The Security Services Act is the British Columbia law that governs the private security industry. For businesses, it means one thing above all: anyone doing security work for you in BC must hold a valid security worker licence, and any company you contract must hold a security business licence. Hiring unlicensed security is illegal, voids the professional protections you are paying for, and can leave your business exposed if something goes wrong. Here is what the Act covers and how to stay on the right side of it.
What the Act regulates
The Security Services Act and its accompanying Security Services Regulation are administered by Security Programs (BC Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General). Together they set the rules for:
- Who can perform security work - individual licensing (security worker licence)
- Who can sell security services - company licensing (security business licence)
- Training standards - including the 40-hour Basic Security Training requirement for guards
- Background screening - mandatory criminal record checks with fingerprinting
- Conduct standards - including uniform, identification, and licence-carry requirements
The full statute is public: Security Services Act (BC Laws).
What counts as "security work"
Licensed activity includes security guarding (static and patrol), loss prevention, event security, bodyguard/close protection work, armoured car services, and more. If someone is protecting people or property for hire in BC, licensing almost certainly applies.
Why this matters to you as a buyer
1. Legality
Contracting unlicensed security means paying for an illegal service. If an incident escalates, the first question insurers and lawyers ask is whether personnel were licensed.
2. Liability
Licensed companies must meet insurance and conduct standards. Unlicensed operators typically carry neither proper insurance nor WorkSafeBC coverage - so injuries and damages can flow back to you, the hiring business.
3. Quality floor
Licensing guarantees a baseline: trained (40-hour BST), background-checked, fingerprinted personnel. It is the minimum bar - reputable companies build on it with supervision, reporting, and additional certifications.
Your due-diligence checklist
- Company licence: Security business licence number
- Guard licences: Confirmation all deployed staff hold valid worker licences
- Insurance: Certificate showing liability coverage (Fireball: $5M CAD)
- WorkSafeBC: Active coverage confirmation
- Training: BST plus any site-relevant certifications (first aid, fire watch)
Ask these five questions before signing anything - we cover the full vetting process in How to Choose a Security Company in Kelowna.
What guards can and cannot do
Licensed guards are not police. Their authority comes from property rights (as agents of the property owner) and the same citizen's powers everyone holds - applied with training and accountability:
- Can: control access to private property, ask trespassers to leave, observe and report, de-escalate, detain in narrow lawful circumstances, coordinate with police.
- Cannot: carry police powers, use force beyond what the law allows anyone, or act outside the property owner's lawful authority.
A professional company trains its guards to operate confidently inside those lines - that discipline is precisely what protects you from liability.
Where Fireball Security stands
Fireball Security Ltd. operates under the BC Security Services Act with licensed guards, WorkSafeBC certification, and $5M comprehensive liability coverage across Kelowna, Vancouver, Victoria, and all of BC. Every guard we deploy is licensed, trained, and supervised by a 24/7 operations centre - and every shift produces digital, time-stamped reporting.
Need compliant security for your business? Get a free quote or call 250-899-6620.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal to hire unlicensed security in BC? Performing security work without a licence is illegal under the Security Services Act. As a buyer, contracting unlicensed security exposes you to serious liability and insurance problems.
How do guards get licensed in BC? They complete 40-hour Basic Security Training, pass a fingerprint-based criminal record check, and apply to Security Programs. Full process: our BC security licence guide.
Do security companies need their own licence? Yes - a security business licence, separate from the individual worker licences their guards hold.
Can security guards detain people in BC? Only in narrow lawful circumstances (like a citizen's arrest under the Criminal Code), and professional guards are trained to prioritize de-escalation and police coordination instead.
