CAREER · ONTARIO · MCSCS

How to become a
Private Investigator
in Ontario.

A clear path from eligibility to a licensed career — including the 40-hour T.R.I.O Practical Training and job-placement assistance that puts new investigators into the field.

Basic Course
50 hrs
Practical
40 hrs
Tuition
$499.99
Placement
Assisted
SECTION // 01
06
Pathway Steps

Are you eligible — and ready — to be licensed?

The Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services (MCSCS) governs every step. Here is the route — from eligibility through practical training to placement.

STEP 01

Confirm Eligibility

Verify you meet the Ontario MCSCS requirements to be licensed as a Private Investigator.

STEP 02

Choose a Registered Provider

Course providers must be registered as a MCSCS Basic Training Provider. Confirm before enrolling.

STEP 03

Complete the 50-Hour Basic Course

Mandatory pre-requisite to writing the Ministry Test — completed online at the student's own pace.

STEP 04

Pass the Ministry Test

Sit the Private Investigator Test and apply for your Ontario Private Investigator licence.

STEP 05

T.R.I.O Practical Training

40 hours of field-grade training — surveillance, video, reporting, billing — for licensed investigators.

STEP 06

Job-Placement Assistance

T.R.I.O assists newly trained investigators with placement opportunities in the industry.

SECTION // 02 · BASIC TRAINING

Choose a registered provider — verify before you enrol.

COURSE PROVIDERS

To offer the Private Investigator Basic Training Course, an entity must be registered as a "Basic Training Provider" with the MCSCS.

Before you take the pre-requisite course to write the Private Investigator Test and apply for your Licence, ensure that the course provider you have chosen is properly registered.

VERIFY MCSCS REGISTRATION
PI BASIC TRAINING COURSE
50 HOURS
Pre-requisite · Online · Self-paced

A pre-requisite to writing the Test and applying for your Private Investigator Licence. This mandatory course can be taken at the student's leisure online.

  • Online delivery, complete at your own pace
  • Instructor available for any questions
  • Required to sit the Ministry Test
SECTION // 03

Practical Training
& Job Placement.

Once you hold your licence, most agencies prefer investigators with prior training. T.R.I.O Investigations provides 40 hours of practical, field-grade instruction.

DURATION
40 HRS
TUITION
$499.99
M01
Case Opening

How to properly start, scope and document a new case file.

M02
Surveillance Tactics

Mobile, foot and static surveillance across varying environments.

M03
Video Capture

Evidentiary-grade video, framing, timestamps and chain of custody.

M04
Field Documentation

Notebook discipline, photography and contemporaneous notes.

M05
Report Writing

Court-ready narrative reports — clear, factual, defensible.

M06
Timesheets & Billing

Submitting accurate billing and time records to the agency.

JOB PLACEMENT

Although T.R.I.O Investigations cannot guarantee employment, T.R.I.O will assist the new investigator with job-placement opportunities within the industry following successful completion of the practical training.

START YOUR CAREER

Ready to begin your path to becoming a licensed Private Investigator?

Speak with T.R.I.O about the 40-hour Practical Training and the next available intake.