Criminal Record Check for Manitoba Security Guard Licensing
Manitoba’s Private Investigators and Security Guards Program, administered under the province’s licensing framework, requires applicants to submit a Criminal Record Check before a security guard or private investigator licence can be issued. This guide covers what the check involves and how to get it done if you’re not near a location that processes them in person.
What Manitoba’s Criminal Record Check Covers
Manitoba’s licensing Criminal Record Check is a name-based search of the CPIC database, covering:
- Criminal convictions
- Outstanding charges, where applicable to the request type
- Certain judicial matters relevant to positions of trust
The exact scope depends on the check type requested at the time of application, so it’s worth confirming with the Private Investigators and Security Guards Program directly whether a standard or enhanced check is required for your licence category.
Fingerprints: Usually Not Required
Like most provincial licensing checks, Manitoba’s Criminal Record Check is typically processed using your name and date of birth rather than fingerprints. Fingerprinting only becomes necessary if there’s a partial match between your details and another record in the database, so your identity can be confirmed before a certificate is issued.
How the Process Works
- Confirm your licence category’s requirement with the Private Investigators and Security Guards Program.
- Apply by mail or online through an RCMP-accredited provider — you don’t need to be in Manitoba in person for a name-based check.
- Submit two pieces of government-issued ID, at least one with your photo.
- Receive your certificate, usually within 15 minutes to 48 hours.
Pricing
- CPIC (name-based) check: $40 + tax
- CRJMC / enhanced check (covering outstanding charges and judicial matters): $50 + tax
Why Use an RCMP-Accredited Agency Outside Manitoba?
Because this is a national database search rather than a local records check, any RCMP-accredited agency can process your application, regardless of where in Canada you or the agency are located. Surrey Fingerprint Company processes these checks for clients across the country by mail and online. See our full CPIC and CRJMC service details.
Get Started
Contact us to confirm the exact check type your Manitoba licence requires, then apply from wherever you are.
📞 (604) 825-8882 | ✉️ info@surreyfingerprint.com
Criminal Record Check for Alberta Security Guard Licensing
Alberta’s Security Services and Investigators Act requires security guard, private investigator, and alarm response applicants to submit a Criminal Record Check (CRC) as part of their licensing application. Depending on the role, a separate Vulnerable Sector Check may also be required if the work involves contact with children or vulnerable adults.
Criminal Record Check vs. Vulnerable Sector Check
- Criminal Record Check (CRC): A name-based search of the CPIC database showing convictions and, depending on the request type, outstanding charges and judicial matters.
- Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC): A more extensive search that also includes certain sexual offence records, even where a pardon or record suspension has been granted — typically only required for roles involving vulnerable populations.
Most Alberta security guard licence applications require the standard Criminal Record Check rather than a Vulnerable Sector Check, but always confirm with your employer or Alberta Justice which one applies to your specific role.
Do I Need to Be Fingerprinted?
Alberta’s standard Criminal Record Check is typically name-based and does not require fingerprints, unless your name and date of birth partially match another individual’s record on file — in which case fingerprints confirm your identity before results are released.
How to Get an Alberta Criminal Record Check Without Traveling to a Local Police Service
Because this is a name-based search of a national database, you don’t need to visit a specific Alberta location in person. An RCMP-accredited agency can process your application by mail or online:
- Confirm the exact check type your employer or licensing body requires.
- Submit your application with two pieces of valid government-issued ID.
- Identity search against the CPIC database.
- Receive your certificate, typically within 15 minutes to 48 hours for name-based requests.
Pricing
- CPIC (name-based) check: $40 + tax
- CRJMC / enhanced check (covers outstanding charges and judicial matters, similar to what many Alberta licensing bodies expect): $50 + tax
About Surrey Fingerprint Company
We’re an RCMP-accredited fingerprinting and background check agency based in Surrey, BC, processing CPIC and CRJMC-equivalent checks for clients across Canada — not only in British Columbia. Learn more about our CPIC and CRJMC criminal record checks.
Get Started
Contact us to confirm which check your Alberta security licence application requires before you apply.
📞 (604) 825-8882 | ✉️ info@surreyfingerprint.com
Criminal Record Check Without Fingerprints — What It Is and Who Needs One
If you’ve been asked for a criminal record check and are wondering whether you need to be fingerprinted, the short answer is: usually not. Most criminal record checks in Canada — for employment, volunteering, and many licensing purposes — are name-based, meaning they search the national CPIC database using your name, date of birth, and identification, not your fingerprints.
What Is a Name-Based Criminal Record Check?
A name-based check compares your identifying information against records held in the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database. Depending on the type of check requested, it can show:
- Criminal convictions
- Outstanding charges and warrants (for enhanced checks)
- Court orders, peace bonds, and probation conditions (for enhanced checks)
- Absolute or conditional discharges within their disclosure period
This is different from a fingerprint-based check, which physically confirms your identity using your fingerprints rather than just your name and date of birth.
When Are Fingerprints Actually Required?
Fingerprints become necessary in a few specific situations:
- A partial name/DOB match. If your name and date of birth are similar to another individual’s record in the database, fingerprints are the only reliable way to confirm which record actually belongs to you.
- Applications from outside Canada. If you previously lived in Canada and now live abroad, a fingerprint-based check is generally required because it’s harder to verify identity remotely without them. Read about our service for applicants living outside Canada.
- Specific request types. Some immigration, government security clearance, or first-time BC Security Worker Licence applications specify fingerprint-based checks by default.
For everything else — most employment screening, volunteer positions, and many provincial licensing renewals — a name-based check without fingerprints is what’s actually required, even if the paperwork uses an unfamiliar term.
Why the Terminology Gets Confusing
The same underlying name-based CPIC search goes by different names depending on where you are and who’s asking:
| Term | Where It’s Used |
|---|---|
| CPIC check | General term, most of Canada |
| CRJMC (Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check) | Ontario security guard/investigator licensing |
| Police Information Check (PIC) | British Columbia |
| Criminal Record Check (CRC) | Alberta, Manitoba, and general use |
| Police Record Check | Various police services |
If you’ve been told you need one of these by name, it’s worth confirming with the requesting organization exactly which level of check they mean — a basic conviction search, or the enhanced version that also covers outstanding charges and judicial matters.
How to Get a Name-Based Check
Because no fingerprints are involved in most cases, you don’t need to visit a specific location in person:
- Confirm which check type is required (basic or enhanced) with the organization requesting it.
- Apply online or by mail with an RCMP-accredited provider, along with two pieces of government-issued ID.
- Your details are searched against the CPIC database.
- If there’s no match requiring further verification, your certificate is typically ready within 15 minutes to 48 hours.
Pricing
- Basic CPIC (name-based) check: $40 + tax
- Enhanced CRJMC-level check: $50 + tax
Surrey Fingerprint Company is an RCMP-accredited agency processing these checks for clients across Canada, not only in British Columbia. See our full CPIC and CRJMC page for details on both check types.
Get Started
Not sure which check you need? Contact us and we’ll help you confirm before you apply.
📞 (604) 825-8882 | ✉️ info@surreyfingerprint.com
CPIC vs. CRJMC: What’s the Difference?
If an employer, licensing body, or organization has asked you for a criminal record check, you may have seen both “CPIC” and “CRJMC” mentioned — sometimes even used as if they mean the same thing. They don’t. Here’s a clear breakdown of what each one actually covers, so you can confirm you’re applying for the right one.
CPIC Check: The Basics
A CPIC check is a name-based search of the Canadian Police Information Centre database. It shows:
- Criminal convictions
- Summary convictions (generally disclosed for 5 years)
- Youth Criminal Justice Act findings, where applicable
This is the standard check used for general employment screening, volunteer positions, and many immigration purposes where only conviction history needs to be confirmed.
Price: $40 + tax
CRJMC Check: The Enhanced Version
A CRJMC (Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check) includes everything a CPIC check shows, plus:
- Outstanding charges and warrants
- Peace bonds and probation orders
- Judicial orders and prohibition orders
- Absolute and conditional discharges (within their disclosure window)
- A local police database search
CRJMC is the specific term Ontario uses for the check required in security guard and private investigator licensing. Other provinces require an equivalent enhanced check under different names — British Columbia’s Police Information Check and Alberta or Manitoba’s Criminal Record Check for licensing purposes generally cover similar ground.
Price: $50 + tax
Side-by-Side Comparison
| CPIC Check | CRJMC Check | |
|---|---|---|
| Convictions | ✓ | ✓ |
| Outstanding charges | ✗ | ✓ |
| Warrants | ✗ | ✓ |
| Peace bonds / probation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Judicial orders | ✗ | ✓ |
| Typical use | General employment, immigration | Security guard/investigator licensing, positions of trust |
| Price | $40 + tax | $50 + tax |
Which One Do I Need?
The requesting organization decides this, not you — so the safest approach is to ask them directly whether they need a “CPIC” or a “CRJMC” (or its provincial equivalent). Common patterns:
- General employment or volunteering: usually a basic CPIC check.
- Security guard or private investigator licensing: almost always the enhanced CRJMC-level check.
- Immigration or citizenship applications: check the specific instructions in your application letter, as requirements vary by application type.
Applying for the wrong level of check can mean delays and having to reapply, so confirming first saves time.
Do Either Require Fingerprints?
Generally, no. Both CPIC and CRJMC checks are name-based, using your name, date of birth, and ID to search the database — this is sometimes called a “criminal record check without fingerprints.” Fingerprints are only required if your details partially match another individual’s record, so your identity can be confirmed.
Get Started
Surrey Fingerprint Company is an RCMP-accredited agency processing both CPIC and CRJMC checks for clients across Canada, by mail, online, or in person in Surrey, BC. See full details on our CPIC and CRJMC page.
📞 (604) 825-8882 | ✉️ info@surreyfingerprint.com
Ontario security guard background check online — What You Need to Know
If you’re applying for or renewing a security guard licence or private investigator licence in Ontario, you’ve likely come across the term CRJMC — the Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check. Since February 2024, Ontario’s Ministry of the Solicitor General has required this enhanced check for security guard and private investigator licensing, and since July 2024 applicants have been able to get it through approved third-party providers rather than only through police services.
This guide explains what a CRJMC actually checks, how it’s different from a standard criminal record check, and how to get one processed even if you don’t live near a location that offers it.
What Is a CRJMC?
A CRJMC is a more thorough version of a standard name-based criminal record check. Where a basic CPIC check shows only convictions, a CRJMC also discloses:
- Outstanding charges and warrants
- Peace bonds and probation orders
- Judicial orders and prohibition orders
- Absolute and conditional discharges (within their disclosure period)
Ontario requires this enhanced level of screening for security guard and investigator applicants because these are positions of trust that may involve access to private property, vulnerable people, or sensitive information.
Do I Need Fingerprints for a CRJMC?
In most cases, no. A CRJMC is a name-based check — sometimes described as a “criminal record check without fingerprints” — that matches your name, date of birth, and identification details against the national CPIC database. Fingerprints are only required if your name and date of birth closely match another individual’s record, so your identity needs to be confirmed before results can be issued.
How to Get a CRJMC If You’re Not Near a Testing Location
You don’t need to be physically present at a police station to get a CRJMC. Because the check is name-based, RCMP-accredited fingerprinting and background check agencies — including agencies outside Ontario — can process your application by mail or online, provided your licensing body accepts a third-party-issued certificate.
The typical process looks like this:
- Confirm the requirement. Check with the Ontario licensing authority (or your employer) that a CRJMC, specifically, is what’s required — not a standard CPIC check.
- Apply online or by mail. Submit your application along with two pieces of government-issued ID, at least one with your photo.
- Identity verification. Your name and date of birth are searched against the CPIC database. If there’s a partial match to another record, fingerprints will be requested to confirm your identity.
- Receive your certificate. Most name-based checks are completed within 15 minutes to 48 hours, and the certificate is delivered digitally.
Looking for an Alternative to Your Current Provider?
If you’ve previously used an online CRJMC provider such for Ontario security licensing and are looking at other RCMP-accredited options, Surrey Fingerprint Company processes both CPIC ($40 + tax) and CRJMC ($50 + tax) checks the same way — by mail or online, for clients across Canada, not only in British Columbia. Before applying, confirm with your Ontario licensing body that a certificate from an out-of-province provider will be accepted for your specific application.
How Long Is a CRJMC Valid?
For Ontario security guard and investigator licence applications, a CRJMC typically needs to be dated within 6 months of your application. Always confirm the exact requirement with the Ministry or your employer, as this can change.
Get Started
Contact Surrey Fingerprint Company to confirm your CRJMC requirements and start your application. Learn more about our CPIC and CRJMC criminal record checks, available across Canada.
📞 (604) 825-8882 | ✉️ info@surreyfingerprint.com