To start a security guard company in Rhode Island, you license the business with the Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General under R.I. Gen. Laws chapter 5-5.1, file liability insurance of at least $300,000 for bodily or personal injury and $100,000 for property damage, and have every employee registered and licensed by the Attorney General before they perform guard duties. The business license costs $400 and lasts two years. The state does not set classroom training hours for unarmed guards. This guide covers each step, and the last section shows how CGuardPro, the guard management software used by 600+ security companies, keeps your employee records and renewal dates in one place.
Everything below was checked against the Attorney General’s regulation, 110-RICR-20-00-2, and the statute, R.I. Gen. Laws chapter 5-5.1, as of October 2026. This is not legal advice.
Who regulates security companies in Rhode Island?
The Department of the Attorney General licenses private security guard businesses under the Private Security Guard Businesses Act, chapter 5-5.1 of the General Laws. The Attorney General issues the business license, registers and licenses employees, prescribes the form of identification cards (5-5.1-20) and can inspect and audit licensees (5-5.1-6). There is no separate security board.
How do you license a security guard business?
Qualifications. Under R.I. Gen. Laws 5-5.1-8, an applicant must be at least 18, a U.S. citizen or resident alien, have no felony conviction, no prior license revocation or denial, and be of good moral character, among other conditions. A corporation must be incorporated in Rhode Island or qualified to do business in the state, with a designated agent for service of process.
The application. The regulation asks for information about the applicant’s qualifications, criminal history and character, including partners, officers and shareholders owning 10 percent or more. If you operate under a trade name, you file a certificate of doing business with the city or town clerk where your principal place of business is and with the Secretary of State.
Insurance. Section 2.18 of the regulation requires a certificate of comprehensive general liability insurance, with endorsements for assault and battery and personal injury including false arrest, libel, slander and invasion of privacy, of at least:
- $300,000 for bodily or personal injury; and
- $100,000 for property damage.
The licensee must also file endorsements covering damage to property in its care, custody and control, and errors and omissions by its agents and employees.
The fee. Section 2.11 sets the registration and license fee for a private security guard business at $400, payable every two years, plus a $5 background check fee for each employee.
What do Rhode Island security guards need?
The regulation is direct: “No person shall perform the functions and duties of an employee of a private security guard business without first having been registered and licensed by the Attorney General.”
The process runs through the employer. Under R.I. Gen. Laws 5-5.1-18, no one may be employed by a licensee until they have signed and given the licensee a verified statement, the employee’s registration, with their name, age, address, date and place of birth, citizenship, five years of employment history and a declaration that they have no felony conviction. The regulation adds that the registration form may be requested only after a conditional offer of employment. A licensee may not knowingly employ anyone convicted of a felony.
How many training hours does Rhode Island require?
We found no statewide training hours for unarmed guards in the regulation or the statute. That does not mean clients do not expect training; commercial contracts, insurers and post orders often set their own. Document what each officer completed, because that is what you will be asked for.
What about armed security officers?
The guard business chapter does not set a separate armed-guard credential, and we were not able to verify the Attorney General’s armed guidance for this guide. Carrying a firearm on duty is governed by Rhode Island’s general firearms laws. Ask the Attorney General’s office what applies before you put an armed officer on a post.
When do Rhode Island licenses renew?
The business license expires two years after its date of issuance. The regulation requires the renewal application to be filed with the Attorney General not less than 30 days before the expiration date, and you may keep operating while a renewal is pending. A license cannot be assigned or transferred.
You also owe the Attorney General notice of changes in status under 5-5.1-17, and the regulation requires licensees to notify their clients if a license is denied, revoked or suspended.
Rhode Island security licensing at a glance
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General |
| Law and rules | R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 5-5.1; 110-RICR-20-00-2 |
| Company license | Private security guard business license |
| Fee | $400 every two years; $5 background check per employee |
| Insurance | $300,000 bodily/personal injury; $100,000 property damage; listed endorsements |
| Employees | Registered and licensed by the Attorney General before working |
| Training hours | None set statewide in the regulation |
| Armed | No separate credential in ch. 5-5.1; general firearms law applies |
| Renewal | Every two years; file at least 30 days before expiry |
| Overtime | 1.5x after 40 hours; Sunday and holiday premium unless an exception applies |
How does overtime work for Rhode Island guards?
Rhode Island is stricter than most states. The Department of Labor and Training’s wage and workplace laws guide (revised December 2024) says:
- time and a half is due after 40 hours in a workweek;
- work on Sundays and holidays must be paid at time and a half unless the work qualifies as an exception under General Laws chapter 25-3;
- an employee who reports for a scheduled shift is owed at least three hours of pay.
Whether a particular post falls under a chapter 25-3 exception is a question for the DLT or your counsel. Guard companies run seven days a week, so settle it before your first Sunday schedule.
How does software help keep the records?
Rhode Island puts the employee registration on the business: who was registered and when, what each officer completed for a client, and a business license renewal filed 30 days ahead. In CGuardPro, each officer and supervisor record holds credentials of the types you define, with number, issue and expiry dates and photos of the document, 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 does not register anyone with the Attorney General. See security guard license tracking, and Rhode Island security guard software for scheduling, GPS clock-in and patrol records in the state.
CGuardPro sends approved hours per officer to Gusto as time sheets split into regular and overtime hours under the federal weekly 40-hour rule. It does not calculate Rhode Island’s Sunday and holiday premium automatically, so handle that in payroll.
Frequently asked questions
Who licenses security companies in Rhode Island?
The Department of the Attorney General, under R.I. Gen. Laws chapter 5-5.1 and regulation 110-RICR-20-00-2.
How much does a Rhode Island security business license cost?
The regulation sets $400, payable every two years, plus a $5 background check fee per employee.
What insurance does a Rhode Island security company need?
At least $300,000 for bodily or personal injury and $100,000 for property damage, with endorsements including assault and battery, false arrest, care-custody-control and errors and omissions.
Do Rhode Island security guards need a license?
Yes. No one may perform the duties of an employee of a security guard business without first being registered and licensed by the Attorney General.
Do Rhode Island guards get paid extra on Sundays?
The DLT guide says Sunday and holiday work is paid at time and a half unless an exception under chapter 25-3 applies.
See also our security guard license requirements by state and the license renewal checklist.