To start a security guard company in Arkansas, you apply to the Arkansas State Police, Regulatory Services Division, for a Class B security services contractor license. The company must operate under a manager who has two consecutive years of security services experience and passes a written exam, file proof of at least $500,000 in public liability insurance, and pay the license fee. Every officer then holds a state credential: PSO for unarmed work, CSO for armed work, or CSSO for armed work in schools. CGuardPro is the software many guard companies use to keep those credentials and training dates in order.
The law is the Private Security Agency, Private Investigator, and School Security Licensing and Credentialing Act, A.C.A. § 17-40-101 et seq., published by the State Police as Act 393 (revised August 5, 2025). The rules are Code of Arkansas Rules, Part 350, and forms are on the State Police security companies page. Everything below was checked against those sources as of October 2026. The State Police replaced its application forms effective October 1, 2026 and says earlier versions are no longer valid. This is not legal advice.
Arkansas at a glance
| Item | Arkansas requirement |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Arkansas State Police, Regulatory Services Division |
| Company license | Class B, security services contractor (Class C combines investigations and security) |
| Manager | At least one; 2 consecutive years in security services; written exam (70% to pass) |
| Insurance | Public liability of at least $500,000 (A.C.A. § 17-40-308) |
| Class B fee | $600 initial, $300 renewal, $150 late renewal (A.C.A. § 17-40-302) |
| Officer credentials | PSO (unarmed), CSO (armed), CSSO (armed, schools); 2-year term |
| Officer application | Within 14 calendar days of hire |
| Initial training | Phase I 8 hrs (all); Phase II 16 hrs (armed); Phase III 36 hrs (CSSO) |
| Ongoing training | Renewal: PSO 6, CSO 12, CSSO 24 hrs; armed annual refresher |
| Overtime | Time and a half after 40 hours a week (state law, employers with 4+ employees) |
Who regulates security guard companies in Arkansas?
The Director of the Division of Arkansas State Police, through the Regulatory Services Division, which also licenses private investigators and alarm companies. Under A.C.A. § 17-40-309, a Class B license is the security services contractor license, meaning a guard company or armored car company. A Class C license covers both investigations and security, and Class G covers investigations, security and alarm work together.
A.C.A. § 17-40-301 makes it unlawful to perform any function requiring a license, credential or commission until it has been issued, and the State Police prints that warning on its forms.
What does the Class B company license require?
A qualified manager. Under A.C.A. § 17-40-314, every licensee operates under the direction and control of at least one manager, who must pass a written examination and intend to supervise the business on a daily basis. Under § 17-40-306(c), the applicant or its manager needs two consecutive years of experience in the security services field as an agent, employee, manager or owner of a security services contractor, or other qualifications set by the director.
Rule 17 CAR § 350-906 sets the exam details: it covers the Act and the rules, it is taken in person, 70% passes, a retake costs $50 after a five-working-day wait, and two failures cancel the application. An owner is exempt from the exam if the company has a credentialed manager; for a partnership or corporation, the manager and any branch manager test. The State Police page says exams are given Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m. at State Police headquarters in Little Rock.
If your manager leaves, you must notify the director in writing within 14 days, and the license stays in force for a reasonable time while another manager qualifies. Missing that notice can bring suspension, a fine or revocation.
Insurance. A.C.A. § 17-40-308 bars a Class B, C or G license unless the applicant files proof of continuing public liability insurance of at least $500,000. Armored car companies also need $500,000 in cargo insurance.
The application. Under § 17-40-307 it includes the business name and classification, the partners, officers, directors and managers, two passport-style photos and two fingerprint sets for each officer and each owner of 25% or more, a verified statement of experience, and a criminal history disclosure. Felonies and certain Class A misdemeanors involving theft, violence, sexual offenses or dishonesty disqualify, even if sealed or expunged, unless pardoned.
Fees. As of October 2026, § 17-40-302 lists $600 for an initial Class B license, $300 for renewal and a $150 late renewal fee. The current manager application adds $38 in state and federal background check fees, reflecting a federal fee increase on October 1, 2026.
How do officers get their credentials?
Every officer applies for one of three credentials:
- Private Security Officer (PSO) for unarmed work;
- Commissioned Security Officer (CSO) for armed work;
- Commissioned School Security Officer (CSSO) for armed officers in schools.
Under A.C.A. § 17-40-325, the application must reach the State Police within 14 calendar days after the person starts work. While it is pending, the applicant may work only under the supervision of someone who holds the credential applied for. The current forms define supervision strictly: the credential holder watches and directs the applicant in their immediate presence, within line of sight, at all times (17 CAR § 350-214).
Applicants must be at least 18; commissioned officers must be at least 21 and lawfully able to possess a firearm (§ 17-40-337). The guard credential fee is $40. When an officer leaves, they return the photo ID card to the company immediately, and the company sends it to the director within seven days with a termination letter (§ 17-40-329). An officer moving to another licensee triggers a written notice and a transfer fee.
How many training hours do Arkansas officers need?
Initial training, under 17 CAR §§ 350-1004 to 350-1006:
- Phase I: at least 8 hours for every PSO, CSO and CSSO, including legal authority and report writing, followed by an exam.
- Phase II: at least 16 hours for CSO and CSSO applicants, at least 8 in the classroom and 8 on the range, with pistol and rifle or shotgun qualification courses.
- Phase III: at least 36 hours for CSSO applicants, including active-shooter response.
Renewal training is required every two years and must be completed within the 12 months before renewal (17 CAR § 350-1010). The minimums are 6 hours for a PSO, 12 hours for a CSO and 24 hours for a CSSO, with range qualification and a safety course for the commissioned credentials.
What about armed security officers?
Armed officers hold a commission, not just a credential. On top of Phase II, 17 CAR § 350-1014 requires annual refresher training: at least 12 hours a year for a CSO, including range qualification on an ALETA course and a safety course, and at least 24 hours a year for a CSSO. Failing to complete it results in suspension. The training administrator submits the completion form to the State Police right after the refresher. Each CSO and CSSO application must include a current copy of the firearms instructor’s certificate.
When do Arkansas licenses renew?
Licenses and credentials expire two years from issuance (§ 17-40-313), and commissions expire two years after issue (§ 17-40-343). A license or credential not renewed within six months after expiration cannot be renewed; the holder must apply as new. Because every officer’s two-year clock starts on their own issue date, renewals scatter across the year.
What are Arkansas’s overtime rules?
The Arkansas Minimum Wage Act, enforced by the Department of Labor and Licensing, requires time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek for employers with four or more employees. There is no daily overtime rule, and the federal FLSA applies as well.
How does software help keep the records?
Arkansas layers a two-year credential, renewal training that only counts in the last 12 months, and a yearly refresher for armed officers. In CGuardPro each officer’s credentials are stored on their record with expiry dates, and the office gets alerts on a window you choose, 7 to 120 days ahead, repeated weekly until the credential is renewed. Training completions are recorded per officer. It warns rather than blocks scheduling, and it does not verify credentials with the State Police or file anything. See security guard license tracking for details, and our Arkansas security guard software page for how Arkansas companies use it. CGuardPro is used by 600+ security companies.
Frequently asked questions
What license does an Arkansas guard company need?
A Class B security services contractor license from the Arkansas State Police, or a Class C or G license if the company also does investigations or alarm work.
Can a new officer work before the credential is issued?
Only under line-of-sight supervision by a credential holder, and only if the application reaches the State Police within 14 calendar days of hire.
How long is an Arkansas security credential valid?
Two years from the date of issuance. After six months expired, it cannot be renewed and the officer reapplies as new.
How much training does an armed officer need each year?
A CSO completes at least 12 hours of refresher training every year, including range qualification and a safety course; a CSSO completes at least 24 hours.
How much insurance does a Class B company need?
At least $500,000 in continuing public liability insurance, filed with the State Police before the license is issued.