1.1 Current Exam Facts

British Columbia Basic Security Training (BST) Exam Facts

Quick Answer: The BST Assessment is JIBC course SCRT-1656, a 75-question, 90-minute, closed-book multiple-choice exam with a 70% pass mark. You must first complete the 40-hour SCRT-1651 BST Theory course. You get a maximum of two attempts; after two fails you must retake the full theory course. The Security Worker Licence itself additionally requires you to be 19 and pass a criminal record check.

What the BST Exam Is

The Basic Security Training (BST) Assessment is the culminating exam of BC's mandatory security guard training program. It is delivered by the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC) on behalf of the BC Security Programs Division of the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. The exam is registered as JIBC course SCRT-1656 and can only be challenged after you complete the prerequisite SCRT-1651 BST Theory course — a 40-hour program built on the seven-unit BST curriculum last revised in 2024.

A common misconception is that the exam has 100 questions. It does not. The BST Assessment consists of exactly 75 multiple-choice questions to be answered in 90 minutes, for an average of about 72 seconds per question. The pass mark is 70% — meaning you need at least 53 correct answers (52.5 rounded up) to pass. The exam is closed book, so no notes, textbooks, or external resources are permitted.

Delivery Formats

You can take the assessment in one of two ways:

• In-person at JIBC New Westminster — you bring your own laptop (with power cord and a reliable battery) and sit the exam in a proctored classroom.
• Online proctored via Proctorio — available if you are outside the Lower Mainland. Proctorio records your screen, camera, and audio; you must be alone in a quiet room with a stable internet connection and a government-issued photo ID.

Both formats deliver identical questions and are timed identically. The online route exists to accommodate candidates in rural and remote BC communities who cannot reasonably travel to New Westminster.

Logistics at a Glance

Attempts and Re-Attempts

The attempt structure is strict and frequently misunderstood:

1. You have a maximum of two attempts at the SCRT-1656 assessment.
2. Each attempt requires payment of the exam fee ($64.41).
3. If you fail twice, you must retake the entire SCRT-1651 theory course (40 hours) before you can challenge the assessment again.
4. You must complete the assessment within 6 months of finishing the theory course — otherwise the theory credential lapses and you have to redo it.

This means that underestimating the exam has real consequences: a failed theory credential is both time-consuming and expensive. Prepare thoroughly before your first attempt.

From Passing the Exam to Holding a Licence

Passing SCRT-1656 completes the training requirement, but training alone does not let you work. To work as a security guard in BC you must also hold a Security Worker Licence issued by the BC Security Programs Division.

One detail changed recently and is worth knowing: JIBC stopped issuing BST certificates on 15 December 2025. A successful candidate now receives a Statement of Training Completion, and for training completed after that date the Security Programs Division verifies your completion directly with JIBC rather than asking you to attach a certificate.

The licence application itself requires:

• Age 19 or older
• Identity verification and fingerprinting
• One of the accepted training or experience routes — completed BST, the JIBC Gaming Security Officer course, qualifying Canadian policing or corrections experience, or a current security worker licence from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba or Ontario
• The application fee ($120 for a one-year licence, $180 for two years, $240 for three)

Emergency First Aid is not a licensing requirement. It is an employer requirement on most sites, and most training providers bundle it, so plan for it — but do not answer an exam question by saying the Registrar requires it.

The diagram below shows the full licensing path from theory through to a working licence.

Why These Facts Matter for Your Preparation

Knowing the exact exam shape drives how you study. With 75 questions in 90 minutes, the exam rewards concept fluency over deep memorization — you need to recognize correct answers quickly. The 70% pass mark means a single weak unit (for example, the legal authorities in Unit 2) can sink you, since every unit is tested across many items. The closed-book format means you must internalize the key statutes, authorities, and definitions before walking in. And the two-attempt limit means you cannot afford a casual first attempt — treat it as if you only get one.

Quick Quiz

Use these questions to lock in the exam facts before you move on.