6 MB)

Step 2. Submit the form

There are 2 ways to submit the form:

Email

[email protected]

Mail