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Security Guard Practice Test Ontario 2026 – Free Ontario Security Guard Questions

Original questions written from the official Ontario handbook, with an explanation for every answer.

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  • 360 questions
  • 6 practice tests
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Practice test 1 · Question 1Score 0/0

How does the Criminal Code classify causing a disturbance under section 175?

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All Ontario Security Guard practice tests

6 sets of 60 questions. Each set is fixed, so you can repeat it until you score 100%.

Exam facts

Key facts: Ontario Security Guard Licence Test

Free Ontario security guard practice tests written from the ministry's own Security Guard Study Guide, the Training Syllabus for Security Guards and the laws they point to: the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 and its regulations, the Trespass to Property Act and the Criminal Code. Every question is original, explains why the right answer is right and names the section it comes from. No sign-up, and your progress stays on your device.

The real ministry test has 60 multiple-choice questions, a 75-minute time limit and a cut score of 62 percent. Our full mock exams copy that format, and the topic tests follow the twelve sections of the training syllabus so you can drill the areas where you are weakest, such as arrest powers, trespass and use of force.

What the test covers

Topics and question bank

Every question is tagged to one topic from the official handbook. Pick a topic to drill just that area.

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Sample Ontario Security Guard questions

Tap a question to see the answer. The full interactive test is at the top of the page.
  1. 1How does the Criminal Code classify causing a disturbance under section 175?
    • A. Summary conviction offence
    • B. Indictable offence only
    • C. Provincial offence
    • D. Municipal by-law offence

    Section 175 makes causing a disturbance an offence punishable on summary conviction only. That matters for arrest: the s. 494(1)(a) power covers only indictable offences.

  2. 2A loss prevention guard working undercover does not reveal that they are a guard. Does this breach the misrepresentation rule?
    • A. No, concealing identity for duties is exempt
    • B. Yes, guards must always announce themselves
    • C. Yes, unless the manager is present
    • D. No, because loss prevention needs no licence

    The ban on misrepresenting your licence does not apply to a licensee concealing their identity as a guard in order to carry out their duties.

  3. 3How does the syllabus describe the de-escalation techniques guards learn?
    • A. Immediate physical control
    • B. Progressive intervention steps
    • C. A single fixed script
    • D. Calling police first every time

    The syllabus teaches de-escalation techniques with progressive intervention steps, so the guard's response builds gradually with the situation.

  4. 4Under the AODA customer service standard, which needs does a support person help with?
    • A. Mobility or personal care needs
    • B. Driving the person to the site
    • C. Paying for goods and services
    • D. Filing human rights complaints

    A support person accompanies a person with a disability to help with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs, or with access to goods, services or facilities.

  5. 5When may a private person use force likely to cause death or grievous bodily harm under section 25?
    • A. Whenever a person refuses to stop
    • B. Whenever any property is being stolen from the site
    • C. Only to protect a life from death or grievous harm
    • D. Whenever a suspect tries to run away

    Such force is justified only if the person believes on reasonable grounds it is necessary to protect themselves or someone under their protection from death or grievous bodily harm.

  6. 6Why should security guards learn to identify their own biases?
    • A. So they can report them to police
    • B. So they can avoid certain groups
    • C. So biases do not affect how they treat people
    • D. So they can share them with the public

    Guards should recognize their own biases to prevent them from affecting the way they interact professionally with the public.

  7. 7Where must trespass signs be posted to give proper notice?
    • A. Inside the building lobby only
    • B. In view of each ordinary access point
    • C. At least 100 metres from the gate
    • D. Only at the main front entrance

    Signs must be posted so that one is clearly visible in daylight under normal conditions from the approach to each ordinary point of access to the premises.

  8. 8Which is one of the conditions for self-defence under Criminal Code section 34?
    • A. The defender is licensed
    • B. The act is reasonable in the circumstances
    • C. The other person struck first twice
    • D. A witness confirms the threat

    Section 34 requires a reasonable belief that force or a threat is being used, a defensive purpose, and an act that is reasonable in the circumstances.

  9. 9After making a citizen's arrest, what must a security guard do?
    • A. Take them to the client's office
    • B. Hold them until the next business day for questioning
    • C. Release them once they apologize
    • D. Deliver the person to a peace officer forthwith

    Anyone other than a peace officer who arrests without warrant must deliver the person to a peace officer forthwith, as soon as possible.

  10. 10A crime has been committed on your site and police are on the way. How can you best supplement police efforts?
    • A. Start questioning suspects alone
    • B. Secure the scene until police arrive
    • C. Send witnesses home to save time
    • D. Clean up the area for the client

    The guide notes that guards can support police by securing crime scenes until officers arrive and by being a source of information.

About the test

About the Ontario Security Guard Licence Test

In Ontario anyone who works for pay mainly guarding or patrolling to protect people or property needs a security guard licence under the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005 (PSISA). That covers mall and site guards, but also bouncers, bodyguards and loss prevention staff. The licence is issued by ServiceOntario on behalf of the Ministry of the Solicitor General, and you must be 18 or older, entitled to work in Canada, hold a clean criminal record and have completed the mandatory training and testing.

The path has three steps. First you complete basic training with an approved provider: a public university, an Ontario college, a registered career college, a licensed security business or a registered employer that has hired you. The ministry syllabus sets a minimum of 40 hours including Emergency Level First Aid, or 33.5 hours if you already hold a valid first aid certificate. Your provider then gives you a training completion number. Second, you book and pass the ministry test. Third, you apply for the licence with your test completion number, a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check issued within the last six months, two pieces of government ID and a photo.

The test itself is written in a 60-question multiple-choice format. The appointment is two hours long and 75 minutes of it is the time you have to answer. The testing provider's booking page lists the fee as $35.00 plus 13 percent HST, or $39.55 per attempt (the ministry's 2021 study guide page still shows an older $75.15), the testing site says results are available within 2 business days of the exam date (the study guide still says five), and the cut score is 62 percent. You can write it online or at selected DriveTest centres. Bookings and payment are handled by the ministry's test delivery agent, not by ServiceOntario, so questions about scheduling go to the testing provider.

The questions are drawn from the topics of the basic training course. The syllabus gives the most class time to legal authorities (7.5 hours), which covers the Trespass to Property Act, citizen's arrest under section 494 of the Criminal Code, privacy law and other acts a guard meets on the job. Other sections cover the PSISA and Code of Conduct, basic security procedures, report writing, health and safety, emergency response, the Canadian legal system and evidence, effective communication, sensitivity training, use of force theory and first aid. Our topics follow the same list.

Once licensed, you must carry your licence (digital or printed) whenever you work and show it on request, wear a uniform that meets the Uniforms regulation unless you are a bodyguard or loss prevention worker, and follow the Code of Conduct. A new licence expires on your second birthday after it is issued and renewals last two years. The licence fee is $80. Breaking the Act can bring a fine of up to $25,000, up to a year in jail, or both.

Study plan

How to prepare

  1. 1Read the ministry's Security Guard Study Guide end to end. It is free on ontario.ca, it is written for the test, and every question on this site cites one of its sections or a law it refers to.
  2. 2Spend the most time on legal authorities. Learn exactly when a private person may arrest under section 494, what the Trespass to Property Act lets an occupier's agent do, and that after any arrest you hand the person to police as soon as possible.
  3. 3Learn the numbers that make easy points: 60 questions, 75 minutes, 62 percent, age 18, 40 or 33.5 training hours, the $25,000 PSISA fine, the $10,000 trespass fine, 1.5 cm and 10 cm SECURITY lettering, and the two-birthday licence term.
  4. 4Read the Code of Conduct regulation itself. It is one page long and many questions turn on its exact wording, such as unnecessary force, confidentiality and treating everyone equally.
  5. 5Practise the scenario questions. Many real questions describe a situation and ask what a guard should do, so focus on the principle behind each answer: observe and report first, your own safety comes first, follow your employer's documented procedures.
  6. 6Take one topic test per syllabus section, then reread the cited section for every question you miss. The explanations name the condition that makes the answer right, and that condition is usually what the real question tests.
  7. 7Get your first aid certificate sorted before booking. The Training and Testing regulation says you must give the test administrator a valid emergency first aid certificate before you write.
  8. 8When you score 45 or more out of 60 on two different mock exams in a row, well above the 62 percent cut score, you are ready to book.

FAQ

Ontario Security Guard test questions people ask

How many questions are on the Ontario security guard test?

The ministry test has 60 multiple-choice questions based on the topics covered in basic training. You have 75 minutes to answer them, within a two-hour appointment. Our mock exams use the same 60-question, 75-minute format.

What is the passing score for the security guard test in Ontario?

The ministry's study guide sets the cut score at 62 percent. On a 60-question test that works out to about 38 correct answers; the ministry publishes the percentage rather than a raw score. Aim well above it in practice, because the real questions are worded differently from any practice set.

How much does the security guard test cost?

The ministry's testing provider lists the test fee as $35.00 plus 13 percent HST, for a total of $39.55 per attempt. The ministry study guide page, last updated in 2021, still shows an older $75.15 figure, so go by the booking page. The licence itself is a separate $80 fee paid to ServiceOntario when you apply. Fees can change, so confirm the test fee when you book with the testing provider.

Can I take the security guard test online?

Yes. The ministry says you can write the test either online or at select DriveTest centres across Ontario. All tests must be booked in advance, and you need the training completion number from your basic training provider to register.

Do I need training before I can write the test?

Yes. Unless you already hold a valid Ontario licence or a qualifying licence from another province, you must finish ministry-prescribed basic training first: at least 40 hours with emergency first aid, or 33.5 hours if your first aid is already current. Only people who attended the whole course may take the test.

Is first aid required for an Ontario security guard licence?

Yes. Emergency Level First Aid is part of basic training, and the Training and Testing regulation requires you to give the test administrator a valid St. John Ambulance Emergency First Aid certificate, or an equivalent, before you take the test. If your certificate is current you are exempt from the first aid section of the course.

How old do you have to be to be a security guard in Ontario?

At least 18. The PSISA also requires a clean criminal record, the legal right to work in Canada and completion of the mandatory training and test. Canadian citizenship is not required.

How long is an Ontario security guard licence valid?

A new licence expires on your second birthday after the day it is issued, and each renewal runs for two years tied to your birth date. You can renew online up to 90 days before it expires. Licences are now digital, and you must carry a digital or printed copy whenever you work.

What happens if I fail the security guard test?

The ontario.ca pages we checked do not state a waiting period or a limit on attempts, and the testing site says results are available within 2 business days of the exam. Contact the ministry's testing provider about rebooking, and spend your next study sessions on the sections you found hardest.

Can I call myself a security officer?

No. Section 40 of the PSISA bans guards from using the words detective, private detective, law enforcement, police and officer, so security officer is not allowed. You must identify yourself as a security guard and show your licence when a member of the public asks.

Are these the real test questions?

No. The ministry does not publish its test questions. Every question here is original, written from the free official study guide, the training syllabus and the laws they cite, and each one names the section it comes from so you can check it yourself.

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