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Security guard license requirements
Security guard license requirements
by state: finder
Security guard licensing in the US is set state by state: most states license the company and each officer separately, a handful license only the company, and 9 leave it to cities or to nobody. This free finder from CGuardPro shows, for each of the 50 states and DC, the regulator, the company license, the officer card, the training hours where the state publishes them and the armed requirements, each taken from our state page and checked against the regulator in October 2026. Where a fact is not published, it says “confirm with the regulator”.
The requirements for the state you choose appear here. Without JavaScript, the full table below has the same information for every state.
General information, not legal advice. Requirements change; confirm with the regulator before you hire, bid or deploy.
What does each state require?
The complete table, state by state. The state name opens our page for that state; the regulator opens the official source.
| State | Regulator | Company license | Officer license or card | Training hours | Armed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama Security Regulatory Board (ASRB) | Contract security company license with a licensed qualifying agent (3 years of supervisory experience); company licenses expire September 30. Cities and counties may not license guards. | Officer license from the ASRB, valid two years; apply within 30 days of starting work. Minimum age 21 (18 if never armed). | At least 8 hours of initial board-approved training from a board-certified trainer. | Armed officers qualify with their firearm at least once each calendar year. Armed classroom hours: confirm with the ASRB. |
| Alaska | Alaska Department of Public Safety, Permits & Licensing | Security guard agency license from the Commissioner of Public Safety (AS 18.65.400); liability insurance or bond of $100,000 per person / $200,000 per occurrence plus $100,000 property damage. Agency license term: confirm with DPS. | Security guard license, valid two years; temporary employment up to 30 days while the license is pending. | 8 hours preassignment, 40 hours in-service within 180 days of employment, and an annual refresher of at least 8 hours (13 AAC 60.110). | At least 8 hours of pre-assignment firearms training from a certified instructor, plus an annual practice firing review. |
| Arizona | Arizona Department of Public Safety, Licensing Unit | Agency license issued to the Qualifying Party; liability insurance of at least $100,000 per person and $300,000 per event, plus workers’ comp if it has employees. | Guard registration certificate, valid four years; the guard must work for a licensed agency. | 8 hours of preassignment training; 8 hours of refresher training within 90 days before renewal (A.R.S. § 32-2632). | At least 16 hours of initial firearms instruction and 8 hours of annual continuing firearms instruction. |
| Arkansas | Arkansas State Police, Regulatory Services Division | Security services contractor license (guard company); licenses expire two years from issuance. | Private Security Officer (PSO), Commissioned Security Officer (CSO) or Commissioned School Security Officer (CSSO) credential, two years. | Phase I, 8 hours minimum, for PSO, CSO and CSSO; renewal training every two years. | Commissioned officers add Phase II, 16 hours minimum (8 classroom, 8 range); CSSO adds Phase III, 36 hours. |
| California | Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) | Private Patrol Operator (PPO) license. | Security guard registration (“guard card”); 18 or older; Live Scan fingerprints; apply through BreEZe. | 8 hours of Power to Arrest and Appropriate Use of Force before issuance; 32 hours of security officer skills (16 within 30 days, 16 within six months); 8 hours of continuing training each year. | Firearms permit on top of the guard card. Firearms course hours and requalification schedule: confirm with BSIS. |
| Colorado | No statewide license — Denver licenses locally | No state license. Denver: private security employer license (Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection). | Denver: individual security guard license. | Denver: training certificate from an eligible provider. Hours: confirm with Denver. | Denver: weapons endorsement for armed guards. Other cities set their own rules. |
| Connecticut | DESPP, Special Licensing and Firearms Unit | Security Service license: age 25, 5 years of supervisory security experience or 10 as a police officer, $10,000 surety bond, $300,000 general liability; issued for 2 years. | Security Officer Training Certification ID card, good for 5 years; 18+ (21+ armed); the agency registers each officer with SLFU. | Minimum 8 hours: basic first aid, search and seizure, use of force, basic criminal justice and public safety. | An 8-hour training and firearms qualification course plus an annual refresher for the blue card endorsement on the state pistol permit. |
| Delaware | Delaware State Police, Professional Licensing | Class B security agency license, approved by the Board of Examiners: license holder 25+, experience requirement, $10,000 bond, $1,000,000 general liability per occurrence. | Unarmed license (yellow card), valid five years and expiring on the birthdate; 18+; must work for a licensed Class B or C agency; 15-day temporary approval. | Mandatory training program and test, also required for renewal. Number of hours: confirm with the State Police. | Red card: 40-hour firearms course with an approved instructor, daylight and low-light shoots; endorsement valid to the end of the calendar year. |
| District of Columbia | DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) | Security Agency license from DLCP; MPD’s Security Officers Management Branch gives the final signoff on applications. | Security Officer license, two years (no arrest authority, wooden baton only); Special Police Officer license, one year. | Not stated on our state page — confirm with the regulator. | Armed Special Police Officers need a range certification at renewal. Training hours: confirm with DLCP. |
| Florida | FDACS Division of Licensing | Class B security agency license (BB for branches, MB for managers); renewed every 3 years. | Class D security officer license, renewed every 2 years. | A minimum of 40 hours of professional training at a licensed school (s. 493.6303). | Class G license: 28 hours of range and classroom training, 8 of them in-person range; at least 4 hours of firearms requalification each year. |
| Georgia | State Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies (Secretary of State) | Company license from the Board; expires June 30 of each odd-numbered year. | Employee registration; expires August 31 of each odd-numbered year. Whether unarmed officers register: confirm with the Board. | A minimum of 24 hours of classroom instruction; 8 hours of continuing education before renewal. | Weapon permit (expires with registrations); a minimum of 15 hours of handgun training, 80% passing score. |
| Hawaii | Board of Private Detectives and Guards (DCCA) | Guard agency license; must employ a principal guard (18+, 4 years of guard or investigative work, exam); bond of at least $5,000. | Guard employee registration, renewed June 30 every three years. | 8 hours of classroom instruction before the first day of service; 4 hours each triennial period. | Not stated on our state page — confirm with the regulator. |
| Idaho | No statewide license — Boise licenses locally | No state license. Boise: Security Company License with $500,000 liability insurance and a $10,000 bond naming the city. | Boise: Security Personnel License, $2,500 bond, fingerprinting and FBI record check. | Not stated for Boise — confirm with the city. | An Idaho concealed weapons permit does not exempt a Boise applicant from the FBI check; otherwise confirm with the city. |
| Illinois | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) | Private security contractor agency license under 225 ILCS 447, through the CORE portal. | Permanent Employee Registration Card (PERC); 18+, 21+ if armed. | 20 hours of basic training within 30 days, 8 more within 6 months, and 8 hours of refresher training each year. | Firearm control card (FCC) plus a FOID card; 48-hour firearm course and 8 hours of range refresher each year. |
| Indiana | Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PI and Security Guard Licensing Board) | Security guard agency license: qualifier 21+ with two years (4,000 hours) or a related degree, $100,000 general liability; expires every four years on October 1. | No individual state guard license; the licensee keeps a photo and fingerprints for each employee and is responsible for their conduct. | No state unarmed training hours found — confirm with the PLA. | The licensing chapter does not authorize carrying a weapon; permitless handgun carry since July 2022 (Indiana State Police). |
| Iowa | Iowa Department of Public Safety | Private security business license (Iowa Code 80A), two years; $5,000 or $10,000 surety bond; proof of financial responsibility. | DPS identification card for each employee, carried on duty; 14-day temporary card. | No education, experience or exam is required to be licensed. | On a college or university campus: firearm safety training, a sheriff’s permit to carry and an employer affidavit. Elsewhere: confirm with DPS. |
| Kansas | No statewide license — cities license locally | No state guard license. Wichita: agency license under City Code ch. 3.72 (Wichita Police). | Wichita: officer permits (temporary for 90 days, renewed annually). Kansas City, Kansas: KCKPD security guard permit, 18+. | Wichita: the basic permit follows a private security course including defensive driving. Hours: confirm with the city. | Wichita police no longer regulate firearms for guards (since 2014). Confirm local rules. |
| Kentucky | No statewide license — Louisville Metro licenses armed security | No state guard license. Louisville Metro: agencies offering armed guards must be licensed (renewed yearly); companies with in-house armed guards register. | Louisville: every armed security officer is licensed (21+, US citizen; Kentucky residents hold a CCDW). | Louisville: approved training course; the ordinance sets no hour count. | The Louisville rules cover armed officers only. Unarmed work and other cities: confirm locally. |
| Louisiana | Louisiana State Board of Private Security Examiners (LSBPSE) | Company license: three years of qualifying experience and general liability of at least $500,000 with the state named as additional insured. | Security officer registration, valid two years. | 16 hours of S.O.S.T. (1101 and 1102) before the first work assignment. | Firearms training and range qualification (80%) before armed assignment, and annual firearms retraining. |
| Maine | Maine State Police (Commissioner of Public Safety) | Contract security company license, one year; bond of $10,000 (resident) or $50,000 (non-resident). | No separate officer license; the licensee notifies the Commissioner of new guards before they begin. Guards 18+. | No state training-hour minimum in the chapter. | A signed background statement is required before a guard may carry a firearm. |
| Maryland | Maryland State Police, Licensing Division | Security guard agency license: applicant 25+, a specific experience path, commercial general liability insurance; valid three years. | Security guard certification, valid 3 years; 18+. | 12 hours of initial training; 8 hours of continuing training for renewal. | Handgun permit training hours: confirm with MDSP. |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts State Police, Certification Unit | Watch, guard or patrol agency license, one year, with a $5,000 surety bond. | No statewide license for individual unarmed officers; each employee signs a sworn statement kept by the licensee. | Not stated on our state page — confirm with the regulator. | A license to carry from the local licensing authority. |
| Michigan | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) | Security guard agency license, two years: qualifying officer 21+, bond or insurance, approval from local police or sheriff and the county prosecutor. | No individual state guard license; employees 18+ with a diploma or GED; quarterly rosters to LARA. | No state training hours found — confirm with LARA. | A deadly weapon only if the person is licensed to carry under Michigan law. |
| Minnesota | Board of Private Detective and Protective Agent Services | Protective agent license with a qualified representative (6,000 hours), $10,000 bond, two years. | No individual state guard license; BCA fingerprints before deployment and an employer-issued ID card. | 12 hours within the first 21 days of employment; 6 hours of continuing training a year. | Board-certified weapons training before carrying; an additional 6 hours a year for armed individuals. |
| Mississippi | No statewide license — DPS armed permits; cities license guards | No state license for security companies. Cities such as Biloxi license guards. | Biloxi: every guard working in the city is licensed through the Biloxi Police Department. Jackson: confirm with the police department. | Not stated — confirm with the city. | DPS Security Guard (gun) Permit, renewed every four years. Training hours: confirm with DPS. |
| Missouri | No statewide license — Kansas City and St. Louis police | No state license. Kansas City: company license with $1M liability insurance. St. Louis: agency registration with $1M liability insurance. | Kansas City: individual license, one year, written exam. St. Louis: watchman, courier or security officer license, one year. | Confirm with each city. | Kansas City: 21+, annual qualification and 4 hours of handgun training a year at the KCPD range. |
| Montana | Montana Department of Labor & Industry, Private Security Program | Private Security Firm license: registered with the Secretary of State, $500,000 general liability, designated manager. | Private security guard license, 18+, expires March 1 each year; issued once employment is verified. | A 16-hour training program. | Annual requalification with a certified instructor; firearms liability coverage for firms employing armed guards. |
| Nebraska | No statewide license for uniformed guards | No state license for uniformed guard companies (the Secretary of State licenses private detectives). | None statewide. Confirm with the city. | Confirm with the city. | No state armed-guard credential verified. |
| Nevada | Private Investigators Licensing Board (PILB) | Private patrol license: qualifying agent with 10,000 hours of experience and an exam, at least $200,000 liability insurance; expires June 30 each year. | Work card registered with the Board. | Not stated on our state page — confirm with the regulator. | Armed work card: 8 hours of training plus at least 5 hours at a range, 75% exam, requalification every six months. |
| New Hampshire | NH State Police, Permits and Licensing | Security guard agency license, 2 years; surety bond of at least $50,000. | Agency employees licensed before employment; photo license card, 2 years. | No unarmed hours in the statute — confirm with the State Police. | Qualification course (75% minimum) with 4 hours of instruction, at licensure and at least once a year. |
| New Jersey | New Jersey State Police, Private Detective Unit (SORA) | Security officer company license: owner 25+, 5 years of law enforcement or security management experience, references and a bond. | SORA certification: unarmed (yellow card, 2 years) or armed (red card, 1 year). | 24-hour SORA course from a state-certified instructor; 8-hour refresher at renewal. | Same 24-hour course, 1-year card and 8-hour refresher; a NJ carry permit or RPO to carry. |
| New Mexico | Regulation and Licensing Department (RLD) | Private patrol operator license: 3 years of experience (4,000 hours), jurisprudence exam, background check. | Security guard level one, two or three; renewals on 3-year terms. | Level one: 8-hour curriculum; 2 hours of continuing education per year. | Level two: 20-hour curriculum plus a weapons training certificate. Level three: 16 hours including firearms law, plus a psychological evaluation. |
| New York | Department of State, Division of Licensing Services | Watch, Guard or Patrol Agency license, two years: qualifier 25+, exam, $10,000 surety bond. | Security guard registration from the Department of State. | 8 hours pre-assignment, 16 hours on-the-job within 90 days, 8 hours of annual in-service. | 47-hour firearms course (requires a NYS pistol permit) and 8 hours of annual firearms training. |
| North Carolina | Private Protective Services Board (PPSB) | Security guard and patrol license with a designated qualifying agent; 12 hours of CE per 2-year license period. | Unarmed guard registration, renewed every year; register within 30 days after the probationary period. | 16-hour unarmed course. | An additional 20-hour course; firearm registration permit renewed yearly with a 4-hour renewal course. |
| North Dakota | Private Investigation and Security Board (NDPISB) | Private security agency license with a qualifying agent; $300,000 general liability; expires September 30 each year. | Registered as apprentice, security officer or commissioned security officer; pocket card carried on duty. | Apprentice: 12 hours within 30 days. Security officer: 1,000 hours as apprentice plus 32 classroom hours. Commissioned: 3,000 more hours plus 80 classroom hours. | The same firearms training as North Dakota peace officers, at least security officer rank, and an armed private security certificate. |
| Ohio | Ohio Homeland Security, PISGS | Class C (security) or Class A (investigation and security) license; qualifying agent with 2 years of experience and an exam; general liability; expires March 1 each year. | Employee registration 3 to 7 days after hire; photo ID card; expires on its anniversary each year. | No state unarmed training hours found — confirm with PISGS. | 20 hours of handgun training (5 more for other firearms) and requalification every twelve months. |
| Oklahoma | Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET) | Security agency license, 5 years; licensed supervisor and $100,000 coverage. | Security guard license, 3 years; no work before the license except a 45-day window for unarmed guards at a licensed agency. | Unarmed: Phase I and Phase II, 40 hours; 8 hours of continuing education per licensing period. | Adds Phase IV firearms (32 hours) for 72 hours in total, plus an MMPI. |
| Oregon | Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) | Private Security Entity license (required since January 1, 2024), annual; executive manager license; $1M/$2M insurance. | Unarmed private security certification; 4-hour renewal every two years. | 14 hours of basic training. | A 24-hour minimum firearms course plus annual marksmanship qualification and refresher. |
| Pennsylvania | County courts of common pleas; State Police for armed certification | Watch, guard or patrol business license from the county court of common pleas (Private Detective Act of 1953). | No statewide unarmed officer credential stated — confirm with the county. | Not stated — confirm with the county. | Act 235 lethal weapons certification from the State Police, typically valid five years. |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General | Private security guard business license, two years, $400 fee; $300,000 bodily injury and $100,000 property damage coverage. | Each employee registered and licensed by the Attorney General before working. | No statewide training hours found in the regulation. | Not stated on our state page — confirm with the regulator. |
| South Carolina | South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) | Contract or proprietary security business license, annual: 2 years of experience, $10,000 bond, a SLED-certified training officer. | SLED registration certificate, 18+, annual; may work up to 30 days after SLED receives the application, without arrest authority or a firearm. | Basic course of 4+ hours before working at a client site; SafeguardSC adds 2+ hours. | Security Weapons Permit, 21+, one year. |
| South Dakota | No statewide license — Rapid City licenses locally | No state license. Rapid City Code ch. 5.52 covers security guards. | Rapid City license; Sioux Falls: confirm with the city. | Confirm with the city. | Rapid City has firearms permit rules; details: confirm with the city. |
| Tennessee | Department of Commerce and Insurance, Private Protective Services | Contract Security Company license with a qualifying manager (3 years of supervisory experience). | Unarmed or armed security guard registration, renewed every 2 years. | 4 hours (unarmed), 2-hour refresher before renewal; at alcohol-serving venues, de-escalation, restraint, first aid and CPR within 15 days of assignment. | 21+; 4 hours plus 8 classroom firearm hours plus 4 hours of marksmanship (70%); 4-hour refresher and requalification at renewal. |
| Texas | Texas DPS, Private Security Program | Company license from DPS under Occupations Code Chapter 1702. | Officer credential as a non-commissioned security officer, commissioned security officer or personal protection officer. | Level II for all three; DPS does not state an hour figure for Level II on its training page. | Commissioned officers: Level III, minimum 45 hours, with a firearms proficiency demonstration. Personal protection officers add Level IV, minimum 15 hours. |
| Utah | Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) | Contract security company license: qualifying agent with 6,000 hours of experience and an exam; general liability and workers’ compensation insurance. | Unarmed or armed private security officer license; expires November 30 of even years; 32 hours of CE per two-year cycle. | Basic training of at least 8 hours. | Firearms training of at least 12 hours (8-hour basic course plus 12-hour firearms course). |
| Vermont | Office of Professional Regulation (Secretary of State) | Agency license; an agency with registered security employees must have a licensed security guard on staff to supervise them. | Licensed security guard (40 hours, exam, two years of experience) or registered security employee (8 hours); biennial licensing periods. | 8 hours for a registered security employee, 40 hours for a licensed security guard; CPR and AED within three months of hire. | Firearms specialty: at least 12 classroom hours plus 4 hours on the specific weapon and range qualification. |
| Virginia | Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) | Private security services business license with a compliance agent and $1,000,000 general aggregate liability. | Unarmed or armed security officer registration, two-year term. | Unarmed: 18 hours entry-level and 4 hours in-service; may work 90 days while completing training if fingerprints were submitted by the hire date. | 50 hours (18 core + 8 arrest authority + 24 handgun); annual firearms retraining. |
| Washington | Washington State Department of Licensing | Private security company license: qualifying agent with three years of management experience, or 21+ and a DOL exam; $25,000 / $25,000 general liability. | Security guard license, 18+, employed or offered a job by a licensed company. | 8 hours preassignment (at least 4 in a classroom), 8 hours postassignment and a 4-hour annual refresher. | Armed guard license: 21+ and a current firearms certificate from the Criminal Justice Training Commission. |
| West Virginia | West Virginia Secretary of State, Licensing Division | Security guard firm license, two years; surety bond or proof of liability insurance; five character references. | The firm keeps a recent photo and fingerprints for every employee; an individual license is for those working under their own name. | No state training hours found; the firm provides training reasonably necessary. | No armed guard license found in the statute — confirm with the Secretary of State. |
| Wisconsin | Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) | Licensed as a Private Detective Agency; $100,000 bond or liability policy; renewed August 31 of odd years. | Private security permit, renewed in even years; 30-day temporary permit. | No unarmed training-hour minimum found — confirm with DSPS. | Firearms training of not less than 36 hours and a 6-hour refresher; the firearms permit is tied to the agency. |
| Wyoming | No statewide license — some cities regulate | No state license. Cheyenne regulates patrol and guard service businesses (municipal code ch. 5.48). | Confirm with the city. | Confirm with the city. | Confirm with the city. |
How do you read a state’s requirements?
Ask four questions, in order. Who is the regulator: a state police unit, a professional licensing department, a dedicated board or a city? Does the company need its own license, and through whom (a qualifying agent or manager with set experience, plus insurance or a bond)? Does each officer need a card or registration, and can they work while it is pending? And what changes when the post is armed: a separate permit, a firearms course and how often to requalify. The table answers those four for every state, and says plainly when the state does not publish the answer.
Where do expiry dates catch companies out?
On fixed calendar dates that hit everyone at once (Georgia’s August 31 of odd years, Montana’s March 1, Nevada’s June 30) and on anniversary dates that land every month (Ohio registrations, Delaware cards on the officer’s birthday). Both patterns are easy to miss in a spreadsheet. In CGuardPro each officer record holds the credential, its number and expiry date and a photo of the card, and the office gets a warning from 7 to 120 days ahead.
Frequently asked questions
Does every state require a security guard license?
No. In 9 of the 51 jurisdictions in this finder our research found no statewide security guard license: there, cities such as Denver, Boise, Wichita, Louisville, Kansas City, St. Louis, Biloxi or Rapid City license guards locally, or nobody does. Most states license both the company and the individual officer, through a state police unit, a professional licensing department or a dedicated board.
How many training hours does a security guard need?
It ranges widely. Among states that publish a figure: 4 hours in Tennessee (4 or more in South Carolina), 8 in Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut and Utah, 16 in Louisiana and North Carolina, 24 in Georgia and New Jersey, 40 in Florida and in Oklahoma (Phase I and II), and 40 for a licensed guard in Vermont. Several states state no hour count; the finder says so instead of guessing.
Is the company license separate from the officer license?
In most licensing states, yes. The company holds an agency or contractor license, usually through a qualifying agent with set experience, insurance or a bond; each officer holds a registration, card or license of their own. Some states license only the company and leave officers to the employer, such as Michigan, Minnesota, Indiana and Maine.
Can CGuardPro check a guard’s license with the state?
No. CGuard Pro LLC sells software and is not a licensee or registrar in any state. Each officer record holds the credential type, number, issue and expiry dates and a photo of the card, and the office gets a warning before it expires. It warns rather than blocks. CGuardPro costs $5 per user per month with a 7-day free trial.
How current is this information?
Each row comes from our state page, checked against the regulator in October 2026. Fees and training rules change, sometimes by statute mid-year, so treat the finder as a starting point and confirm with the regulator linked in each row before you hire or bid.
Know which card expires before the client does
CGuardPro keeps each officer’s license, card and training certificates on their record and warns the office before anything expires, alongside scheduling, GPS and selfie clock-in, QR and NFC guard tours and a client portal. $5 per user per month, 7-day free trial.