Life changes happen: Report what matters
March 20, 2026 – Defence Stories
Estimated read time: 2:17
Security begins with awareness and that includes your own life circumstances.
Changes in personal, legal, or financial circumstances can directly affect your security clearance. Early reporting ensures continued trust, prevents delays, and strengthens the overall security posture in our organization.
Take a moment to watch the short video highlighting recent policy updates and review the infographic below for a summary of what must be reported.
Video / March 20, 2026
Transcript
Change in Circumstance Reporting
Life can change fast — and some changes can affect security.
Defence Team members: you must report certain changes in your personal circumstances.
The policy was recently updated.
You must now report:
- Changes in personal status: becoming single, married, divorced, widowed, in a common law relationship, or separated.
- Legal changes: changing from permanent resident to Canadian citizen or obtaining dual citizenship with another country.
- and Name changes
Learn more about what should be reported:
- NDSOD, Standard 4B: Individual Security Screening Program
- Annex G: Change of Circumstance Reporting (Accessible only on the National Defence network)
- Change of Circumstance Report (DND 4151 form) (Accessible only on the National Defence network)
Infographic - Text version
Life changes Happen
Report what matters
DND employees and CAF members are required to report any changes in their personal circumstances. Not reporting these changes could constitute a security concern.
What to report? *new update*
- Change in their personal status (change in marital status - changing to single, married, divorced, widowed, common-law or separated)
- Name change
- Change in their legal status (changing from Permanent Resident to Canadian citizen, obtaining dual citizenship with another country)
Did you know these must also be reported?
- Change in criminal record status (criminal conviction, suspension of a criminal record or other judicial prohibitions)
- Involvement with law enforcement (suspect in a criminal investigation or arrest)
- Association with criminals
- Significant change in financial situation (bankruptcy or unexpected wealth)
By informing your supervisor of any changes you help limit the ability for others to exploit a potential risk.
For More Information
- NDSOD, Standard 4B: Individual Security Screening Program
Annex G: Change of Circumstance Reporting (Accessible only on the National Defence network) - Change of Circumstance Report (DND 4151 form) (Accessible only on the National Defence network)
SECURITY NEVER TAKES A BREAK. VIGILANCE!
Do you know what needs to be reported?
- Change in criminal record status
- (criminal charge(s) or conviction, suspension of a criminal record or other judicial prohibitions)
- Involvement with law enforcement
- (suspect in a criminal investigation or arrest)
- Association with criminals
- Significant change in your financial situation
- (bankruptcy or unexpected wealth, civil or liability cases)
- Change in your personal status
- (changing to single, married, divorced, widowed, common-law or separated)
- Name change
- Change in your legal status
- (changing from Permanent Resident to Canadian citizen, obtaining dual citizenship with another country)
- Security violations
- Exposure to circumstances that could raise security concerns
Managers and supervisors:
- You are also responsible for reporting any observable changes in an individual’s behaviour that may indicate a potential security concern.
To review the behavioural indicators you must monitor, consult:
- NDSOD Chap 4: Personnel Security, Standard 4B: Individual - paragraphs S 4B.215 to S 4B.219, (available through the DWAN intranet pages)
What could be impacted?
Let’s explore some potential scenarios:
- Name change — Example: Warrant Officer Bloggins changes her last name after marriage but forgets to update it in her personnel record. When her posting paperwork is processed, her security clearance file doesn’t match — causing a delay.
- Significant change in financial situation — Example: Lieutenant-Colonel Wyatt receives an inheritance unexpectedly, puts it in the bank and does not report to his supervisor that he has received a large sum of money. During a financial inquiry, as part of the yearly ongoing maintenance and assurance process of his Top Secret security clearance, this is uncovered. LCol Wyatt is now asked to come in for a security interview to discuss this finding.
- Association with criminals — Example: M. Smith learns that a close family member is regularly associating with an individual who may be linked to a criminal organization. Because M. Smith now interacts with them frequently, this could raise a security concern, affecting his ability to hold a security clearance.
How to report?
DND employees and CAF members
Report to your supervisor or your Unit Security Supervisor (USS) any personal circumstances that may affect your reliability status or security clearance.
Supervisors
You are required to identify significant changes in the behaviours or circumstances of the people under your supervision that may raise a security concern.
Submit a Change of Circumstance Report (DND 4151) (Accessible only on the National Defence network) whenever a situation may impact security.
To submit the form or for questions: ROD-RDD@forces.gc.ca.
Important Reminder
Reporting is about safeguarding security, not assigning blame or causing embarrassment. Early reporting does not mean an automatic denial or revocation of your security clearance. It means proactive assurance of your privilege to hold your security clearance.
To view a variety of security topics, visit the Security Awareness Toolkit, available through the Director General Defence Security (DGDS) intranet page.