BSP temporary licence: working during your training

You are registered for your security guarding course and an agency is ready to put you to work right away? That is what the BSP temporary licence is for: it lets a future security guard work during training, under supervision, while waiting for the regular licence. You still need to understand its limits. Here is how this temporary security guard licence works, how much it costs and how to move on to the real licence afterwards.

For the general conditions, the categories and the renewal every 5 years, see our complete guide to the BSP security guard licence. This article covers only the temporary licence tied to training.

What is the BSP temporary agent licence?

The Bureau de la sécurité privée (BSP), Quebec's private security regulator, can issue a temporary agent licence in three situations: to take training (internship or work-study program), for the particular needs of an investigation (undercover agent or double agent) and to fill a labour need during a special event (cultural or sports activity, labour dispute, disaster, pandemic).

The case that matters to most new guards is the first one: working in security guarding while taking the required training. According to the BSP form, the term of a temporary licence cannot exceed 120 days.

This licence is not a regular licence "in the meantime". The BSP describes it as a licence issued for a specific and single mandate: you cannot change employers or jobs with it.

Internship or work-study program: what is the difference?

The form distinguishes two formulas tied to training:

• The internship (security guarding, locksmith work, investigation): you do an internship with an employer as part of your training. The employer undertakes to use your services only for that internship.
• The work-study program (ATE) (security guarding and locksmith work only): you work under supervision alongside your theory classes. The training must begin no later than 30 days after the licence is issued.

In security guarding, the ATE has a strict rule: the application can be made only once, and the licence is neither renewed nor reissued. The BSP considers that 120 days are enough to finish the 70 hours of training already started. To choose your course, see security guard training in detail or, if you are in the Montreal area, how to choose your security guard training in Montreal.

What are the conditions to get it?

The basic conditions are similar to those of the regular licence:

• be at least 18, with one exception: the BSP accepts a younger applicant only when the licence is requested for an internship as part of a training program
• be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or the holder of a right to work in Canada
• never have been found guilty of a criminal offence related to the activity concerned (unless pardoned) and be of good moral character. The BSP has your information checked by the Sûreté du Québec
• be in a physical and mental state compatible with the work. A medical certificate may be requested.

Who makes the application: you or the agency?

You do. Form 194.005 must be filled out and signed by the licence applicant. The agency still plays a mandatory role: it must fill out and sign an employer's declaration (Appendix 1 for an internship, Appendix 2 for the ATE) that you attach to your application. Give it to the agency before you start.

In this declaration, the employer undertakes that you will work under the active and continuous supervision of an agent who holds a regular licence of the same category, and to notify the BSP without delay if it stops using your services. For your part, you must remain under the responsibility of that employer at all times.

What documents do you have to provide?

1. Form 194.005, complete, dated and signed (or the interactive online form).
2. Proof of registration in a training program that leads to the regular licence. For the ATE, proof of registration and of payment that shows the start date.
3. The employer's declaration (Appendix 1 or 2). For the ATE in security guarding, also Appendix 2.1, a supplement signed by you.
4. A copy of both sides of two different pieces of identification: one for identity (the driver's licence first) and one for status in Canada.
5. Two identical passport-size colour photos (5 cm x 7 cm), taken within the last 6 months, one of them signed by a guarantor who has known you for at least 1 year (otherwise a commissioner for oaths, a notary or a lawyer).
6. Payment of the fees.

The BSP recommends applying online, which it presents as the fastest way. You need an email address and a payment card. Otherwise, the application is made by mail to 1611, boulevard Crémazie Est, bureau 500, in Montreal. The BSP does not publish a precise processing time, but it warns that an incomplete form leads to significant delays, or even to the application being returned.

How much does the temporary licence cost?

According to the form's payment sheet (rates in effect since January 1, 2026), you pay the fee for the category and the verification of conditions. These fees are never refundable, even if the application is refused.

The other fees (annual fees, renewal of the regular licence) are explained in our article on BSP licence fees and renewal.

What happens at the end of the 120 days?

The licence expires. If you have not obtained your regular licence, you must stop working: the BSP's FAQ points out that only the holder of a valid licence can practise, and an application being processed is not enough.

Some temporary licences can be renewed, provided the application is sent before the expiry and for the same reason. For the ATE in security guarding, that is not possible: you must have finished your training within the 120 days.

How do you move on to the regular licence?

Once the training is passed, the holder of a temporary training licence (internship or ATE) fills out form 194.008 – Conversion de permis – formation. The BSP must receive the application while the temporary licence is valid for you to get the conversion rate ($31.25 + taxes). The BSP does not specify the rate that applies after the expiry: if in doubt, call it at 514 748-7480.

What are the common mistakes?

• Starting to work before having the licence in hand. An application being processed gives no right to practise.
• Working alone. The licence requires the active and continuous supervision of an agent with a regular licence of the same category.
• Changing agencies or taking other contracts. The licence is tied to the employer and to the reason given in the application.
• Starting the training too late. For the ATE, it must begin within 30 days. Otherwise the BSP can revoke the licence.
• Sending the conversion too late. It must be received before the temporary licence expires.
• Forgetting an appendix or a signed photo. An incomplete application can be found inadmissible.

What are the Accès Agent portal and the public register for?

The BSP website gives access to the Accès Agent portal (accesagent.bspquebec.ca), the online space reserved for agents, separate from the Accès Agence portal intended for businesses.

The Register of licence holders, on the other hand, is public. You search it for an agent by licence number (with the spaces, for example "GAR 99999999") or by last name and first name, with the exact spelling. The status must be "valid": a suspended, revoked or expired licence means the person is not allowed to work. Check your own record there before your first shift, and know that your employer or a client can do it too.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get a temporary licence?

In Quebec, you apply to the Bureau de la sécurité privée (BSP) for the temporary agent licence with form 194.005, filled out and signed by the applicant. You must attach proof of registration in the training, the employer's declaration, two pieces of identification, two photos and payment of the fees, $188.50 in security guarding in 2026. The BSP recommends applying online, which it presents as the fastest way. The licence lasts 120 days at most.

Is the temporary licence valid for more than 120 days?

No. The period requested cannot exceed 120 days. Some licences can be renewed before they expire, but not the ATE licence in security guarding.

Can I get a temporary licence if I am under 18?

Only for an internship as part of a training program that leads to the regular licence. In the other cases, you must be 18.

Is it the agency that pays and files the application?

The form is filled out and signed by the applicant. The agency provides its employer's declaration. The BSP does not specify who must pay: that is to be agreed with the employer.

How much does it cost to move on to the regular licence?

For a temporary training licence, $31.25 plus taxes, if the conversion application is received before the temporary licence expires.

Starting from scratch? First read how to become a security guard in Quebec.

Sources

• BSP: obtenir un permis temporaire d'agent
• BSP: formulaire 194.005, demande de permis temporaire d'agent (version 2026-08)
• BSP: faire une demande en ligne
• BSP: foire aux questions
• BSP: droits payables pour un agent
• BSP: consulter le Registre des titulaires de permis