To start a security guard company in New Hampshire, you need a security guard agency license from the Commissioner of the Department of Safety, administered by the Division of State Police, Permits and Licensing Unit, plus a surety bond of at least $50,000. Every guard you employ must hold their own license before they start work, armed guards must qualify with their firearm every year, and all licenses run for two years. This guide covers each step under RSA chapter 106-F, and the last section shows how CGuardPro, the guard management software used by 600+ security companies, keeps two-year renewals and annual firearms qualifications from slipping.
Everything below was checked against the statute text, RSA 106-F, as of October 2026. The administrative rules that sit under it are Saf-C 2200, and the forms come from the State Police Permits and Licensing Unit. This is not legal advice.
Who regulates security companies in New Hampshire?
The licensing authority is the Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Safety. Day to day, the Division of State Police’s Permits and Licensing Unit takes applications, photographs applicants and issues the photo license cards. The same chapter covers private investigators and bail recovery agents, so you will see all three professions on the same forms.
Who needs a license?
RSA 106-F:3 is short and broad. No person may run a security guard agency without an agency license, and no person may become an employee of a security guard agency without first getting a license from the commissioner. That second rule is the one that shapes hiring: in New Hampshire, the guard’s license comes before the first shift, not within some grace period afterward.
RSA 106-F:4 lists exclusions. The one that matters most for guard companies is paragraph IV: an unarmed security employee who works directly for a business that is not a security guard agency, securing that business’s own premises, is excluded. In other words, in-house unarmed security is outside the chapter; contract security is inside it. Police officers on duty for their agency are also excluded.
How do you get a security guard agency license?
The application requirements are in RSA 106-F:5. The agency’s application includes:
- the name and address of the firm and all partners, officers and major stockholders;
- the name, address and date and place of birth of the person primarily responsible for managing and conducting the business in New Hampshire;
- for an original license, the names of at least three unrelated people who can speak to the applicant’s integrity and honesty;
- criminal history disclosures, any prior license revocations or suspensions, any claims or lawsuits about conduct as a licensee, and any domestic violence protective orders;
- two photographs taken at state police headquarters, used for the photo license card.
Out-of-state corporations must also register as a foreign corporation under RSA 293-A (106-F:3, III).
The bond. RSA 106-F:9 requires a surety bond of no less than $50,000, increased by $50,000 for each additional type of license held. The bond is filed with the Secretary of State, and your employees are covered under it. At each renewal you submit certified evidence that the bond is still in force.
Fees. RSA 106-F:7 sets the agency license fee at $150 for an agency employing one licensed person and $350 for an agency employing more than one. Employee license fees are set by rule, capped at $100 in the statute, and paid by the employing agency before the license is issued. Confirm current amounts with the Permits and Licensing Unit before you pay.
What does each guard need?
Each employee applies for an individual license through the agency, and the license card identifies the guard and the agency that employs them. The statute requires the photos to be taken at state police headquarters, so plan for that trip in your hiring timeline. Armed applicants also give two sets of fingerprints there.
RSA 106-F does not set a number of classroom hours for unarmed guards, and we did not find one in the statute. The Saf-C 2200 rules may add requirements, so ask the Permits and Licensing Unit what applies when you file.
What do armed guards need?
RSA 106-F:8 sets the minimum firearms proficiency standard, which applies on initial licensure and at least once per year:
- the practical or tactical pistol or revolver course for the weapon carried, with a minimum qualification score of 75 percent;
- a shotgun familiarization course if the employer issues shotguns, and a rifle qualification course if a rifle is part of the equipment;
- four hours of instruction covering firearms techniques and safety, laws on the use of deadly force, and the moral and ethical use of force.
Only qualified firearms instructors can certify completion. The annual requirement is the one that catches companies: it falls on each armed officer’s own date, not on the license renewal.
When do New Hampshire licenses renew?
Under RSA 106-F:7, agency and employee licenses are valid for two years from the date of issue and are renewed every two years. The renewal application must be submitted at least 15 days before the license expires. Because each license runs from its own issue date, a company with 40 officers has 40 different renewal dates, plus the agency’s own.
There are also ongoing notice duties. Under RSA 106-F:9, the agency notifies the commissioner of the discharge of any licensed employee and of changes in the firm’s membership or officers within 10 business days, and a guard who changes agencies must also notify within 10 business days.
New Hampshire security licensing at a glance
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Commissioner of Safety; State Police Permits and Licensing Unit |
| Law and rules | RSA 106-F; Saf-C 2200 |
| Company license | Security guard agency license (RSA 106-F:3) |
| Bond | At least $50,000, plus $50,000 per additional license type |
| Officer license | Required before employment; photo card |
| Unarmed training hours | None set in the statute; check Saf-C 2200 |
| Armed | 75% qualification score plus 4 hours of instruction, at licensure and yearly |
| License term | Two years; renew at least 15 days before expiry |
| Notices | Discharges and ownership changes within 10 business days |
| Overtime | Over 40 hours in a week (RSA 279:21, VIII) |
How does overtime work for New Hampshire guards?
New Hampshire’s wage law, RSA 279:21, VIII, requires time and a half for hours worked over 40 in any one week. There is no daily overtime rule, so long shifts only matter once the week adds up past 40.
How does software help keep the records?
New Hampshire gives you a two-year license per person on individual dates, a yearly firearms qualification for each armed officer, and 10-business-day notice windows. In CGuardPro, each officer and supervisor record holds their credentials with license number, issue and expiry dates and photos of the card, and a daily check alerts the office on a window you choose, from 7 to 120 days ahead, repeating weekly until the credential is renewed. It warns rather than blocks, and it does not check licenses with the state. Read how security guard license tracking works, and see New Hampshire security guard software for scheduling, GPS clock-in and patrol records in the state.
For overtime, CGuardPro sends approved hours per officer to Gusto as time sheets split into regular and overtime hours under the federal weekly 40-hour rule; payroll itself is run in Gusto.
Frequently asked questions
Who issues security guard licenses in New Hampshire?
The Commissioner of the Department of Safety, through the Division of State Police Permits and Licensing Unit, under RSA 106-F.
Can a guard start work before their New Hampshire license is issued?
The statute says no person shall become an employee of a security guard agency without first obtaining a license (RSA 106-F:3, II).
How big a bond does a New Hampshire security company need?
At least $50,000, increased by $50,000 for each additional type of license held (RSA 106-F:9).
How often must armed guards qualify in New Hampshire?
On initial licensure and at least once a year, with a 75% minimum score and four hours of instruction (RSA 106-F:8).
How long is a New Hampshire security license valid?
Two years from the date of issue. File the renewal at least 15 days before it expires.
Do in-house security officers need a license?
An unarmed security employee who works directly for a business that is not a security agency, securing its own premises, is excluded (RSA 106-F:4, IV).
For other states, see our security guard license requirements by state and the license renewal checklist.