How to get a security service worker licence in Alberta — eligibility, approved training and the 80% provincial exam, the three mandatory records checks, the $100 two-year licence fee, and applying in person or by mail.
Applies in: Alberta
In Alberta you must be licensed to work as a security guard, patrol dog handler, alarm responder, loss prevention worker, or body guard. Licences are issued under the Security Services and Investigators Act, and the Government of Alberta licensing page sets out the eligibility, training, records-check, and application requirements. The route is straightforward: check eligibility, complete approved training and pass the provincial exam (or use a valid licence from another Canadian province or territory), get the three records checks, and apply in person or by mail. Do not start security work before you hold a licence, and confirm anything not covered on the official pages with Security Programs or your approved provider rather than assuming it.
You must be:
If you are on a work or study permit, contact Security Programs for the application and renewal steps that apply to you.
The training route is to complete an approved security training course and score 80% or higher on the provincial final exam. The two approved courses are the Alberta Basic Security Training Course and the Accredited Basic Security Training Course, taken through an approved training provider. The approved-provider list is published by Public Safety and Emergency Services, with the current version dated October 6, 2026, and updated frequently, so check the current list before you enrol. Training providers set their own course and exam pricing, and the licensing page publishes no course fee, so confirm the all-in price and schedule with your approved provider before enrolling.
After you pass the final exam at 80% or higher, your training certificate is emailed within one week of the office receiving the training report. For exam rewrites, challenges, or reviews, contact Security Programs.
Two other routes meet the training requirement:
Baton. To carry a baton you need employer approval, an approved 40-hour baton use-of-force training course, and you must submit the training certificate with your application. Baton re-certification is required every 36 months.
Training licence. While you are enrolled in an approved training course, a training licence is available. Your employer submits the application. It is valid for 30 days and converts to a standard licence after you complete the course and pass the exam. It is not portable: a new employer means a new training licence application.
Records checks are Step 1 of applying, and all three searches are mandatory, with no exceptions:
Your photo must be date-stamped by the photographer; it does not need signing on the back. Specify your employment type as "security services" regardless of licence class. Ask for a print or mail copy to attach to your application; police services can email results to Security Programs. Documents expire 90 days after issue, so do not get the checks so early that they expire before you apply.
Your application package includes:
Use the "Application for Individual Licence" package forms. There are two ways to submit and pay, and email applications and renewals are not accepted:
The security service licensing fee is $100 and the licence is valid for 2 years. The dual security service and investigators licensing fee is $160. Renewal follows the same process as the initial application, and the individual licence is portable, so it stays valid if you change employers or work for multiple employers.
Your licence card is mailed to the application address. Provide a photocopy to your employer and carry the original while working.
To update personal information, modify your licence class, cancel a licence, or report a licence that is lost, stolen, or destroyed, use the "Update to Individual Licence" form, sent by email or mail to Security Programs. A lost or stolen licence must be reported within 24 hours. Security Programs hours are 8:15 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday, closed on statutory holidays, and the phone number is 1-877-462-0791.
Related: how to get a security guard licence in British Columbia (40-hour BST + JIBC), and how to get a security guard licence in Ontario (40-hour course + Serco exam + $80 licence), and Licensed Occupations in Alberta (every verified licence and credential in Alberta, with the regulator that issues it).
| Security service worker licence (valid 2 years) | $100 |
|---|---|
| Dual security service and investigators licence | $160 |
| Registry-agent service charge (in-person applications only) | $9 |
| Training licence term | 30 days |
| Temporary licence term (if approved) | 60 days |
Training providers set their own course and exam pricing, and the licensing page publishes no course fee. Confirm the all-in price and schedule with your approved provider before enrolling.
The security service licensing fee is $100 and the licence is valid for 2 years. The dual security service and investigators licensing fee is $160. The registry-agent service charge is $9 and applies to the in-person route only. Renewal follows the same process as the initial application, and the individual licence is portable, so it stays valid if you change employers or work for multiple employers. Training providers set their own course and exam pricing, so confirm the all-in price and schedule with your approved provider before enrolling.
No. Holding a valid security licence from another Canadian province or territory meets the training and exam requirement. You include a copy of that active licence in your application package instead of an approved training course certificate, and you still complete the records checks and the application steps for Alberta.
A training licence is available while you are enrolled in an approved training course. Your employer submits the training licence application. It is valid for 30 days and converts to a standard licence after you complete the course and pass the exam. It is not portable, so a new employer means a new training licence application.
All three searches are mandatory, with no exceptions: a criminal record check, a vulnerable sector search, and a local police database search. Specify your employment type as security services regardless of licence class. Documents expire 90 days after issue, so time the checks so they are still current when you apply.
There are two ways only, and email applications and renewals are not accepted. In person, submit at a registry agent offering Security Programs licensing services and pay the fee plus the $9 service charge there; if approved, you get a temporary licence valid 60 days. By mail, send the package to Security Programs with payment or an online payment receipt; if approved by mail, a temporary licence valid 60 days is emailed. Online payment is by credit or debit, with the receipt printed and mailed, and you should not use online payment if you are submitting at a registry agent.
Use the Update to Individual Licence form, sent by email or mail to Security Programs, to update personal information, modify your licence class, cancel a licence, or report a licence that is lost, stolen, or destroyed. A lost or stolen licence must be reported within 24 hours. Security Programs hours are 8:15 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday, closed on statutory holidays, and the phone number is 1-877-462-0791.