Which type of licence requires the holder to carry insurance from a licensed insurer?
Based on: s. 30 Insurance required
Ontario Private Investigator Test · Duties & Standards
Ontario PI Duties and Standards 2026: Licence, ID and Prohibited Titles
The Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 sets standards of practice every licensee must keep. A business that sells private investigator or security guard services must carry insurance under s. 30, and no business entity may employ a private investigator or security guard who lacks an appropriate licence under s. 31. A private investigator must carry the licence and produce it on request under s. 34, must not possess any other symbol of authority, and must never hold out as a police officer under s. 39.
Practice
Free practice questions
Under the Act, which body must license the insurer that provides coverage to a business licensee selling private investigator or security guard services?
Based on: s. 30 Insurance required
A corporation hires a security guard who does not hold any licence. What does the Act require of the corporation in this situation?
Based on: s. 31 Appropriate licence
Within how many business days must a licensee notify the Registrar after the street address of a branch office changes?
Based on: s. 32 Information to be filed with Registrar
Which pieces of information must every licensee keep on file with the Registrar under section 32?
Based on: s. 32 Information to be filed with Registrar
A licensed business entity that sells security guard services decides to operate under a trade name different from the name on its licence. Is this permitted?
Based on: s. 33 Name of business
What three obligations does section 34 impose on every person holding themselves out as a private investigator?
Based on: s. 34 Identification as private investigator
Beyond the licence issued under the Act, what identification or symbols of authority may a private investigator lawfully possess while acting in that capacity?
Based on: s. 34 Identification as private investigator
When a member of the public asks a working security guard to prove who they are, what must the guard do?
Based on: s. 35(1) Security guard licence must be carried
Must a security guard carry their licence even when they are merely holding themselves out as a security guard but not actively on duty?
Based on: s. 35(1) Security guard licence must be carried
Insurance, appropriate licensing and business name
The standards start with the business behind the licensee. Under s. 30, no person may hold a licence to engage in the business of selling the services of private investigators or security guards unless insured by an insurer licensed under the Insurance Act, for the prescribed kinds of liability and amounts. Section 31 is blunt about staffing: no business entity shall employ a private investigator or a security guard unless that person has an appropriate licence. Section 33 controls the trading name, providing that a person who holds a business licence must carry on business only in the name in which they are licensed, so an agency cannot quietly operate under a different brand. Alongside these, s. 32 requires every licensee to keep certain contact information filed with the Registrar and to report changes within five business days.
- A business selling PI or guard services must be insured by an insurer licensed under the Insurance Act, per s. 30.
- A business entity must not employ an unlicensed private investigator or security guard, per s. 31.
- A business licensee must operate only under its licensed name, per s. 33.
- Changes to filed information must be reported within five business days, per s. 32.
Carrying and showing your licence
Identification duties are heavily tested. Section 34 imposes three obligations on every person who acts as a private investigator or holds themselves out as one: carry the licence at all times; on request, identify themselves as a private investigator; and on request, produce the licence. Section 34 also draws a hard limit on authority. No person acting as a private investigator, or holding themselves out as one, shall possess any identification or symbol of authority other than the licence issued under the Act. Security guards have a parallel rule in s. 35. Section 35(1) requires a guard to carry the licence and, on request, to identify themselves as a security guard and produce it. Section 35(2) to (4) deals with the uniform requirement and its exceptions, including that the uniform requirement does not apply to a person acting as a bodyguard or performing loss prevention against theft or sabotage in an industrial, commercial, residential or retail environment.
Displaying and returning the licence
For licensed businesses, s. 36 requires the licence to engage in business to be displayed in a conspicuous spot in the office where the public is invited to deal, and the licence applicable to a branch office must be displayed in each branch office. Returning the licence is governed by s. 37, which states that every licence is the property of the Crown and must be returned to the Registrar immediately when a triggering event occurs. The first listed circumstance in s. 37(1) is that the licence is suspended or revoked, and s. 37(2) requires immediate return when a named branch office discontinues business. Section 38 adds other duties respecting licences. Because the licence belongs to the Crown, holding onto a suspended or revoked licence is itself a breach of the standards, not merely an administrative oversight.
Prohibited titles and holding out as police
The Act guards the line between a private investigator and a police officer. Section 39 prohibits holding out as a police officer, so a licensee must never suggest, by words, dress or conduct, that they carry police authority. Section 40 prohibits the use of certain terms, restricting titles that could mislead the public into thinking a licensee is something they are not. Read together with s. 34, which bars any symbol of authority beyond the licence itself, these sections reinforce the central idea the test checks: a private investigator in Ontario is a licensed member of the public, not a peace officer, and must not present themselves as one. Confusing your role with police authority is one of the fastest ways to fail both the exam and, in practice, a compliance inspection.
| Duty | Private investigator | Security guard |
|---|---|---|
| Carry the licence | Yes, s. 34 | Yes, s. 35(1) |
| Identify role on request | As a private investigator, s. 34 | As a security guard, s. 35(1) |
| Produce the licence on request | Yes, s. 34 | Yes, s. 35(1) |
| Other symbol of authority allowed | No, only the licence, s. 34 | Only as provided in the regulations, s. 35(4) |
| Uniform requirement | Not applicable to PI work | Yes, with exceptions, s. 35(2) to (4) |
| Holding out as police | Prohibited, s. 39 | Prohibited, s. 39 |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does an Ontario private investigator have to show their licence?
Yes. In Ontario, s. 34 of the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 requires a private investigator to carry the licence at all times and, on request, to identify themselves as a private investigator and produce the licence. The same section bars a private investigator from possessing any identification or symbol of authority other than that licence.
Can an Ontario PI carry a badge or symbol of authority?
No. In Ontario, s. 34 of the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 states that no person acting as a private investigator, or holding themselves out as one, may possess any identification or symbol of authority other than the licence issued under the Act. A badge or police-style insignia is not permitted.
Can an Ontario private investigator pretend to be a police officer?
No. In Ontario, s. 39 of the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 prohibits holding out as a police officer, and s. 40 prohibits the use of certain misleading terms. A private investigator is a licensed member of the public and must never present themselves, by words, dress or conduct, as carrying police authority.
Who owns a private investigator licence in Ontario?
In Ontario, s. 37 of the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 provides that every licence is the property of the Crown. It must be returned to the Registrar immediately when a triggering event occurs, and s. 37(1) lists suspension or revocation of the licence as the first such circumstance requiring immediate return.