Alberta investigators are licensed under the Security Services and Investigators Act: an approved training course, 80% or higher on the provincial exam, three police searches, and a $160 licence fee for a two-year licence.
Applies in: Alberta
Written November 13, 2026
Alberta investigators hold an individual licence under the Security Services and Investigators Act. You complete one of two approved training courses, score 80% or higher on the provincial final exam, pass three mandatory police searches, and apply with a $160 fee. The licence lasts two years, and it is portable — it stays valid when you change employers or work for several.
An Alberta investigator investigates accidents and personal injury, damaged or stolen property, the backgrounds and whereabouts of people, and organizations. The work itself is collecting information, interviewing people, conducting surveillance, obtaining statements, and researching reports or records.
Alberta sets six conditions. You must:
The English rule has a number on it: every investigator must meet a level 5 benchmark under the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks.
If you are on a work or study permit, Alberta directs you to contact Security Programs for your application and renewal steps instead of using the standard route below.
Every investigator must complete an approved investigator training course and score 80% or higher on the provincial final exam. There are two approved courses; take either:
The course must be taken through an approved training provider. If you have previously worked in law enforcement, or completed equivalent training outside Alberta, contact Security Programs before you enrol — the province handles those cases directly. After you pass the final exam at 80% or higher, your training certificate arrives by mail within one week. Questions about exam rewrites, challenges, or reviews also go to Security Programs. The Security Programs Policy Manual holds the detailed rules for the licence.
All three searches are mandatory — no exceptions:
Start with your local police service's website for how to order them. Two details matter on the request. Security services are designated as essential services, and you must specify the employment type as security services, whatever licence class you apply for. Ask for a print or mail copy of your results to attach to your application; police services can also email results to Security Programs if needed. Your photo does not need to be signed on the back. These documents expire 90 days after issue, so time them close to your application.
Fill out the Application or Renewal for Individual Licence form linked from the Alberta investigator licence page.
Gather photocopies of:
And a current:
Baton carriage is optional and gated: you need your employer's approval to carry a baton, the approved 40-hour baton use-of-force course, and a copy of that certificate in your application. Re-certification is every 36 months.
In person: take your application and documents to a registry agent that offers Security Programs licensing services. Pay the $160 investigator licensing fee — or the $160 dual security service and investigator fee — plus a $9 service charge at the registry. If approved, you get a temporary licence valid for 60 days.
By mail: send the completed form, the required documents, and payment or an online payment receipt for the $160 fee to Security Programs, Public Safety and Emergency Services, P.O. Box 1023 Station Main, Edmonton, Alberta, T5J 2M1. By mail, pay the Government of Alberta by certified business cheque, certified personal cheque, money order, or bank draft — or pay by credit or debit online and mail the printed receipt with your application. Do not use the online payment if you are applying at a registry agent. A mailed approval brings the 60-day temporary licence by email.
After approval, your licence card is mailed to the address on your application. Give your employer a photocopy of the card, and carry the original while you work. Renewal is the same process as the initial application.
A few duties follow the licence. Lost or stolen licences must be reported to Security Programs within 24 hours. Changes to personal information, licence class changes, cancellations, and lost licence reports all use the Update to Individual Licence form, sent by email or mail to Security Programs. Security Programs hours are 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, closed on statutory holidays, and the phone number is 1-877-462-0791.
Working for yourself is a second licence, not an extension of this one. Businesses that offer investigation services to the public must themselves be licensed in Alberta, with their own requirements. This guide covers the individual licence only.
The Alberta.ca pages opened for this guide state the fee, the training and exam rules, the searches, and the application steps. They do not state a processing time beyond the 60-day temporary licence, the price of either approved training course, a salary range for Alberta investigators, or an exam rewrite fee, so this guide gives none of those.
| Investigator licensing fee | $160; the licence is valid for two years |
|---|---|
| Dual security service and investigator licensing fee | $160 |
| Registry agent service charge, in-person applications | $9 |
| Temporary licence on approval | Valid for 60 days while the licence card is mailed |
Renewal follows the same process as the initial application. The individual licence is portable: it stays valid if you change employers or work for more than one employer.
The Government of Alberta. Licences are issued under the Security Services and Investigators Act by Public Safety and Emergency Services, through Security Programs. You must be licensed to work as a private or in-house investigator in Alberta.
You must be over 18 years old, eligible to work in Canada, fluent in English, and have no criminal record, no outstanding criminal charges, and not be the subject of a criminal investigation. The English standard is a level 5 benchmark under the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks.
One of two approved courses — the Alberta Professional Investigator Training Course or the Accredited Investigator Training Course — taken through an approved training provider, plus a score of 80% or higher on the provincial final exam. Your training certificate is mailed to you within one week after you pass.
The investigator licensing fee is $160 and the licence is valid for two years. The dual security service and investigator fee is also $160. Applying in person at a registry agent adds a $9 service charge. Renewal is the same process as the first application.
All three searches are mandatory, with no exceptions: a criminal record check, a vulnerable sector search, and a local police database search. Specify the employment type as security services, and ask for a print or mail copy of your results to attach to your application. The documents expire 90 days after they are issued.
Only with your employer's approval to carry one, after completing an approved 40-hour baton use-of-force training course and submitting a copy of that certificate with your application. Baton re-certification is required every 36 months.