Do you need a licence to work as a security guard in BC?
Yes. BC's Security Services Act requires security workers to be licensed by the province[S1]. A licence from another province does not cover you here. You still need a BC licence to work in BC[S5].
There is one narrow exception. Security work done for no pay or other reward does not need a licence, but that exemption does not cover door security at a liquor-licensed venue. Door staff there need a licence even if they volunteer, and that includes event sites operating under a special event permit[S2][S3].
A security guard licence also covers alarm monitoring and alarm response work. It does not cover installing alarms, selling them, CCTV or locksmithing, which are separate licences[S3].
What are the requirements?
| Requirement | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Age | At least 19 when you apply. You can take the training before you turn 19. | [S1][S7] |
| Residency | "Ordinarily resident in Canada." It is a residency test, not a citizenship test, and the registrar says it is written with students and people in Canada on work permits in mind. You still need proof of citizenship, permanent residency or the right to work in Canada. | [S1][S3][S5] |
| English | Enough to talk with the public while you work. The registrar's benchmark is Canadian Language Benchmarks 2000, Stage 2, Benchmark 5 for listening and speaking, and it can ask for a certified assessment at your cost. | [S2][S3] |
| Training | Basic Security Training through JIBC, or training the registrar accepts as equivalent. | [S2][S7] |
| Background checks | A criminal record check, a police information check and a correctional service information check, with fingerprints on your first application. | [S2][S5] |
What is Basic Security Training (BST)?
BST is the provincial training for security guards. JIBC, the Justice Institute of British Columbia, delivers it on behalf of the province's Security Programs Division[S7]. The regulation still calls it the "Basic Standards Training Course, Levels 1 and 2". The province and JIBC now call it Basic Security Training, and certificates under the older name are still accepted[S2][S3][S4].
- The course: 40 hours, online and self-paced over up to eight weeks, or in person at JIBC's New Westminster campus[S7].
- The exam: 90 minutes, 75 questions, closed book. You need 70% to pass and you see your score right away[S7].
- Attempts: at most two. Each rewrite costs another exam fee. Fail twice and you take the course again[S7].
- Deadline: write the exam within six months of finishing the course[S7].
- Where you write it: if you live in the Lower Mainland, from Squamish to Abbotsford, you write it in person in New Westminster. Online proctored exams are only for people who live outside the Lower Mainland[S7].
- Refunds: the online course and the exam are not refundable[S7].
Who delivers BST now. Since April 1, 2026, BST is no longer delivered through privately operated schools. JIBC delivers it itself, along with designated public post-secondary institutions, selected partners serving remote and Indigenous communities, and large security firms that train their own employees[S8]. JIBC's course page still lists schools from before the change, so confirm with JIBC before you pay anyone other than JIBC for BST[S7].
There is no certificate any more. JIBC stopped issuing BST certificates after December 15, 2025. If you finished after that date, the province confirms your completion with JIBC directly[S4].
How much does a BC security guard licence cost?
Getting licensed for the first time, with a one-year licence:
| Item | Cost | Paid to | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| BST course (online or in person) | $343.77 | JIBC | [S7] |
| JIBC learner services fee | $3.26 | JIBC | [S7] |
| BST exam, first attempt | $64.14 | JIBC | [S7] |
| Security worker licence, 1 year | $120.00 | Province of BC | [S2][S5] |
| Total | $531.17 | calculated |
Each exam rewrite costs another exam fee. The province pays the $25 federal fee for processing your fingerprints, so the police or fingerprint agency should not charge you that fee. The province does not publish what agencies charge for taking prints[S6].
Licence fees by term, for a new application:
| Licence term | Fee |
|---|---|
| 90 days | $60 |
| 1 year | $120 |
| 2 years | $180 |
| 3 years | $240 |
Three years is the longest term you can choose[S2][S5].
Renewing. Renewal costs less than a new application for most terms: $60 to renew for 1 year, $120 for 2 years and $180 for 3 years. If the licence you are renewing was a 90-day licence, you pay the new-application fee[S2]. The province's website does not list renewal fees and sends you to the Security Services Platform to see them[S5].
What background checks and fingerprints are required?
- Three checks: a criminal record check, a police information check and a correctional service information check[S2]. You do not need them to take BST, only to get the licence[S7].
- Fingerprints, first application: take form SL002 to your local police department, an RCMP detachment or an approved fingerprint agency. Prints can be digital or ink, and you get a confirmation slip to include with your application[S5][S6].
- Fingerprints when renewing: if you renew with a BC Services Card account and your prints are already on file, you do not need new ones. If you renew without that account, you do[S5].
- Documents you will need: consent to a criminal record check, proof of your training or experience, proof of citizenship, permanent residency or the right to work in Canada, one passport-quality photo, valid government photo ID, the fingerprint confirmation slip, and a mental health condition form if it applies to you[S5].
Can you work while you train?
Yes, through a licence called security guard under supervision. You do not need training to get it[S4]. It lasts 90 days, costs $60, and can be issued to you only once[S2][S3]. You still need to be 19 and able to speak English with the public[S2].
The registrar's own words on what it is for: to let people "work as a security guard while they are completing BST 1 and 2"[S3]. Use the 90 days to finish BST and pass the exam, then apply for the full security guard licence.
It only works with an employer set up for it. The employer must have a fully licensed guard who can supervise you readily available at every site where you work. There can be no more than five supervised guards for each fully licensed guard at a site, and the client must be told that someone under supervision is working[S3].
Already trained or licensed somewhere else?
| Your situation | What BC asks for | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed in Saskatchewan, Manitoba or Ontario, or an Alberta "Certified" licence | Apply directly with your licence | [S3] |
| Alberta "registered" licence, or licensed in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Yukon, P.E.I. or Quebec | Complete JIBC's BST and exam | [S3] |
| Canadian police, corrections, sheriff, auxiliary, reserve or border services experience | Usually no BST. Apply to the registrar with your training certificate or letters from a supervisor or HR | [S3] |
| Other security training | The Security Programs Division reviews it and may send you to one JIBC challenge exam. Only one attempt is allowed before you must take the full course | [S3] |
Exemptions from BST are granted by the Security Programs Division, not by JIBC[S7].
How do you apply, and how long does it take?
- Check that you meet the requirements: age 19, residency and English.
- Complete BST and pass the exam, or confirm your equivalency or out-of-province route. If an employer will supervise you, you can apply for the 90-day supervised licence first.
- Get your fingerprints taken with form SL002.
- Apply online through the province's Security Services Platform. A BC Services Card account is optional, but applications without one can take longer[S5].
- Pay the fee by credit card, or by certified cheque or money order payable to the Minister of Finance[S5].
- The program reviews your application and documents, runs the checks, and emails you if it needs anything else[S5].
How long it takes. The province does not publish a processing time. In its words, "processing timelines may vary based on application volumes." It also takes longer if your application is incomplete, the fee is paid late, more information is needed, or a risk assessment is required[S5]. A guide that quotes a fixed number of weeks is guessing.
Once you have your licence, carry the physical card whenever you work. A photo of it does not count[S5].
You're licensed. What do employers actually want?
The licence is the legal minimum. BST teaches the theory. It does not prepare you for a particular site, a particular client, or the moment something goes wrong at 3 a.m.
At Guard Nation, every guard is fully licensed before starting in the field, and that is where our training starts. It includes NVCI de-escalation; first aid and overdose response, including CPR, AED and naloxone; fire watch and site safety; WHMIS and hazard awareness; and the post orders for each site you work.
The short version
In BC you need a provincial security worker licence to work as a guard. You must be 19, ordinarily resident in Canada and able to speak English with the public. You also need to pass JIBC's 40-hour BST and its 75-question exam, and clear three checks with fingerprints. A one-year licence costs about $531 in total. If an employer will supervise you, a one-time 90-day licence lets you work while you train.
Sources
- [S1]Security Services Act, SBC 2007 c.30, ss.2 and 3(2). BC Laws, current to 25 August 2026.
- [S2]Security Services Regulation, BC Reg 207/2008, ss.2(1)(d), 2(3), 3(10), 3(11), 5, 6 and 16. BC Laws, current to 7 April 2026.
- [S3]Security Programs Division, Licensing Process and Licence Conditions Policies, policies 2.2.5.5, 2.4.3.1, 2.5.1, 2.6.1.2–2.6.1.3, 2.6.6.1–2.6.6.5 and 3.6.4. gov.bc.ca, last updated 25 May 2026.
- [S4]Security worker training requirements. gov.bc.ca, last updated 21 April 2026.
- [S5]Application and Licence Management Process (last updated 13 November 2025); Security worker licence (9 March 2026); Rules for licensed security workers (26 May 2025). gov.bc.ca.
- [S6]Form SL002, Request for Fingerprinting, revision 2025-03-21. gov.bc.ca.
- [S7]Basic Security Training (BST). Justice Institute of British Columbia, read 12 September 2026.
- [S8]"JIBC updates delivery model for security training". Justice Institute of British Columbia news release, 12 January 2026.
Licensing rules and fees change. This guide reflects the sources above as read on 12 September 2026. Confirm current requirements with the Security Programs Division (1-855-587-0185) before you pay for training or apply.