How to get TICO certified
Follow the official program, equipment and exam steps. Individual certification and registering a travel business are distinct.
By the Canada Exam Prep Editorial Team ·
- No sign-up
- Every answer explained
- Independent · not a government site
- 4 steps
- Official sources only
- Checked October 24, 2026
This guide separates our free revision, the paid official program and business registration. It does not enrol you or collect payments or identity documents. Confirm unusual circumstances with TICO and its provider before choosing a route.
Step by step
Identify your role and existing certification
Check whether you will sell or advise for a registered agency. Taking messages or doing accounting alone is different. An existing valid certification remains valid; a counsellor seeking supervisor/manager certification follows the current combined-program requirements.
Source: Oliver Solutions — official TICO FAQUse the official portal and complete the modules
The current Oliver Solutions program costs $150 with one attempt. After purchasing, complete its modules and knowledge checks. You have six months to pass, including rewrites. Our tests do not replace that program.
Source: Oliver Solutions — official TICO FAQPrepare the equipment and write the official exam
The provider lists a closed-book 80-question exam in 150 minutes. Safe Exam Browser, a computer webcam and a QR-activated smartphone camera are required. Review the current identity, system and accommodation instructions before starting.
Source: Oliver Solutions — official TICO FAQUse the result in the correct setting
The provider publishes 70%, or 56/80, and normally reports results within two to three business days. Certification concerns work for a registered agency. Operating your own business requires separate TICO registration.
Source: Oliver Solutions — official TICO FAQ
Who can get it
- People selling or giving travel advice for a registered Ontario agency need the applicable certification. An out-of-province call-centre location does not remove that requirement. Source: Oliver Solutions — official TICO FAQ
- Existing certifications do not expire because the program changed. New enrolment and seeking supervisor/manager status follow current requirements. Source: TICO — current program
What it costs
| Item | Amount | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Official program and one attempt | CA$150 | Source: Oliver Solutions — official TICO FAQ |
| Official rewrite | CA$50 per attempt | Source: Oliver Solutions — official TICO FAQ |
Fees change. Check the amount on the official page or with the provider before you pay.
Where to take the test
Online on your computer through the official provider, using its required environment and proctoring. This independent site does not administer the official exam. Source: Oliver Solutions — official TICO FAQ
What to bring or have ready
- A computer meeting the current provider requirements, with Safe Exam Browser. Source: Oliver Solutions — official TICO FAQ
- Both a computer webcam and smartphone camera; follow the provider’s positioning and QR instructions. Source: Oliver Solutions — official TICO FAQ
- Identity documentation and candidate information required by the provider for the attempt. Check its accepted identification instructions and request accommodation early if needed. Source: TICO — current program
After you pass
Keep the issued certificate. Agencies maintain accurate staff/contractor records with relevant certificate copies. Your personal certification does not register an independent travel business. Source: Ontario — Lois-en-ligne
Validity and renewal
TICO says certification does not expire or require universal retesting. Business-registration renewal and ongoing compliance remain separate obligations. Source: TICO — current program
Common mistakes
- Confusing success here with certification or business registration. Source: Oliver Solutions — official TICO FAQ
- Using an old question count or threshold instead of the current format. Source: TICO — current program
- Assuming one webcam is enough, or overlooking the six-month period and rewrite waits. Source: Oliver Solutions — official TICO FAQ
Prepare for the test
Free practice written from the official material: full practice tests, a study guide, a printable sheet and a timed mock exam.
- TICO Certification practice tests144 original practice questions with explanations
- Printable questionsPrint an original selection with its explained key on separate pages. Free, no account, and distinct from official materials.
- Study guideIndependent Ontario regulatory notes, from travel sales to Fund claims, with official sources and linked practice.
- TICO Certification Mock Exam 1 – 80 QuestionsTimed practice · 150 minutes · answers explained
- TICO Certification exam simulator80 questions drawn from our bank, full screen, no hints
We last checked the official pages on October 24, 2026. Rules and fees can change; the official source always wins.
Official learning resources
Our questions are original, unofficial practice. These free public resources are published by government bodies or test providers. Official courses and certification may have separate fees.
Official study guide / resources · EN
Travel Industry Act, 2002 (opens in a new tab)Official study guide / resources · EN
Regulation 26/05 — General (opens in a new tab)Official reference material · EN
TICO — current Certification Program and format (opens in a new tab)Public information; official certification is a separate paid service.
Official reference material · EN
Official provider — threshold and exam requirements (opens in a new tab)
FAQ
Certification steps: common questions
Does an older certification remain valid?
Yes. TICO says existing certifications remain valid and do not expire. A separate request for supervisor/manager status follows its applicable requirements.
How much is a rewrite and how long must I wait?
The provider publishes $50 per rewrite. After results, wait 24 hours for the first, five days for the second and thirty days for subsequent rewrites, within the six-month enrolment period.
Is this agency registration?
No. The individual certificate and business registration are distinct. Consult the official business requirements before operating independently.
Keep practising
- Printable questionsPrint an original selection with its explained key on separate pages. Free, no account, and distinct from official materials.
- Study guide
- Format and transition
- TICO Certification Mock Exam 1 – 80 QuestionsTimed practice · 150 minutes · answers explained
- TICO Certification Practice Test 124 questions with explanations
- TICO Certification Practice Test 224 questions with explanations
- TICO Certification Practice Test 324 questions with explanations
Practice by topic
- TICO, the Act and who must registerWhat TICO does, the legal definitions of travel agent, travel wholesaler and travel services, who must be registered and which businesses and groups are exempt.
- Certification and office staffingThe 2026 TICO Certification Program, who must be certified to sell or give travel advice, supervisor/manager rules for each office, certified counsellors on duty and records of staff certificates.
- Registration requirements and noticesEligibility to register, grounds for refusal, proposals and Licence Appeal Tribunal hearings, immediate suspension, $10,000 security for new applicants, business names, home offices, branches, certificates and the notices registrants must give.
- Financial requirements, trust accounts and recordsFinancial filings, positive working capital, bank accounts, the Travel Industry Act trust account and its rules, security instead of a trust account and six-year business records.
- Advertising and representationsRequired details in ads, false advertising, all-inclusive price rules, information required in written ads for specific travel services, photographs, registrar orders and pre-approval.
- Disclosure before the saleWhat a travel agent must tell the customer before an agreement and before taking payment or card details, advice for travel outside Canada, insurance advice and counselling fees.
- Invoices and travel documentsWhat the customer's statement, invoice or receipt must show, price increase wording, wholesaler statements, numbering, document delivery timelines and checking documents.
- Changes, refunds and alternativesTelling customers about changes, verifying accommodation, the events that require an offer of a full refund or comparable alternative, price increase limits and the files registrants must keep.
- Resale, supplier failure and liabilityJoint liability for customer money, written supplier agreements, duties when a supplier fails, rules on air carriers, refunding commissions and when registrants must repay the Fund.
- Compensation Fund claimsWho can claim from the Travel Industry Compensation Fund, the demand and eligibility rules, what is not covered, the six-month deadline, documents, registrant claims and hearings.
- Fund limits, trip completion and major eventsThe $5,000 per-person limit, event caps, trip completion and immediate departure payments, and major event rules.
- Complaints, inspections and offencesHow complaints are handled, inspections, discipline, receivers and freeze orders, offences and penalties, limitation periods and the information TICO publishes.