Private Investigator Exam, 2026 – Security and Investigations
Study and Review Material
What Act regulates the investigative services and the private security industry? - correct answer
✔✔ - Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 (PSISA)
When was the PSISA proclaimed into force? - correct answer ✔✔ August 23, 2007
Why was the PSISA proclaimed into force? - correct answer ✔✔ - to help professionalize the
industry, increase public safety and ensure practitioners receive proper training and are
qualified to provide private investigator services
What does the PSISA and its regulations govern? - correct answer ✔✔ - the way the private
security and investigation industry operates in Ontario
When did the training and testing regulations under the PSISA come into force? - correct answer
✔✔ - April 15, 2010.
Who is considered a PI? - correct answer ✔✔ - individuals who have a private investigator
license and perform work, for remuneration, that consists primarily of conducting investigations
to provide information on the character, actions, business, occupation, or whereabouts of a
person
Are loss prevention specialists considered to be security guards? - correct answer ✔✔ Yes, they
are automatically considered to be security guards and do not require a PI license.
Who consists of the private security sector? - correct answer ✔✔ 1. Private Investigators
2. Loss prevention specialists
3. Mobile patrol services
,What are the two main divisions of the security industry? - correct answer ✔✔ - public &
private
What are the majority of tasks assigned that require a security guard to do? - correct answer
✔✔ - observe, deter, record and report
In order to be eligible for a PI licence, what do all individuals have to do? - correct answer ✔✔ -
complete the required training and/or testing
- be 18 years old
- possess a clean criminal record
- be legally entitled to work in Canada
What act regulates private investigators and security guards? - correct answer ✔✔ - the Private
Investigator's and Security Guards Act, 1997.
Is the Private Investigator's and Security Guards Act federal or provincial legislation? - correct
answer ✔✔ - Provincial legislation
What can private investigators not refer themselves as? - correct answer ✔✔ - police officers
- peace officers
- detectives
- law enforcement
- officer
- security officers
- private detective
, What requirements must licensees meet? - correct answer ✔✔ - wear a uniform approved by
the registrar
- carrie and present their license to anyone making that request
- comply with any terms and conditions of their licenses
- be over 18 years of age
- return their licenses to the registrar when they expire or are terminated, suspended or
cancelled
- report to registrar any incident to a member of the public involving the use of force or an
unusual intervention
What is the maximum penalty for an individual licensee and in the case of a corporation if they
willingly commit an offense under the PSISA or The Private Investigators and Security Guard's
Act? - correct answer ✔✔ - $25,000 or imprisonment for a term of not more than one year or
both for an individual licensee
- $250,000 for a corporation
What must every person do when holding themselves out as a PI? - correct answer ✔✔ - carry
his or her license
- on request identify himself or herself as a security guard
- on request produce her license
What rules must a PI be mindful of during their day to day acitivies? - correct answer ✔✔ - must
carry their license
- identify themselves and show their license if a member of the public asks them to do so
- must wear a uniform when working
- security guards are prohibited from carrying any symbol of authority other than license in
uniform (metal badge is prohibited)
- cannot hold themselves out as police officers or performing police related duties for this
reason
Study and Review Material
What Act regulates the investigative services and the private security industry? - correct answer
✔✔ - Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 (PSISA)
When was the PSISA proclaimed into force? - correct answer ✔✔ August 23, 2007
Why was the PSISA proclaimed into force? - correct answer ✔✔ - to help professionalize the
industry, increase public safety and ensure practitioners receive proper training and are
qualified to provide private investigator services
What does the PSISA and its regulations govern? - correct answer ✔✔ - the way the private
security and investigation industry operates in Ontario
When did the training and testing regulations under the PSISA come into force? - correct answer
✔✔ - April 15, 2010.
Who is considered a PI? - correct answer ✔✔ - individuals who have a private investigator
license and perform work, for remuneration, that consists primarily of conducting investigations
to provide information on the character, actions, business, occupation, or whereabouts of a
person
Are loss prevention specialists considered to be security guards? - correct answer ✔✔ Yes, they
are automatically considered to be security guards and do not require a PI license.
Who consists of the private security sector? - correct answer ✔✔ 1. Private Investigators
2. Loss prevention specialists
3. Mobile patrol services
,What are the two main divisions of the security industry? - correct answer ✔✔ - public &
private
What are the majority of tasks assigned that require a security guard to do? - correct answer
✔✔ - observe, deter, record and report
In order to be eligible for a PI licence, what do all individuals have to do? - correct answer ✔✔ -
complete the required training and/or testing
- be 18 years old
- possess a clean criminal record
- be legally entitled to work in Canada
What act regulates private investigators and security guards? - correct answer ✔✔ - the Private
Investigator's and Security Guards Act, 1997.
Is the Private Investigator's and Security Guards Act federal or provincial legislation? - correct
answer ✔✔ - Provincial legislation
What can private investigators not refer themselves as? - correct answer ✔✔ - police officers
- peace officers
- detectives
- law enforcement
- officer
- security officers
- private detective
, What requirements must licensees meet? - correct answer ✔✔ - wear a uniform approved by
the registrar
- carrie and present their license to anyone making that request
- comply with any terms and conditions of their licenses
- be over 18 years of age
- return their licenses to the registrar when they expire or are terminated, suspended or
cancelled
- report to registrar any incident to a member of the public involving the use of force or an
unusual intervention
What is the maximum penalty for an individual licensee and in the case of a corporation if they
willingly commit an offense under the PSISA or The Private Investigators and Security Guard's
Act? - correct answer ✔✔ - $25,000 or imprisonment for a term of not more than one year or
both for an individual licensee
- $250,000 for a corporation
What must every person do when holding themselves out as a PI? - correct answer ✔✔ - carry
his or her license
- on request identify himself or herself as a security guard
- on request produce her license
What rules must a PI be mindful of during their day to day acitivies? - correct answer ✔✔ - must
carry their license
- identify themselves and show their license if a member of the public asks them to do so
- must wear a uniform when working
- security guards are prohibited from carrying any symbol of authority other than license in
uniform (metal badge is prohibited)
- cannot hold themselves out as police officers or performing police related duties for this
reason
