It is a legal requirement for you to be Licenced to work in the Private Security Industry. Here you will learn what training you need and how you can apply for your SIA licence and work legally as either one of the following.

Close Protection, Door Supervisor, Security Officer, CCTV Operator

Who can apply for a SIA licence?

You can apply for a SIA Licence if:

• You are over 18 years old
• You have completed the SIA training qualification
• You have documents to prove your identity
• You have the right to work in the uk

1. PASS YOUR COURSES

Depending upon which SIA Licence you need, it may take around 7 days of training to complete your courses. Each course will be assessed by either multiple-choice exams, practical assessments or a mixture of both.

For Door Supervisor and Security Officer Licences, you will also need to complete a First-Aid qualification or have an in-date First-Aid certificate (12 months before expiry) before attending your SIA Licence-linked training course.

2. COMPLETE THE SIA LICENCE APPLICATION

Once you have completed your training the next step is to register an account with the SIA on their website (if you don’t have one already) and complete the SIA Licence Application.

NOTE: Use the same personal details you gave to your training provider when you confirmed your identity with them. That includes the email address you used as well as you home address, Firstname, Surname, etc.

The cost of the SIA licence application is £190 (If you already have an SIA licence the cost for the second one is reduced by 50%). The SIA will then process your SIA Licence application and get back to you within 25 working days. In rare cases, it can take up to 6 weeks depending on your personal circumstances. You can review their timescale indicator here

Timescale Indicator

3. COMPLETE IDENTITY CHECKS

You will need to provide documents that prove you are who you say you are. These will be checked by the Training company as part of your course administration. It will also be checked as part of your SIA Licence application at a Post Office.

4. SUBMIT YOUR SIA APPLICATION

The SIA will verify your identity and run a background check on your criminal record. If you have lived abroad for 6 months or more, you may be required to provide some supporting evidence. If you live in Northern Ireland you will receive further instructions on applying for your criminal record checks through AccessNI. If you do have a criminal record you may still be granted a SIA Licence. You can use the SIA’s Criminal Record Indicator as a guide to see whether a SIA Licence will be issued.

Criminal Record Indicator

5. SIA LICENCE GRANTED

Once the SIA has completed their checks, they will send a letter informing you that your licence has been granted. The SIA will then send you your licence shortly afterwards. As soon as you have your letter with your SIA licence number you may be employed within a licensable role. You will need to keep a copy of the letter on you at all times while at work.