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Canada Security licence photo requirements

The 50 × 70 mm photo rules set by Government of Ontario for the Canada Security licence, with the official wording and sources.

Based on 5 official sources · last checked Official sources Page history

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Quick answer

What size is the Canada Security licence photo?

Security guard licences are provincial, so the photo rules depend on the province. Ontario wants a 50 x 70 mm (2 x 2 3/4 inch) photo with a 31 to 36 mm face, on a plain white background, under 950 KB, taken within 6 months, unaltered and not a selfie. Alberta asks for 1 passport-size colour photo date-stamped by the photographer. British Columbia asks for a passport quality photo and publishes no size.

Canada has no national security guard licence. Each province licenses its own security workers and sets its own photo rules, so a photo that suits one province may not suit another. This page sets out what three provinces publish: Ontario, through ServiceOntario's private security licensing for the Ministry of the Solicitor General; Alberta, through Security Programs in Alberta Public Safety and Emergency Services; and British Columbia, through the Security Programs Division. Other provinces and territories are not covered here.

Ontario publishes the most detailed rules. Its licences cover security guards, private investigators or both, and are now issued in digital form only. A photo is needed with a first application, and again when the photo on file expires, which Ontario says typically happens after 6 years.

Alberta and British Columbia say less. Alberta's security service worker licence application asks for a passport-size colour photo stamped on the back with the date taken. British Columbia lists a passport quality photo among the items needed for a security worker licence, which you apply for online through its Security Services Platform.

Canada Security licence photo size and specifications

The requirements as published by Government of Ontario:[1]

Print sizeOntario: 50 x 70 mm (2 x 2 3/4 in); Alberta: passport-size; BC: passport quality
Digital sizeNo pixel size published by Ontario, Alberta or BC
Head heightOntario: 31 to 36 mm (1 1/4 to 1 7/16 in), chin to natural top of head
BackgroundOntario: plain white, clearly different from your face and clothing
ColourAlberta: colour; Ontario: natural skin tones
Photo ageOntario: taken within the last 6 months; Alberta: stamped with the date taken
File sizeOntario: less than 950 KB
Print qualityAlberta: date-stamped on the back by the photographer, not glued to the form
Pixels when printed591 × 827 px at 300 dpi · 1181 × 1654 px at 600 dpi (calculated)
50 mm70 mm31–36 mm
50 × 70 mm photo drawn to scale, with the 31–36 mm head height from chin to crown. Background: ontario: plain white.

In the official words

Exact wording from the official sources, quoted because the details matter:

an original photo that is not altered in any way or taken from an existing photo (for example, photos of passports or other identification documents are not accepted)

Security guard or private investigator licence (individuals)[1]

Key requirements

  • Ontario: size and face

    Ontario requires a photo 50 mm wide by 70 mm high, with a face of 31 to 36 mm from the chin to the natural top of the head. Its mail-in application package adds that the image should not need to be cropped.

  • Ontario: no selfies, no edits

    The photo must be an original that is not altered in any way, not taken from an existing photo or ID document, and not a selfie. The mail-in package also rules out retouched photos, photos cropped from a group photo and photos taken in a personal setting.

  • Ontario: white background, 950 KB

    Use a plain white background that clearly separates your face and clothing from it, and keep the photo under 950 KB. Wear visible, appropriate clothing; Ontario refuses unclothed photos and inappropriate attire.

  • Ontario: 6 months and 6 years

    The photo must be taken within the last 6 months. Once on file, it is typically valid for 6 years, so a renewal may not need a new photo until that one expires.

  • Alberta: date stamp

    Attach 1 passport-size colour photo stamped on the back with the date taken; Alberta says the photographer date-stamps it. It does not need to be signed on the back, and it must not be glued to the application.

  • British Columbia: passport quality

    BC's Security Programs Division lists a passport quality photo among the items for a security worker licence application, alongside government-issued photo ID and a fingerprint confirmation slip. It gives no size or background rule.

Do's and don'ts

Do

  • Check which province will issue your licence before taking the photo.
  • In Ontario, keep the face 31 to 36 mm tall in a 50 x 70 mm frame.
  • In Ontario, keep the photo under 950 KB.
  • In Alberta, have the photographer stamp the date on the back.
  • Wear visible, appropriate clothing.
  • Keep prescription glasses free of glare.

Don't

  • Do not submit a selfie in Ontario.
  • Do not retouch the photo or crop it from a group photo.
  • Do not use a photo of your passport or another ID.
  • Do not glue the photo to an Alberta application.
  • Do not wear sunglasses.
  • Do not smile or open your mouth for an Ontario photo.

Sample photos

How a Canada Security licence photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 50 × 70 mm, head height and background colour.

Correct
Open-mouth smile
Head tilted
Too close: head too big
Too far: head too small
Busy background
Shadows on face or background
Glare on glasses

Illustrations, not real photos. The official rules above always take priority; some documents do not allow glasses at all.

Glasses

Ontario lets you wear prescription glasses if your eyes are clearly visible and there is no reflection or glare in the lenses. Sunglasses cannot be worn, and reflection on glasses is one of Ontario's examples of an unacceptable photo.

Alberta and British Columbia publish no separate glasses rule for security licence photos.

Headwear and religious dress

In Ontario, you cannot wear hats or head coverings unless they are worn daily for religious or medical reasons. Your full face must still be clearly visible, and the head covering must not cast a shadow on your face.

Ontario also refuses photos with a red-eye effect, shadows across the face or shoulders, around the ears or in the background, a face that is not square to the camera, or an open mouth. Alberta and British Columbia set no headwear rule on their licence pages.

Ontario accepts both channels. Online, you upload your documents, including the photo, through your Ontario.ca Login; the photo must be under 950 KB, and Ontario gives no pixel dimensions. Online applications are only open to people who have an original, unaltered digital PDF of their Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check. On paper, the photo goes in with the printed application package.

Alberta wants a physical, date-stamped colour print and does not accept applications by email. British Columbia applications are made online, with or without a BC Services Card account, and BC names no file size or format for the photo.

Where to submit the photo

Ontario: apply online, or mail the package to ServiceOntario, Private Security Licensing Services Office, P.O. Box 4500, Kingston, Ontario K7L 0E1. You must be 18 or older and have completed the mandatory training and testing.

Alberta: hand the application in at a registry agent that offers Security Programs licensing services, or mail it to Security Programs, Alberta Public Safety and Emergency Services, P.O. Box 1023 Station Main, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2M1. British Columbia: apply through the Security Services Platform; applicants must be 19 or older, or 16 for a locksmith or alarm installer licence under supervision.

How to get your Canada Security licence photo

  1. Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Canada Security licence: 50 × 70 mm print, ontario: plain white background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
  2. Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: ontario: size and face; ontario: no selfies, no edits; ontario: white background, 950 KB; ontario: 6 months and 6 years.
  3. Prepare a print or digital file. Ontario accepts both channels. Online, you upload your documents, including the photo, through your Ontario.ca Login; the photo must be under 950 KB, and Ontario gives no pixel dimensions.
  4. Submit the photo with your application. Ontario: apply online, or mail the package to ServiceOntario, Private Security Licensing Services Office, P.O. Box 4500, Kingston, Ontario K7L 0E1. You must be 18 or older and have completed the mandatory training and testing.

Make this photo online

Canada Security licence photo FAQ

It is 50 mm wide by 70 mm high (2 x 2 3/4 inches), with the face measuring 31 to 36 mm (1 1/4 to 1 7/16 inches) from the chin to the natural top of the head. The background must be plain white and the photo under 950 KB.

No. Ontario says the photo must not be a selfie. Its mail-in package also excludes photos taken in a personal setting, retouched or altered photos, photos cropped from a group photo and photos taken from an identification document.

Not always. Ontario says photos are typically valid for 6 years. If you renew, restore or change your licence category online, you may have to submit a new photo when the one on file has expired. If you renew by mail, you can contact ServiceOntario to check whether your photo is still valid.

One passport-size colour photo, stamped on the back with the date it was taken. Alberta says the photographer date-stamps it, the photo does not need to be signed on the back, and it must not be glued to the application form.

No. Each province sets its own rules. Ontario publishes a full specification, Alberta asks for a date-stamped passport-size colour photo, and British Columbia asks for a passport quality photo without giving a size. Check with the licensing office of the province that will issue your licence.

In Ontario, yes, if they are prescription glasses, your eyes are clearly visible and there is no reflection or glare in the lenses. Sunglasses are not allowed. Alberta and British Columbia do not publish a glasses rule.

No. Ontario now issues security guard and private investigator licences in digital form only. You download or print the licence from your Ontario.ca Login and must carry a digital version or printed copy while working.

Related photo specifications

Other Canada documents

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Also 50 × 70 mm

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Official sources

  1. Government of Ontario. Security guard or private investigator licence (individuals) ontario.ca. Checked 1 November 2026.
  2. Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General. Application Package for Individual Security Guard and/or Private Investigator Licence (008-06-005E) forms.mgcs.gov.on.ca. Checked 1 November 2026.
  3. Government of Alberta. Security service worker licence alberta.ca. Checked 1 November 2026.
  4. Government of Alberta. Application for Individual Licence (PS3723) cfr.forms.gov.ab.ca. Checked 1 November 2026.
  5. Government of British Columbia. Security worker licence: Application and Licence Management Process www2.gov.bc.ca. Checked 1 November 2026.

Requirements can change, so always confirm with Government of Ontario before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.

Cite this page

"Canada Security licence photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/canada/security-licence-photo

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