South Dakota does not license security guards or security guard companies at the state level. No state agency issues a guard card or a contract security company license, so starting a guard company there means ordinary business registration with the state, plus whatever the cities you work in require. The clearest local example is Rapid City, whose municipal code has a full chapter on security guards. This guide covers what applies statewide, what Rapid City regulates, how overtime works, and how CGuardPro, the guard management software used by 600+ security companies, helps you keep the officer records your clients will ask for when there is no state license to point to.
Everything below was checked as of October 2026 against South Dakota’s official sources and the Rapid City municipal code index. This is not legal advice, and local ordinances change, so confirm with each city before you post officers there.
Does South Dakota require a security guard license?
No. We found no South Dakota state agency that licenses security guard companies or individual security officers. That puts South Dakota in a small group of states without statewide security licensing, alongside neighbors such as Wyoming and, for uniformed guards, Nebraska.
That gap does not mean nothing applies. You still deal with three layers:
- State business registration and employer obligations, which every company has.
- City ordinances, which can require a license for the company and the guards.
- Client contracts, which in practice set most of the standards a state board would elsewhere: insurance limits, background checks, training and post orders.
What do you register at the state level?
Without a security license, the state steps are those for any South Dakota business with employees: form and register the business entity with the South Dakota Secretary of State, register with the Department of Labor and Regulation for reemployment assistance (unemployment insurance), and register with the Department of Revenue if your business is subject to state taxes. Arrange workers’ compensation coverage for your officers as well. None of these are specific to security, but they are what a client or insurer will check along with your liability certificate.
Does Rapid City license security guards?
Yes. Rapid City’s municipal code has chapter 5.52, “Security Guards” (official code site). Its sections cover:
- license requirements and applications;
- security instruction requirements and administrative rules;
- license fees;
- change of ownership or employer;
- uniforms, identification cards and badges;
- firearms permit requirements;
- the license term.
We could not read the full text of each section for this guide, because the code site blocks automated access, so we are not stating its training hours, fees or terms here. If you will post officers in Rapid City, read chapter 5.52 in full and contact the city before your first shift. The structure alone tells you what to prepare: a license application, instruction records per guard, approved uniforms and ID, and a separate firearms permit for armed officers.
What about Sioux Falls and other cities?
We did not verify a security guard ordinance in Sioux Falls or other South Dakota cities for this guide. Check with the city clerk or licensing office in each city where you will work. A city ordinance can apply to a company based elsewhere as soon as it posts officers inside city limits.
What do armed security officers need in South Dakota?
There is no state armed-guard credential, because there is no state guard license. An armed officer is governed by South Dakota’s general firearms laws, by any city ordinance where they work (Rapid City’s chapter includes a firearms permit section), and by the client contract. Most companies set their own firearms training and qualification standard and keep proof of it per officer, which is what insurers and clients ask for.
How do you set standards without a state license?
Because the state does not set training or screening rules, your company’s own standards are what a client evaluates. Common elements in guard contracts include:
- a pre-employment background check and drug screen;
- a defined number of hours of initial training, and site-specific training per post;
- first aid and CPR certification;
- firearms qualification for armed posts, on a schedule you define;
- written post orders acknowledged by each officer.
Pick your standard, write it down, and record it per officer. When a client asks “how do you train your guards?” the answer should be a record, not a description.
How does overtime work for South Dakota guards?
South Dakota has no state overtime law. The Department of Labor and Regulation says on its overtime page that “South Dakota has no labor laws concerning compensatory (comp) time or overtime,” and points employers to federal rules. Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, non-exempt officers earn time and a half for hours over 40 in a workweek. There is no daily overtime, so 12-hour shifts only matter when the week passes 40.
South Dakota security licensing at a glance
| Item | What applies |
|---|---|
| Statewide guard license | None |
| Statewide company license | None |
| State registration | Secretary of State entity; Labor and Regulation for unemployment insurance; Revenue if applicable |
| Rapid City | Municipal Code ch. 5.52 “Security Guards”: licenses, instruction, fees, ID, firearms permits |
| Sioux Falls and others | Not verified; confirm with the city |
| Armed | No state credential; general firearms law, city rules and contracts |
| Training hours | None set by the state |
| Overtime | Federal FLSA: 1.5x over 40 hours in a workweek |
How does software help keep the records?
In a state with no license, the records you keep are your proof of competence. CGuardPro stores credentials on each officer and supervisor record, using credential types you define: a Rapid City license, a firearms permit, CPR, a site clearance, or your own training certificate. Each has a 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 it is renewed. It warns rather than blocks, and it does not check with any city. Read how security guard license tracking works, and see South Dakota security guard software for scheduling, GPS and selfie clock-in, and patrol records across the state.
For payroll, 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
Do you need a license to be a security guard in South Dakota?
Not from the state. Some cities, such as Rapid City, license security guards locally, and employers and clients set their own requirements.
Do you need a license to start a security company in South Dakota?
Not a state security license. You register the business and as an employer, and you may need a city license where you operate, such as under Rapid City’s chapter 5.52.
Does South Dakota have overtime laws for security guards?
No state overtime law. The federal FLSA applies: time and a half for non-exempt employees over 40 hours in a workweek.
Can security guards carry guns in South Dakota?
There is no state armed-guard license. General firearms laws apply, and Rapid City’s ordinance has a firearms permit section for guards working in the city.
Who regulates security guards in Rapid City?
The City of Rapid City, under Municipal Code chapter 5.52. Contact the city for the current requirements and fees.
For how this compares with states that do license guards, see our security guard license requirements by state.