To get a New York security guard license, which the state calls a security guard registration, you must be at least 18, complete the 8-hour Pre-Assignment Training course at a school approved by the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), get fingerprinted, and apply to the New York Department of State (DOS), Division of Licensing Services. Once you are employed, you must complete 16 hours of On-the-Job Training within 90 days, and then an 8-hour Annual In-Service course every year. The registration is issued for two years.
Every figure in this guide comes from the Department of State’s own pages, read in October 2026: Become a Security Guard, Security Guard Training Requirements and the security guard FAQ. Fees and procedures change; check those pages before you pay. This is general information, not legal advice.
Which agency does what?
Two state agencies are involved, and they do different jobs:
- The Department of State, Division of Licensing Services receives the application and issues the security guard registration card, and handles renewals.
- The Division of Criminal Justice Services, through its Office of Public Safety security guard program, has regulatory authority over training: it approves the schools and the courses, and it issues waivers such as the one for armed guards with qualifying firearms experience.
So the course certificate comes from a DCJS-approved school, and the card comes from DOS. If you are setting up the company that will employ guards rather than becoming one, the company side is covered in starting a security company in New York State.
What are the requirements?
DOS lists these on its Become a Security Guard page:
- Be 18 years old.
- Proof of fingerprint completion.
- Have not been convicted of a serious criminal offense.
- Hold a current New York State photo driver’s license or non-driver ID card.
- Complete the required training.
How many training hours does a New York guard need?
For an unarmed guard, 8 hours before applying, 16 hours within 90 days of starting work, and 8 hours every year:
| Course | Unarmed guard | Armed guard | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Assignment Training | 8 hours | 8 hours | Before applying |
| On-the-Job Training (OJT) | 16 hours | 16 hours | Within 90 days of employment |
| Firearms Training | — | 47 hours | Before armed registration |
| Annual In-Service Training | 8 hours a year | 8 hours a year | Each year of the registration |
| Annual Firearms Training | — | 8 hours a year | Each year of the registration |
Because the registration lasts two years, DOS asks for two 8-hour Annual In-Service courses per registration period, and an armed guard also needs two 8-hour Annual Firearms courses. The 47-hour firearms course requires a valid New York State pistol permit, and DCJS can issue a waiver of it in some cases.
The On-the-Job Training is where employers slip. It is not optional once the guard is working, and the 90-day clock runs from the employment date.
What does it cost?
DOS lists, as of October 2026:
- $36 initial application fee
- $25 renewal fee
- $102.50 fingerprint fee, paid to IDEMIA, the state’s fingerprinting vendor
Training courses are priced by each school and are not set by the state.
How do you apply?
- Take the 8-hour Pre-Assignment Training at a DCJS-approved school and keep the certificate.
- Schedule electronic fingerprinting through the state’s vendor and pay the fingerprint fee. DOS explains the steps on its electronic fingerprinting page.
- Apply to the Department of State with the training certificate and proof of fingerprinting, and pay the application fee.
- Complete 16 hours of On-the-Job Training within 90 days of starting work.
- Keep up the 8-hour Annual In-Service Training every year.
The DOS pages do not say whether you may work while your application is pending. Ask DOS, or your employer’s licensing contact, before you take a first assignment.
How does renewal work?
DOS mails a renewal 90 days before the registration expires. You must renew by the expiration date of the current registration; the FAQ is blunt that otherwise you “cannot work as a security guard.” The renewal fee is $25, and the two annual in-service courses for the period should be complete.
Where guard companies lose track
For the guard, it is one card. For the employer, it is a calendar per officer: the 90-day OJT deadline, an in-service course each year, a two-year registration and, for armed guards, annual firearms training on top. Miss one and an officer is on a client’s post without what the law requires, usually discovered when a client audit asks for proof.
Keep those dates on the officer record instead of in a spreadsheet. In CGuardPro, each officer’s credentials carry their type, number, issue and expiry dates and a photo of the card, and a daily check warns the office ahead of expiry on a window you choose. It warns rather than blocks, and it does not verify registrations with the state, so the DOS record is still the one that counts. See license tracking and how each state compares in security guard licenses by state.
Frequently asked questions
Who issues the New York security guard card?
The Department of State, Division of Licensing Services. The Division of Criminal Justice Services oversees the training: it approves the schools and courses whose certificates you submit with the application.
How long is a New York security guard registration valid?
Two years. DOS mails a renewal 90 days before it expires, and you must renew by the expiration date to keep working.
Is the 16-hour On-the-Job Training required before I can apply?
No. The 8-hour Pre-Assignment Training comes before the application. The 16-hour On-the-Job Training must be completed within 90 days of employment.
What extra training does an armed guard need?
A 47-hour firearms course, which requires a valid New York State pistol permit, and an 8-hour Annual Firearms course every year, on top of the unarmed training.