Quick Answer: The RCMP may use a pre-employment polygraph test as part of security and reliability screening. According to official RCMP documents, it assesses loyalty and reliability. It is not mandatory for every applicant. The RCMP does not publish procedural details publicly, but the core message in all recruitment guidance is the same: complete honesty throughout your application is your best preparation.
For RCMP origins and how today’s force evolved, see our RCMP history and context guide.
Background articles are not application steps — use them for context, then follow the official recruiting hubs for requirements, fitness, pay, and timelines that change each intake year.
Does the RCMP Do a Polygraph Test?
Yes. Official RCMP records confirm that a Pre-Employment Polygraph Interview and Examination may be conducted as part of the security and reliability screening process. This applies to applicants, current members, employees, and contract workers.
The key word is “may.” According to RCMP documentation, the polygraph is not a standard requirement for every applicant. The RCMP does not publicly specify which roles trigger it or what determines whether you receive one.
For context on the full hiring process, see the RCMP application guide.
What the RCMP Polygraph Test Covers
RCMP Privacy Act documentation (PPU 065) states that the polygraph assesses “loyalty and reliability as it relates to loyalty.” It sits alongside criminal record checks, credit reviews, employer interviews, and character references as one tool within the broader security screening framework.
The RCMP does not publish a list of questions asked during the exam, nor does it release procedural details such as duration or scoring methods. This information is not available in public-facing recruitment materials.
What the recruitment guidance does make clear is the purpose: the polygraph is used to verify the honesty of your answers. RCMP guidance states directly that “The RCMP may use pre-employment polygraph tests to verify the honesty of your answers.”
Where It Falls in the Application Process
RCMP recruitment documentation places the polygraph within Stage 5 of the application, during the background assessment phase. This is the same stage as the Field Investigation and Security Clearance.
It runs alongside, not before, the broader background check. By this point in the process, the RCMP has already collected significant information about you through the RMAQ, interviews, references, and the field investigation. The polygraph is one additional verification tool.
For more on what happens at the background stage, see what the RCMP background check covers.
Psychological and medical screening often runs in parallel with background vetting. For what the PSS and MSP involve, see our guide to what happens at the RCMP medical stage.
What Disqualifies You at This Stage
The RCMP is specific about what causes removal at this stage. It is not a failed polygraph reading in isolation. It is dishonesty.
RCMP recruitment guidance states: “Falsifying, misrepresenting, minimizing, lying, omitting facts, or purposefully withholding information about past actions terminates your application immediately.” This applies to the polygraph stage, the RMAQ, and every other part of the process.
The disqualification is tied to the act of deception, not to the instrument detecting it. The polygraph is one way the RCMP catches inconsistencies between what you said earlier and what comes out during a more formal examination.
You can read a full breakdown of disqualifying factors at what disqualifies you from the RCMP.
How to Prepare for the RCMP Polygraph Test
The RCMP does not offer a polygraph preparation guide. But the recruitment guidance across every stage of the process points to the same answer: be honest from the start.
The guidance states: “Discovered deception disqualifies you; disclosed imperfections may not.” This matters here because the polygraph is most likely to surface problems when there is a gap between what you said earlier and what is actually true. Applicants who are fully transparent in the RMAQ and throughout the background investigation have little to fear from the polygraph. Applicants who withheld or minimised things have more reason to be concerned.
The RCMP recruitment guidance also notes: “A history of psychological difficulties doesn’t automatically lead to rejection if documentation shows resolution and successful functioning.” The same principle applies broadly. Past mistakes, honestly disclosed, are treated differently than past mistakes that surface through investigation.
If your file was paused or deferred at this stage, see how RCMP application deferrals work.
What the RCMP Does Not Tell You
Several questions about the RCMP polygraph test do not have public answers. The RCMP has not published information on how nervousness affects results, what scoring thresholds look like, how long the exam takes, or what specific topics are covered beyond “loyalty and reliability.”
Any source claiming to provide detailed RCMP polygraph pass rates, specific question formats, or score benchmarks is not drawing from official RCMP documentation. That information has not been made public.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. RCMP documents state the polygraph “may” be used, suggesting it applies selectively rather than universally.
Official RCMP records state it assesses loyalty and reliability as part of security screening.
The RCMP has not published information on how nervousness affects polygraph results. This information is not in public recruitment materials.
RCMP guidance ties disqualification to dishonesty, not the polygraph result itself. Omitting or misrepresenting information causes removal.
Disclaimer: This article is based hours of research RCMP documentation. It is general information, not legal or professional advice. Polygraph policies and procedures can change. Contact RCMP National Recruiting for questions specific to your file.
Sources
- Does RCMP Do a Polygraph? — joinrcmp.ca
- Become RCMP Officer: Complete Guide — joinrcmp.ca
- What Disqualifies You from the RCMP — joinrcmp.ca
- RCMP Personal Information Bank PPU 065 — via joinrcmp.ca/does-rcmp-do-a-polygraph/
Sources:
Becoming a Mountie | Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Regular member hiring process | Royal Canadian Mounted Police
This article reflects current RCMP policy based on official government documentation. Eligibility and suitability decisions are assessed on a case-by-case basis during the application process.
