To start a security guard company in Washington, DC, you apply to the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) for a Security Agency Business license. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Security Officers Management Branch (SOMB) gives final approval. Your officers then hold their own DLCP licenses, either as security officers, who have no arrest authority, or as special police officers (SPOs), who do. Officer licenses renew on their own schedules, and the renewal must reach DLCP at least 15 days before the license expires. CGuardPro keeps those officer licenses and expiry dates in one place once you are operating.
The governing law changed recently. The old security agency section of the DC Code, § 47-2839.01, was repealed effective October 1, 2025. The requirement now sits in § 47-2853.208, under the Business and Entrepreneurship Support to Thrive Amendment Act of 2022. Applications, fees and document lists are on the DLCP Security Program page, and MPD’s role is described on the SOMB page. Everything below was checked against those sources as of October 2026. This is not legal advice.
DC at a glance
| Item | District of Columbia requirement |
|---|---|
| Regulator | DLCP Security Program; final signoff by MPD’s Security Officers Management Branch |
| Company license | Security Agency Business (SAB); the Code calls it a public safety services license plus Chief of Police approval |
| Agency fee | $1,000 new, $935 renewal (DLCP, October 2026) |
| Officer licenses | Security Officer (no arrest authority, baton only) or Special Police Officer (arrest authority on contracted property) |
| Officer fees | Security Officer: $103 application plus $69 exam; SPO: $84 (DLCP) |
| License term | Security Officer: two years; SPO: one year |
| Renewal deadline | DLCP must receive renewal at least 15 days before expiry |
| Training hours | Not published on the DLCP and MPD pages we read; confirm with DLCP |
| Overtime | 1.5x after 40 hours in a workweek (D.C. Code § 32-1003) |
Who regulates security companies in DC?
Two offices share the work. DLCP’s Security Program processes licenses for security agencies, security officers, special police officers, campus police and private detectives. MPD’s SOMB gives the final signoff on each application, and it still licenses firearms instructors itself.
The current statute, § 47-2853.208, makes it unlawful to operate, manage or advertise a security agency for profit without a public safety services license and approval from the Chief of Police. It also requires special police officers to hold an occupational license from DLCP plus the Chief’s approval. DLCP may set qualifications, fees and civil penalties by rule.
What does the security agency license require?
On the DLCP Security Program page, the agency license is listed as Security Agency Business (SAB). As of October 2026, the new-application fee is $1,000 and the renewal fee is $935. DLCP publishes separate required-documents checklists for new and renewal applications. Every applicant also completes a notarized arrest affidavit and an authorization to release information. Applications and renewals are filed online through DLCP’s government services portal.
The insurance and bond amounts are in that checklist and the District’s regulations, not on the summary page we read, so we do not quote them here. Download the current SAB checklist before you get insurance quotes, and have your broker match the policy to it exactly.
Two practical points matter before you file:
- Decide which officers you will sell. Security officers have no arrest authority, and MPD’s security personnel FAQ says they may not carry firearms, handcuffs or self-defense spray, only a wooden baton. Special police officers have arrest authority on the property they are contracted to protect. Many DC contracts specify which one they want.
- Plan the uniform. MPD’s FAQ says security officers wear a half-moon red patch with the company name in white, and SPOs wear a full-circle patch reading “Special Police.”
How do officers get licensed?
Each officer holds an individual DLCP license, and that license depends on the agency. DLCP’s renewal requirements include affiliation with an active licensed security agency. As of October 2026, DLCP lists:
- Security Officer (SO): $103 application fee, plus a $69 exam fee paid to the testing center.
- Special Police Officer (SPO): $84 for a new application or renewal.
Each license type has its own required-documents list on the DLCP page. Renewal for security officers calls for a drug screen, a physical, a notarized arrest affidavit and a fingerprint receipt. Because the officer’s license hangs on your agency, your office will be producing some of that paperwork.
How many training hours are required?
The DLCP and MPD pages we read do not state the training hours for security officers or SPOs. SPO rules sit in Title 6A, Chapter 11 of the DC Municipal Regulations, and security officer rules in Title 17, Chapters 20 and 21, which SOMB tells applicants to know. We have not confirmed the hours currently in force, so ask DLCP or SOMB, or use the required-documents checklist for the license you are applying for. Do not rely on older figures circulating online, since the District has proposed changes to training in the past.
What about armed officers?
In DC, armed work means a special police officer license. Security officers cannot carry firearms. Armed SPOs need a range certification to renew. MPD’s FAQ adds that an SPO’s firearm generally stays on the authorized premises when the officer is off duty, unless there is no safe storage at the site. SOMB licenses the firearms instructors who certify them. If a contract calls for armed coverage, build the range schedule into your staffing plan from the start.
When do licenses renew?
- Security officers: two years from issuance or last renewal, according to DLCP’s expiration-date notice.
- Special police officers: one year from issuance or last renewal.
- The hard deadline: DLCP says a renewal must be received at least 15 days before expiration. Otherwise the license is set to expired, and the officer has to apply again as a new applicant.
- The agency: renews under the SAB renewal checklist, with the $935 fee.
In practice, every officer on your roster has a personal deadline 15 days ahead of the date printed on the license. If you track only the printed date, you will miss renewals.
What are the overtime rules?
D.C. Code § 32-1003(c) requires time and a half for hours over 40 in a workweek. There is no daily threshold. The Department of Employment Services set the District minimum wage at $18.40 an hour from July 1, 2026, for all employers regardless of size.
How does software help keep the records?
DC gives you two officer license types on different clocks, a deadline 15 days ahead of each expiry, and armed SPOs who also need range certifications. In CGuardPro, each officer’s record holds their licenses with numbers, issue and expiry dates and card photos. License tracking sends your office alerts on a window you choose, anywhere from 7 to 120 days ahead, and repeats them weekly until the credential is renewed. Set the window wider than 15 days and you have time to meet DLCP’s deadline, not just the printed date.
The system warns rather than blocks scheduling, and it does not verify licenses with DLCP or file renewals. Training and range completions are logged per officer, and hours are tracked against a weekly threshold, which is where long SPO shifts hit the 40-hour line. For the District-specific view, see our DC security guard software page. CGuardPro is used by 600+ security companies.
Frequently asked questions
Can a DC security officer carry a firearm?
No. MPD’s guidance says security officers may carry only a wooden baton, not firearms, handcuffs or self-defense spray. Armed work requires a special police officer license.
What happens if a renewal reaches DLCP late?
DLCP says a renewal must arrive at least 15 days before expiration. If it does not, the license is set to expired, and the officer must submit a new application.
How much is the DC security agency license?
As of October 2026, DLCP lists $1,000 for a new Security Agency Business license and $935 for renewal. Confirm the current amounts on the DLCP Security Program page before you pay.
Where is the DC security agency law now?
D.C. Code § 47-2839.01 was repealed effective October 1, 2025. The licensing requirement is now in § 47-2853.208, and DLCP sets qualifications and fees by rule.
Does an officer’s license depend on the agency?
Yes. DLCP’s renewal requirements include affiliation with an active licensed security agency, so an officer whose agency lapses cannot renew on that basis.