PSISA: Ontario Security Guard Licensing Explained
The Ontario Private Security and Investigative Services Act (PSISA) governs every guard in the province. Here's what it actually requires — and where agencies cut corners.
Who Needs a PSISA Licence.
Every person paid to provide guard duties in Ontario — including in-house corporate security officers earning above a nominal threshold — must hold a valid PSISA licence issued by the Ministry of the Solicitor General.
The Training Requirement.
40 hours of provincially-approved training plus a ministry-administered test. 1Northwest Security officers complete this before onboarding and add another 40+ hours of internal training on top.
Licence Verification.
PSISA licences are queryable through the Ministry's public verification tool. Every reputable agency runs this check on hire and quarterly thereafter — not just at renewal.
Uniform and Vehicle Requirements.
PSISA prescribes uniform standards (no impersonation of police), vehicle marking rules, and use-of-force limitations. Violations can void an agency's licence.
Common Cut-Corners.
The two most common PSISA violations we see when auditing new client sites: expired individual licences left in service, and misrepresented job titles ('Loss Prevention Officer' is not a workaround).
What You Should Demand.
A live PSISA verification link for every officer assigned to your site, refreshed on the anniversary of onboarding. Non-negotiable.
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