To start a security guard company in Alaska, you apply to the Alaska Department of Public Safety (DPS), Permits & Licensing Unit, for a security guard agency license. The application names a qualified agent who lives in Alaska and is licensed as a guard, and it comes with proof of liability insurance or a bond, a valid Alaska business license, a description of your guard training program and a $200 non-refundable fee. Every guard you employ then needs their own two-year DPS license. CGuardPro is the software many agencies use to keep those records straight once they are licensed.
The law is AS 18.65.400–18.65.490 and the rules are 13 AAC 60. Applications are on the DPS Permits & Licensing page. Everything below was checked against those sources as of October 2026. Fees and forms change, so confirm the current version before you file. This is not legal advice.
Alaska at a glance
| Item | Alaska requirement |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Department of Public Safety, Division of Statewide Services, Permits & Licensing Unit |
| Company license | Security guard agency license (armed or unarmed) |
| Key person | Qualified agent: resides in Alaska, licensed as a security guard |
| Insurance or bond | $100,000 per person / $200,000 per occurrence liability, plus $100,000 property damage |
| Agency fee | $200 application, $50 renewal (13 AAC 60.020 and 60.040) |
| Guard license | Required for every guard; valid two years; $50 application plus fingerprint fees |
| Training | 8 hours pre-assignment; 40 hours in-service within 180 days; 8-hour annual refresher |
| Armed | At least 8 hours of firearms training from a certified instructor; annual practice firing review |
| Reports | Employee list to DPS by March 31 and September 30 |
| Overtime | Over 8 hours a day and over 40 a week (AS 23.10.060) |
Who regulates security guard companies in Alaska?
The commissioner of public safety, through the DPS Permits & Licensing Unit. AS 18.65.400 says a person may not be employed as a security guard or a security guard agency until they hold a license from the commissioner. The statute defines a security guard agency as a person in the business of furnishing private watchmen, patrol services or theft-prevention services for hire.
There is one notable exception. Under AS 18.65.460, an employer does not need licensure for its own employees who provide unarmed plant security on the employer’s premises. A contract company that sells guard hours to clients does not fit that exception.
What does the agency license require?
Under 13 AAC 60.010, each applicant or partner and the qualified agent must be at least 18, a US citizen or resident alien with a work permit, and free of felony convictions in the 10 years before applying. Corporate officers and anyone with more than a 20% financial interest face the same 10-year felony bar.
The qualified agent is defined in 13 AAC 60.900 as an officer, owner, partner or manager residing in Alaska who is authorized to perform all business activities and is responsible for everything the agency does. The qualified agent must also apply for and meet the requirements of an individual guard license. Unlike some states, the Alaska rules we read do not set a minimum number of years of security experience for the qualified agent.
The application (13 AAC 60.020) lists branch offices, officers, owners above 20% and three business or credit references, is notarized by the president and the qualified agent, and must include:
- proof of the agency bond or insurance;
- a description of the agency’s guard training program;
- the $200 non-refundable application fee;
- a copy of a valid Alaska business license.
An armed agency also affirms that its principals are not disqualified from possessing firearms and lists its firearms instructors with copies of their certifications (13 AAC 60.045).
The license is not transferable with a change of ownership. A new owner or qualified agent means a new application received at least 10 days before the change ($200 for ownership, $25 for a qualified agent).
How much insurance does an Alaska guard company need?
13 AAC 60.120 requires each agency applicant and each guard applicant to file a certificate of insurance or bond covering death, injury, false arrest, detention, malicious prosecution, defamation and invasion of privacy of at least $100,000 per person and $200,000 per occurrence, plus $100,000 per occurrence for property damage. The certificate must give DPS 30 days’ notice before cancellation.
If a guard leaves employer-provided coverage, the employer must notify DPS in writing immediately, and the guard must return the license card within 30 days unless they carry qualifying personal coverage.
How do officers get licensed?
Every guard applies to DPS individually (13 AAC 60.050–60.070). The applicant must be 18 or older and meet the same citizenship and 10-year felony standards. The notarized application includes a recent photo, two fingerprint cards, proof of bonding or insurance and a $50 non-refundable fee plus fingerprint processing fees. DPS issues a license identification card.
New hires can start before the card arrives. Under 13 AAC 60.130, a licensed agency may employ a guard on a temporary basis for up to 30 days if it has made reasonable inquiries into the applicant’s qualifications, the completed application and fee have been submitted, and the agency manager has noted the temporary status on the application.
Agencies also have ongoing reporting duties under 13 AAC 60.140: a complete list of guards employed during the previous six months is due to DPS by March 31 and September 30 each year, and a guard reports a change of employer within five days.
How many training hours does an Alaska guard need?
13 AAC 60.110 sets three layers:
- At least 8 hours of pre-assignment training before a temporary permit or the application is submitted.
- At least 40 hours of in-service training within 180 days of employment, covering law of arrest, search and seizure, duties to employer and client, fire prevention, first aid and patrol techniques.
- An annual refresher of at least 8 hours on the same topics. Failing it can be grounds for revocation.
Renewal applications must certify that the required training was completed.
What about armed security officers?
AS 18.65.470 bars a licensed guard from carrying a firearm to protect property until they complete firearms training acceptable to the commissioner. Under 13 AAC 60.085, an armed license requires at least 8 hours of pre-assignment firearms training from an instructor certified under 13 AAC 60.110(f), covering the law, handling, and safety and maintenance of firearms, plus demonstrated competence with any firearm that may be issued. Competence is re-checked at an annual practice firing review, and armed renewals must include proof of it.
An armed guard must be in company uniform while carrying (13 AAC 60.100), and agencies keep a record of every firearm stored or issued.
When do Alaska licenses renew?
A guard license is valid for two years and renews for two-year terms with a $50 fee (AS 18.65.430). Both guard and agency renewals should reach DPS at least 30 days before expiration (13 AAC 60.040 and 60.080), with proof of bond or insurance; agency renewals also include the business license and a $50 fee. The rules we read do not state a separate term for the agency license itself, so confirm the expiration date printed on your license with DPS.
What are Alaska’s overtime rules for guards?
Alaska is one of the few states with daily overtime. AS 23.10.060 requires time and a half for hours over 8 in a day and over 40 in a week, without double-counting the daily overtime hours in the weekly total. Employers with fewer than four employees in the regular course of business are among the exemptions. For a guard company, that means a 12-hour shift pattern carries four hours of daily overtime per shift, which changes the cost of the schedule before you bid it.
How does software help keep the records?
Alaska generates a lot of dates per guard: the 180-day in-service deadline, the annual refresher, the armed firing review, the two-year license and the twice-yearly employee list. In CGuardPro each officer’s credentials sit on their record with expiry dates, and the office gets alerts on a window you choose, from 7 to 120 days ahead, repeated weekly until the credential is renewed. Training completions are logged per officer. The system warns rather than blocks scheduling, and it does not verify licenses with DPS or file anything for you. See security guard license tracking for how it works.
On overtime, CGuardPro tracks hours against a weekly threshold and shows each day’s hours, but it does not apply Alaska’s daily rule automatically, so check daily overtime in your payroll process. More on running remote posts and offline reporting is on our Alaska security guard software page. CGuardPro is used by 600+ security companies.
Frequently asked questions
Does an Alaska security guard company need a qualified agent?
Yes. The application names a qualified agent: an officer, owner, partner or manager who resides in Alaska, is responsible for all agency activities, and qualifies for a guard license. A change of qualified agent requires a new application to DPS at least 10 days before the change.
Can a new guard work before the state license arrives?
Yes, for up to 30 days, if the agency has checked the applicant’s qualifications, the completed application and fee are already with DPS, and the agency manager noted the temporary status on the application. The 8 hours of pre-assignment training must come first.
How much does an Alaska agency license cost?
As of October 2026, the rules list a $200 non-refundable application fee and a $50 renewal fee for the agency, and $50 for each guard plus fingerprint processing fees. Confirm current amounts with DPS before you pay.
Is overtime in Alaska daily or weekly?
Both. Hours over 8 in a day and over 40 in a week are paid at time and a half under AS 23.10.060, subject to its exemptions, including employers with fewer than four employees.