Security guard training, compared
To obtain a security guarding licence, the Bureau de la sécurité privée (BSP), Quebec's private security regulator, requires 70 hours of training. Here is what it covers, where to take it, and what the other categories require.
Verified October 7, 2026.
In brief
- Security guarding: at least 70 hours, in 3 mandatory modules.
- Two routes: a school service centre, or a private school recognized by the BSP.
- A temporary licence lets you work during the training.
Cost and length: the two courses compared
Two courses lead to the BSP security guarding licence. The short one gives the required minimum. The long one, the Attestation of Vocational Studies (AEP), goes much further.
| 70-hour training | AEP in private security guarding | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | At least 70 hours | 390 hours, about 3 months |
| Where to take it | A school service centre, or a private school recognized by the BSP | A school service centre (program 4239 in French, or 4739 in English) |
| Cost | Varies by school, and rarely published. One example: $557.63 shown by a private school in Montreal in October 2026. Always ask for the total price | Inexpensive in the public network: $105 taxes included, materials included, for an October 2026 group in Quebec City |
| Admission requirements | Be 18 for the licence. No diploma required | Credits from the 3rd year of secondary school, or passing the General Development Test |
| Financial help | Ask Services Québec and the employer | Services Québec may pay for the training and pay an allowance to eligible people without a job |
| Leads to the BSP licence | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | People who want their licence as fast as possible | People who want complete training, with a workplace integration component |
The AEP price is the one shown by Inforoute FPT on October 2, 2026 for a group at the Centre de services scolaire des Découvreurs. It varies by centre and session. The price of the 70-hour training is the one shown on October 7, 2026 on the website of the Académie de sécurité du Québec, for its weekday and weekend sessions. Other schools may charge more or less. In both cases, add the BSP licence: $188.50 for a first application.
The 70 hours in security guarding
| Module | Length |
|---|---|
| Industry, role, legislation and standards of conduct | 30 h |
| Procedures in emergency situations | 24 h |
| First aid recognized by the CNESST (Quebec's labour standards and workplace safety board) | 16 h |
| Total | 70 h |
Where to take the training: two routes
1. A school service centre
This is the route set out in the regulation. Several school service centres offer the private security guarding program, often through their business services department. An attestation is issued at the end.
Note: many centres offer instead the "Sécurité privée – Gardiennage" Attestation of Vocational Studies (AEP) (program 4239, or 4739 in English), which is much more complete: 390 hours, or about three months. It also leads to the licence, but ask the centre whether it offers the short 70-hour version. Where to take it: in Montreal, in Quebec City and Lévis, in Laval, Longueuil and the surrounding suburbs.
2. A recognized private school
Quebec's Minister of Sécurité intérieure (formerly Public Security) also recognizes other training, including the courses of these businesses (in alphabetical order):
- Académie de sécurité du Québec
- Académie de sécurité I.G.S.
- Académie Perceptage
- Archer Guards
- Centre 2000 de formation professionnelle
- Corps canadien des commissionnaires (division du Québec)
- Detekaction sécurité inc.
- Gardium sécurité inc. (training reserved for its future employees)
- Groupe de Sécurité Garda SENC
- Groupe Sûreté inc.
- Mika Protection
- Montréal Élite Sécurité
- Securitas Canada Limitée
- Sécurité Xguard inc. (Académie XGuard)
- Service professionnel de formation en sécurité et enquêtes (SPFSE)
- Stéphane Boucher
The links lead to the websites of the schools that gave them to us. The order is alphabetical and no school is recommended.
Note: private training is accepted only if it was taken after the date it was recognized, and some courses are no longer offered. Check your course in the BSP's official list before you pay.
Training courses and how long they stay valid
Some training must be retaken to stay valid. Under the Decree respecting security guards, the premium is paid only if the training is recent enough.
| Training | Minimum length | Valid for | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private security guarding | 70 h | — | The security guarding licence |
| First aid, CPR and AED (organization recognized by the CNESST) | 16 h | 3 years | Premium of $0.60/h |
| Crisis management (trainer recognized by the Crisis Prevention Institute) | 16 h | 2 years | Premium of $2.00/h in health care settings |
| Use of force (trainer recognized by the APAS) | 20 h | 2 years | Premium of $2.00/h in judicial settings |
| Customer service (APAS or school recognized by the BSP) | 4 h | 2 years | Premium of $0.50/h |
| Introduction to investigation techniques (CEGEP) | 135 h | — | The investigation licence |
| Police technology or bachelor's degree in security and police studies | Diploma | Diploma less than 5 years old at the time of the application | The investigation licence |
The licence itself must be renewed every 5 years. See renewal. The first aid in the 70 hours also counts for the premium if it is less than 3 years old.
The other licence categories
| Category | Training required |
|---|---|
| Investigation | "Initiation aux techniques d'enquête et d'investigation" course (135 h, at CEGEP), or a diploma in police technology or a bachelor's degree in security and police studies less than 5 years old |
| Locksmith work | Diploma of Vocational Studies (DEP) in locksmithing or the equivalent (recognition of prior learning possible) |
| Transport of valuables | Training on firearms and the use of force, given by an instructor qualified by the ENPQ |
| Electronic security systems | No training required |
| Security consulting | Skills to be demonstrated |
Prices, free courses and online courses: what to ask
Not all schools publish their prices, and prices change often. Before you register, ask these questions:
- Is the training on the BSP's list, and is the attestation given at the end?
- Is first aid (16 h) included in the price?
- How much is given online, and how much in class?
- Is financial assistance available? Ask Services Québec if you are unemployed.
- Does the employer reimburse it? Some agencies train their new guards. The Decree, however, does not require the employer to pay for the training needed to obtain the licence.
Frequently asked questions about security guard training
What training do you need to become a security guard?
In Quebec, the BSP requires at least 70 hours of training for the security guarding licence. It includes 30 hours on the industry, the role, legislation and standards of conduct, 24 hours on procedures in emergency situations and 16 hours of first aid recognized by the CNESST.
Which training should you take to become a security guard?
In Quebec, you can choose between two courses that lead to the BSP security guarding licence: the 70-hour training, or the 390-hour "Sécurité privée – Gardiennage" AEP offered by school service centres. The first suits people who want their licence as fast as possible, the second people who want complete training, with a workplace integration component. The details are in what to expect from the training.
Where can you find recognized security guard training in Quebec?
At a school service centre, or at a private school whose training is on the BSP's list. Our guides by region: Montreal, Quebec City and Lévis, Laval, Longueuil and the surrounding suburbs.
What is the best training to become a security guard?
The one recognized by the BSP: without it, no licence. Between two recognized courses, compare the total price, the schedule (day, evening, weekend), what is included (first aid, use of force) and job placement help. The 70-hour training is enough for the security guarding licence. The more complete AEP offered by school service centres is 390 hours.
How long is the training to become a security guard?
At least 70 hours for the security guarding licence (30 h + 24 h + 16 h of first aid). The more complete AEP offered by school service centres is 390 hours, or about three months.
How much does security guard training cost?
In Quebec, it ranges from $0 to about $600 for the course that leads to the licence, according to the prices schools showed on October 7, 2026. In the public network, vocational training costs little: one AEP group in Quebec City was listed at $105, materials included. Services Québec can also pay for the training and provide financial assistance if you are eligible. The BSP licence costs an additional $188.50 (fees in detail).
Can you become a security guard without a diploma?
Yes. The licence does not require a high school diploma: you must be 18, pass the recognized training and meet the good moral character requirements. Only the 390-hour AEP requires credits from the 3rd year of secondary school or a pass on the General Development Test.
Is there a test to become a security guard?
Assessments take place during the training, which ends with an attestation. For the licence, the BSP mainly has your background checked by the Sûreté du Québec: this is the "security check" included in the fees.
Can you work during the training?
Yes, with a temporary BSP licence of 120 days at most, under the supervision of a guard who holds a regular licence.
What is the salary of a beginner security guard?
At least $20.60 an hour in Class A since June 28, 2026, from the first day, plus the Decree premiums. Salary and premiums in detail.
How long does security training take?
In Quebec, the training required for the security guarding licence lasts at least 70 hours. On October 7, 2026, some school service centres showed it in 2 weeks of daytime classes, or over about one month on weekends, according to our comparison of schools. The 390-hour AEP takes about three months.
Where can you train to become a security guard?
In Quebec, at a school service centre or in one of the 16 private security guarding training programs recognized by the BSP. Check your course in the BSP's official list before you pay. The institutions are named in the section "Where to take the training: two routes".
Which training courses are mandatory in security?
In Quebec, the BSP requires at least 70 hours of training for the security guarding licence, including 16 hours of first aid recognized by the CNESST. The Decree provides premiums for other training, if it is recent enough: first aid, crisis management, use of force and customer service. The other licence categories have their own requirements, in the section "The other licence categories".
Which training will the government pay for in 2026?
In Quebec, for security guard training, Services Québec may pay for the training and pay an allowance to eligible unemployed people. Eligibility depends on your situation: apply to Services Québec before you sign up. On October 7, 2026, two school service centres also showed the 70-hour training at no charge, with one group full in Laval and past dates at Les Affluents, according to our price survey.