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CALIFORNIA QUALIFIED MANAGER EXAM PREP 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
VERIFIED ANSWERS DETAILED RATIONALES GRADED A+
Part I: Licensing and Qualifications (Questions 1–50)
1. To be eligible for a Qualified Manager certificate under BSIS guidelines, an
applicant must have attained which minimum age?
A. 16 years of age with parental consent
B. 18 years of age
C. 21 years of age
D. 25 years of age
Rationale: California Business and Professions Code requires Qualified Manager
applicants to be at least 18 years old, reflecting the legal age of majority for
professional licensure.
2. What is the minimum passing score required on most BSIS Qualified Manager
examinations?
A. 60%
B. 65%
C. 70%
D. 75%
Rationale: The Alarm Company Act and related BSIS frameworks require a
minimum passing score of 70% on the Qualified Manager examination.
3. A Qualified Manager applicant must demonstrate passage of which examination
to qualify for a private investigator Qualified Manager license?
A. The alarm company operator examination
B. The private investigator licensing examination
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C. The repossession agency examination
D. The private patrol operator examination
Rationale: Business and Professions Code sections 7541 and 7541.1 require
private investigator Qualified Manager applicants to pass the private investigator
licensing examination.
4. How many hours of compensated experience are required for a private
investigator Qualified Manager applicant who does not hold a law degree or
police science degree?
A. 2,000 hours
B. 4,000 hours
C. 6,000 hours
D. 8,000 hours
Rationale: A private investigator Qualified Manager applicant must have at least
three years (2,000 hours each year, totaling 6,000 hours) of compensated
investigative experience.
5. An applicant with a four-year degree in police science must have how many
hours of investigative experience to qualify for private investigator licensure?
A. 2,000 hours
B. 4,000 hours
C. 5,000 hours
D. 6,000 hours
Rationale: The statute provides an alternate pathway requiring two years (4,000
hours) of experience for applicants holding a four-year police science degree.
6. How many hours of compensated alarm company work experience are required
to qualify for the Alarm Company Qualified Manager examination?
A. 2,000 hours
B. 3,000 hours
C. 4,000 hours
D. 5,000 hours
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Rationale: California law mandates at least 4,000 hours of paid alarm company
experience, equivalent to two years, for Alarm Company Qualified Manager
eligibility.
7. A Repossession Agency Qualified Manager applicant must have at least how
many hours of paid experience?
A. 2,000 hours
B. 4,000 hours
C. 6,000 hours
D. 8,000 hours
Rationale: The BSIS requires at least two years of paid experience totaling not less
than 4,000 hours for the Repossession Agency Qualified Manager certificate.
8. For the Private Patrol Operator Qualified Manager credential, current BSIS
guidance requires how many hours of compensated experience?
A. 2,000 hours
B. 4,000 hours
C. 6,000 hours
D. 8,000 hours
Rationale: Current BSIS guidance requires three years (6,000 hours) of
compensated experience, including both field security and management or
administrative experience with a licensed Private Patrol Operator.
9. How long does a Qualified Manager applicant have to pass the examination
after being deemed eligible by BSIS?
A. Six months
B. One year
C. Two years
D. Three years
Rationale: The applicant has up to one year from the date BSIS deems them
eligible to sit for the exam to pass it; otherwise, the application is considered
abandoned.
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10. What is the length of term for a Repossession Agency Qualified Manager
certificate?
A. One year
B. Two years
C. Three years
D. Four years
Rationale: A Repossession Agency Qualified Manager certificate is valid for two
years, after which renewal is required.
11. Effective January 1, 2025, what new requirement applies to Private
Investigator Qualified Managers under Assembly Bill 1244?
A. They must hold a four-year degree
B. They must apply for a Qualified Manager license if associated with more than
their own sole proprietorship
C. They must complete additional firearms training
D. They must retire at age 65
Rationale: AB 1244 mandates that PIQs wishing to be associated with more than
their own sole proprietorship private investigator license must apply for a
Qualified Manager license.
12. What criminal history check must a Qualified Manager applicant undergo?
A. A credit check only
B. A state and federal criminal history review through the DOJ and FBI
C. A civil litigation history check
D. A driving record check
Rationale: Applicants must undergo a criminal history background check through
the California Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
13. An applicant for a Qualified Manager license must not have been convicted of
which of the following?
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CALIFORNIA QUALIFIED MANAGER EXAM PREP 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
VERIFIED ANSWERS DETAILED RATIONALES GRADED A+
Part I: Licensing and Qualifications (Questions 1–50)
1. To be eligible for a Qualified Manager certificate under BSIS guidelines, an
applicant must have attained which minimum age?
A. 16 years of age with parental consent
B. 18 years of age
C. 21 years of age
D. 25 years of age
Rationale: California Business and Professions Code requires Qualified Manager
applicants to be at least 18 years old, reflecting the legal age of majority for
professional licensure.
2. What is the minimum passing score required on most BSIS Qualified Manager
examinations?
A. 60%
B. 65%
C. 70%
D. 75%
Rationale: The Alarm Company Act and related BSIS frameworks require a
minimum passing score of 70% on the Qualified Manager examination.
3. A Qualified Manager applicant must demonstrate passage of which examination
to qualify for a private investigator Qualified Manager license?
A. The alarm company operator examination
B. The private investigator licensing examination
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C. The repossession agency examination
D. The private patrol operator examination
Rationale: Business and Professions Code sections 7541 and 7541.1 require
private investigator Qualified Manager applicants to pass the private investigator
licensing examination.
4. How many hours of compensated experience are required for a private
investigator Qualified Manager applicant who does not hold a law degree or
police science degree?
A. 2,000 hours
B. 4,000 hours
C. 6,000 hours
D. 8,000 hours
Rationale: A private investigator Qualified Manager applicant must have at least
three years (2,000 hours each year, totaling 6,000 hours) of compensated
investigative experience.
5. An applicant with a four-year degree in police science must have how many
hours of investigative experience to qualify for private investigator licensure?
A. 2,000 hours
B. 4,000 hours
C. 5,000 hours
D. 6,000 hours
Rationale: The statute provides an alternate pathway requiring two years (4,000
hours) of experience for applicants holding a four-year police science degree.
6. How many hours of compensated alarm company work experience are required
to qualify for the Alarm Company Qualified Manager examination?
A. 2,000 hours
B. 3,000 hours
C. 4,000 hours
D. 5,000 hours
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Rationale: California law mandates at least 4,000 hours of paid alarm company
experience, equivalent to two years, for Alarm Company Qualified Manager
eligibility.
7. A Repossession Agency Qualified Manager applicant must have at least how
many hours of paid experience?
A. 2,000 hours
B. 4,000 hours
C. 6,000 hours
D. 8,000 hours
Rationale: The BSIS requires at least two years of paid experience totaling not less
than 4,000 hours for the Repossession Agency Qualified Manager certificate.
8. For the Private Patrol Operator Qualified Manager credential, current BSIS
guidance requires how many hours of compensated experience?
A. 2,000 hours
B. 4,000 hours
C. 6,000 hours
D. 8,000 hours
Rationale: Current BSIS guidance requires three years (6,000 hours) of
compensated experience, including both field security and management or
administrative experience with a licensed Private Patrol Operator.
9. How long does a Qualified Manager applicant have to pass the examination
after being deemed eligible by BSIS?
A. Six months
B. One year
C. Two years
D. Three years
Rationale: The applicant has up to one year from the date BSIS deems them
eligible to sit for the exam to pass it; otherwise, the application is considered
abandoned.
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10. What is the length of term for a Repossession Agency Qualified Manager
certificate?
A. One year
B. Two years
C. Three years
D. Four years
Rationale: A Repossession Agency Qualified Manager certificate is valid for two
years, after which renewal is required.
11. Effective January 1, 2025, what new requirement applies to Private
Investigator Qualified Managers under Assembly Bill 1244?
A. They must hold a four-year degree
B. They must apply for a Qualified Manager license if associated with more than
their own sole proprietorship
C. They must complete additional firearms training
D. They must retire at age 65
Rationale: AB 1244 mandates that PIQs wishing to be associated with more than
their own sole proprietorship private investigator license must apply for a
Qualified Manager license.
12. What criminal history check must a Qualified Manager applicant undergo?
A. A credit check only
B. A state and federal criminal history review through the DOJ and FBI
C. A civil litigation history check
D. A driving record check
Rationale: Applicants must undergo a criminal history background check through
the California Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
13. An applicant for a Qualified Manager license must not have been convicted of
which of the following?
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