Security guard company license
by state
There is no national license for a security guard company in the United States. Each state decides who regulates the business — a state police unit, a professional licensing agency, a dedicated board — and a few states leave it entirely to their cities. Before you bid on a contract in a new state, you need to know which office you are dealing with.
Below are the 51 states we have written a practical guide for, with the regulator named in each. Requirements, fees and timelines change, so every guide points you back to the regulator’s own pages; nothing here is legal advice.
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Alabama
Alabama Security Regulatory Board
A dedicated board licenses contract security companies and the officers they employ.
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Alaska
Alaska Department of Public Safety, Permits & Licensing Unit (AS 18.65, 13 AAC 60)
Guards need 40 hours of in-service training within 180 days, and overtime starts after 8 hours a day.
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Arizona
Arizona Department of Public Safety
The state police licenses security agencies, and the process starts before the company is formed.
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Arkansas
Arkansas State Police, Regulatory Services Division
Officers hold PSO, CSO or CSSO credentials; school security officers add 36 hours of Phase III training.
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California
Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS)
Two separate licenses: the company’s and each officer’s guard card.
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Colorado
No statewide license — Denver licenses locally
No state guard license at all; Denver and other cities set their own rules.
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Connecticut
DESPP, Special Licensing and Firearms Unit (Connecticut State Police)
An 8-hour training card valid five years; armed officers refresh their firearms endorsement annually.
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Delaware
Delaware State Police, Professional Licensing Section; Board of Examiners of Private Investigators and Private Security Agencies
Yellow cards expire on the birthdate; armed red cards need a third shoot by December 31.
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District of Columbia
DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) Security Program; MPD Security Officers Management Branch signoff
Special police officers can arrest on their post; plain security officers cannot and carry only a wooden baton.
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Florida
FDACS Division of Licensing
The agriculture department, not a police agency, issues agency and manager licenses.
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Georgia
State Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies (Secretary of State)
Licensing runs through the Secretary of State and its online portal.
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Hawaii
Board of Private Detectives and Guards, DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing Division
Every guard employee registration renews on the same June 30, once every three years.
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Idaho
No statewide license; local: City of Boise City Clerk licensing, Coeur d'Alene
No state license; Boise requires a company license plus a bonded personnel license for every officer.
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Illinois
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR)
A private security contractor license filed through a general professional-licensing portal.
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Indiana
Indiana Professional Licensing Agency
A licensing board inside the state’s professional licensing agency covers security guard agencies.
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Iowa
Iowa Department of Public Safety (Iowa Code ch. 80A)
Every officer carries a DPS identification card valid only for the agency named on it.
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Kansas
No statewide license; local: Wichita Police Department (City Code ch. 3.72), Kansas City KS Police Records Unit
State law exempts patrol operators from detective licensing; Wichita issues tiered officer permits.
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Kentucky
No statewide guard license — local rules apply
The state doesn’t license guards; Louisville Metro licenses armed security companies and officers.
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Louisiana
Louisiana State Board of Private Security Examiners
A board built only for private security licenses companies and officers.
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Maine
Commissioner of Public Safety via Maine State Police, Weapons and Professional Licensing (32 MRSA ch. 93)
Only the contract security company is licensed; it vets each guard and reports them before they start.
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Maryland
Maryland State Police, Licensing Division
A 25-year age floor, a specific five-year experience bar and a three-year agency license.
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Massachusetts
Massachusetts State Police, Certification Unit
A watch, guard or patrol agency license with a $5,000 bond and yearly renewal.
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Michigan
Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA)
Security guard agencies can meet financial responsibility with a bond or insurance.
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Minnesota
Board of Private Detective and Protective Agent Services
A protective agent license with a qualified representative and yearly employee training.
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Mississippi
No statewide company/unarmed license; armed: Mississippi DPS Firearm Permit Division (Security Guard Permit, § 97-37-7); local: Biloxi PD and other cities
No state guard license; armed guards need a four-year DPS permit, and Biloxi licenses every guard in the city.
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Missouri
No statewide license — Kansas City and St. Louis police license locally
Each city’s police department runs its own company and officer licensing.
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Montana
Montana Department of Labor & Industry, Private Security Program
Guards need 16 hours of training and proof of a job; every license renews by March 1.
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Nebraska
No statewide guard license; Nebraska Secretary of State licenses private detectives/agencies/plain clothes investigators only
Only out-of-uniform investigative work needs a state license; uniformed guarding does not.
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Nevada
Private Investigators Licensing Board (PILB)
Guard companies hold a private patrol license; every license renews on June 30.
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New Hampshire
NH Department of Safety, Division of State Police Permits and Licensing Unit (RSA 106-F)
Armed guards requalify with a firearm every year, and agencies post a $50,000 surety bond.
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New Jersey
New Jersey State Police, Private Detective Unit
A security officer company license under SORA, plus certification for every officer.
Read the New Jersey guide → Officer registration under SORA →
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New Mexico
NM Regulation and Licensing Department, Private Investigations Advisory Board
Guards register at level one, two or three; level three (armed) requires a psychologist's evaluation.
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New York
Department of State, Division of Licensing Services
Two state agencies are involved, and the order you deal with them matters.
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North Carolina
Private Protective Services Board
A public-safety board licenses guard and patrol companies and registers officers.
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North Dakota
North Dakota Private Investigation and Security Board
Officers rise from apprentice to commissioned by logged hours; all licenses expire September 30.
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Ohio
Ohio Homeland Security, Private Investigator Security Guard Services
Three license classes, and choosing the wrong one stalls a company.
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Oklahoma
Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET)
The state’s law enforcement training council licenses security agencies and guards.
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Oregon
Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST)
Private security entities now need their own license, separate from officer certification.
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Pennsylvania
County courts of common pleas; State Police for armed certification
Two approvals: a county court license and, for armed work, a State Police certification.
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Rhode Island
Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General (R.I. Gen. Laws 5-5.1)
Attorney General licenses guard businesses; Sunday and holiday work can owe time and a half.
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South Carolina
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED)
The state’s criminal investigation agency licenses security businesses and officers.
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South Dakota
No statewide license; local (Rapid City Municipal Code ch. 5.52)
No state licensing or overtime law; Rapid City licenses guards and the Sturgis rally surges demand.
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Tennessee
Department of Commerce and Insurance
Private protective services are licensed by the commerce department, not public safety.
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Texas
Texas Department of Public Safety, Private Security Program
Company licensing, qualifying managers and officer credentials under Chapter 1702.
Read the Texas guide → How to start a security company in Texas →
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Utah
Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL)
Every officer license expires November 30 of even years, with 32 hours of continuing education due.
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Vermont
Vermont Secretary of State, Office of Professional Regulation
Two tiers: licensed guards with 40 hours and registered employees with 8, plus CPR within three months.
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Virginia
Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS)
One department licenses many categories of private security business.
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Washington
Washington State Department of Licensing
The same department that issues driver’s licenses licenses guard companies.
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West Virginia
West Virginia Secretary of State, Licensing Division (W. Va. Code 30-18)
The Secretary of State licenses guard firms; each officer's photo and fingerprints stay on file in-state.
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Wisconsin
Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS)
Agencies are licensed and each officer holds a private security permit.
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Wyoming
No statewide license (Wyoming DCI confirms); local (Cheyenne Municipal Code ch. 5.48)
Wyoming licenses no guards or security firms; Cheyenne regulates guard businesses under its municipal code.
Before you compare states
Most states separate the license the company holds from the credential each officer carries, and the two run on different renewal clocks. For how requirements vary in general, read our overview of security guard license requirements by state, and for keeping every credential current, the security license renewal checklist.
Licensed in several states?
CGuardPro keeps each officer’s documents with their expiry dates and raises the ones coming due, so a lapsing credential shows up before the shift, not in the client’s audit. Trusted by 600+ security companies worldwide.