What is the primary characteristic that makes someone a private investigator under the Act?
Based on: interpretation_scope
Private investigator licensing · Ontario · 2026
Ontario Private Investigator Test 2026
An offline practice app for Ontario's private investigator licensing test, built straight from the law the exam tests: the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 and its Code of Conduct, the privacy statutes (PIPEDA, FIPPA and MFIPPA), and the Criminal Code's arrest and use-of-force provisions. Drill every rule, then sit timed mock exams.
1,000+ Study items
60 Mock exam
77% To pass
100% Offline
The exam
What the Ontario private investigator test involves
To be licensed as a private investigator in Ontario you must pass the ministry's private investigator test. It is a written, multiple-choice exam, and most of it tests your knowledge of the law that governs private investigators: the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 (PSISA) and its Code of Conduct, privacy law, and the relevant parts of the Criminal Code.
How many questions is the Ontario private investigator test and how long do I get?
The test has 60 multiple-choice questions and you are given 75 minutes to complete it, within a two-hour appointment.
- Format: written, multiple choice
- Questions: 60
- Time: 75 minutes (inside a 2-hour appointment)
What score do I need to pass the Ontario PI test?
The official cut score is 77%. (Some third-party sites quote a lower figure such as 62%, but the ministry's pass mark is 77%.)
What does this app cover?
This app covers the legal, privacy and criminal-law core of the Ontario PI exam (the parts of the syllabus that come from published, openly-licensed law), with hundreds of cited questions and flashcards across:
- The PSISA & Code of Conduct: who needs a licence, licence types, prohibitions, the Registrar's decisions and appeals, complaints, investigations, duties and penalties (fines up to $25,000)
- Privacy law: PIPEDA's consent rules and ten fair-information principles, and the FIPPA/MFIPPA rules on personal information held by government
- Arrest & use of force: the Criminal Code on citizen's arrest, use of force, self-defence and defence of property
Does it cover everything on the exam?
It covers the law and regulations the exam tests: the PSISA and Code of Conduct, privacy law, and the Criminal Code arrest and use-of-force rules. The official syllabus also includes practical-skills topics (investigative technique, report writing, ethics, communication and self-management) that are taught in your mandatory training course rather than drawn from legislation; study those from your course materials.
How do I book the test and what does it cost?
Tests are booked in advance, online or by phone, through Serco DES Inc., the ministry's test delivery agent. You need a Training Completion Number (TCN) from your approved training to book. The fee is CA$35.00 plus 13% HST, for a total of CA$39.55 per attempt, and results are made available within five business days.
Features
A complete study system, on one device
01 / PRACTICE
Practice mode
Work through hundreds of questions by category: the PSISA and Code of Conduct, privacy law (PIPEDA, FIPPA, MFIPPA) and Criminal Code arrest powers, each with a plain-English explanation and the section it comes from.
02 / MOCK
Mock exam
Sit a timed 60-question mock under real conditions: 75 minutes, 77% to pass, just like the ministry test, so you know you are ready before you book.
03 / FLASHCARDS
Flashcards
Hundreds of quick-recall cards for the facts the test loves: definitions, licence types, time limits, penalty amounts, the Code of Conduct duties, the privacy principles, and the rules for arrest and use of force.
What's inside
What to look for in an exam-prep app
| Based on the official public source | Yes, Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 and O. Reg. 363/07, with PIPEDA, FIPPA, MFIPPA and the Criminal Code arrest and use-of-force provisions |
|---|---|
| Timed mock exam | 60 questions, 75 min |
| Pass rule applied | 77% to pass |
| Answer explanations mapped to the source | Yes |
| Weak-area review | Yes |
| Flashcards (spaced repetition) | Yes |
| Works fully offline, no account | Yes |
| Ads | None |
| Payment | One-time purchase |
| Last content review | 2026-06-17 |
In the app
Calm, focused study, nothing else
Sample questions
Try 10 real practice questions
Tap an answer to see why it is right, mapped to the official source, exactly as in the app.
What is the maximum fine an individual can face on conviction for an offence under the Act?
Based on: offences_penalties
Under PIPEDA, what does "personal information" mean?
Based on: privacy_pipeda
How many distinct types of licence may be issued under the Act?
Based on: administration_licences
Can a licensee transfer their licence to another person or business?
Based on: licensing_requirements
At what times may an inspector enter premises to carry out an inspection?
Based on: complaints_investigations
Which of these terms is NOT prohibited for a licensee to use under section 40?
Based on: duties_standards
How many duties does the Code of Conduct expressly impose on every individual licensee while working?
Based on: code_of_conduct
FIPPA governs provincial institutions. Which institutions does MFIPPA govern?
Based on: privacy_public_records
Under Criminal Code section 35, what standard decides whether an act done in defence of property is justified?
Based on: criminal_arrest_force
Free on the web
Free practice questions and tools
Prefer to start in your browser? Work free, topic-by-topic practice questions and use our free calculators, no download needed, then unlock the full bank in the app.
Source & accuracy
Where the questions come from, and when we last checked
Built from Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 and O. Reg. 363/07, with PIPEDA, FIPPA, MFIPPA and the Criminal Code arrest and use-of-force provisions (Current statutes (PSISA and O. Reg. 363/07)), the official public source, used under Ontario statutes reproduced under the King's Printer for Ontario terms; federal statutes under the Reproduction of Federal Law Order (both permit accurate, unofficial reproduction, including commercial use). View the official source .
Last checked against the source: 2026-06-17.
- Study items
- 1,000+
- Questions
- 459
- Flashcards
- 547
- Mock exam
- 60
- Pass mark
- 77%
All questions are original and written from the public source. No official exam questions are copied.
Content audit trail
- 2026-06-17 Reviewed the legal, privacy and criminal-law questions against the current statute text and confirmed the 60-question, 77% pass mark.
- 2026-06-15 Initial public release, covering the openly-licensed legal core: the PSISA and Code of Conduct, privacy law and the Criminal Code arrest and use-of-force rules.
FAQ
Common questions
Is the Ontario private investigator test multiple choice?
Yes. It is a written exam of 60 multiple-choice questions, completed in 75 minutes within a two-hour appointment.
What is the pass mark for the Ontario private investigator test?
77%. Some third-party sites quote a lower number such as 62%, but the ministry's official cut score is 77%.
What does the test cover?
Mostly the law: the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 and its Code of Conduct, privacy law (PIPEDA, FIPPA and MFIPPA), and the Criminal Code's arrest and use-of-force rules. It also covers practical-skills topics from your training course, such as investigative technique and report writing.
How much does the test cost and how do I book it?
The fee is CA$35.00 plus 13% HST, for a total of CA$39.55 per attempt. You book through Serco, the ministry's test delivery agent, after completing your training and receiving a Training Completion Number (TCN).
Does this app work offline, and is it a one-time purchase?
Yes. The app is fully offline with no account or login, and it is unlocked with a single one-time in-app purchase. There is nothing to subscribe to.
Is this the official government app?
No. This is an independent study aid. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Government of Ontario or the Government of Canada. It is based on the publicly available text of the PSISA and O. Reg. 363/07, PIPEDA, FIPPA, MFIPPA and the Criminal Code.
Who writes these questions, and how do you check the answers are right?
Every question is written from the official public materials for this exam and cites the source passage it comes from. Before it ships, a second, independent AI model from a different family confirms that the cited passage supports the answer, and a human reviews anything the two models disagree on. You can read the full process at rivermaplearning.com/how-we-build-questions, and the free sample questions above let you judge the quality before you buy.
Is this an official app, or affiliated with the Government of Ontario or the Government of Canada?
No. It is an independent study tool, not affiliated with or endorsed by the Government of Ontario or the Government of Canada. It is built from publicly available official materials (the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005, O. Reg. 363/07, and the privacy and criminal law it tests); the questions are original, and we never copy the real exam's own questions.
If I pass the practice mock, will I pass the real exam?
No study tool can promise that. Our practice mock mirrors the official format and pass mark where the authority publishes one, and clearly labels any practice length or pass mark that is our own rehearsal format rather than an official figure. Use the app alongside the official study materials, not instead of them.
Guides
4 guides to the Ontario Private Investigator Test
Free, in-depth answers written from the same official sources the app is built on.
- Ontario Private Investigator Licence Requirements 2026
To hold an Ontario private investigator licence you must be 18+, have a clean criminal record, be entitled to work in Canada, and pass the ministry test. Full requirements explained.
- How to Pass the Ontario Private Investigator Test
A step-by-step study plan for the Ontario PI test: 60 questions, 77% to pass, covering the PSISA, privacy law and Criminal Code. Here is how to prepare.
- Ontario Private Investigator Exam: 60 Questions, 77% to Pass
The Ontario PI licensing test is 60 questions in 75 minutes. The pass mark is 77%. Here is the full topic breakdown across all 12 areas and how scoring works.
- Ontario Private Investigator Licence Explained: Who Needs It and How the Test Works
The Ontario private investigator licence requires approved training and a 77% pass mark on a 60-question test. Here is everything you need to know before applying.
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