How to become a licensed private investigator?

First things first, are you eligible to become a private investigator?

Who can become an investigator?

To be eligible for a private investigator licence in Ontario, you must:

Be 18 years of age or older
Be eligible to work in Canada
Have a clean criminal record

What type of investigator do you want to be?

This is an important next step to starting a P.I career. You might be surprised to know that they do more than just discover affairs! There is a wealth of different career paths you can take as a licensed investigator.

Different Private Investigator Paths

The following are some of the career paths that come with working as a private investigator:

Personal family investigations

A family investigation generally involves working with divorced people and child custody.

DIVORCE & CHILD CUSTODY

Crimes against persons

Child custody investigations

Cyber extortion and bribery

Art and jewelry theft

Attorney legal support

Litigation support

Genealogy, probate and estate

Lost and unclaimed assets

Workers compensation fraud

Corporate crisis management

Workplace drug trafficking

Fraud and forgery investigations

Brand protection

Manufacturing and industrial theft

You can also specialize in surveillance, fraud, motor vehicle investigations, insurance and cyber forensics.

Steps required to be licensed as a private investigator

Basic training course

Check out our Private Investigator Training course. This specialized 50hr online course meets and exceeds the syllabus requirements of the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General. It is delivered 100% online and has been updated recently to reflect any changes in relevant legislation. Upon sign up, our Private Investigator students receive a comprehensive practice test to complete at their own pace to further prepare them for the provincial exam.

As a licensed private investigator in Ontario you will have to deal with challenging situations and will require proficient training to be able to handle them. We offer a comprehensive private investigator program that is aligned with the Ontario Ministry’s 50hr syllabus and meets Ministry requirements. Our curriculum will also give you all the practical tools and training you need to be successful.

Licensing exam

Apply for a private investigator licence

Once you’ve successfully completed your private investigator training course you will need to apply for your license. Once you receive it you can start practicing as a private investigator.