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SIA licensing guide
Get SIA licensed: a clear route from first idea to application
Moving into licensed security work in the UK is easier when you know the order of things. This guide explains SIA licensing, how to choose a role, and the steps from SIA security training to application.
6step journey
3role pathways compared
1regulator: the SIA
Understanding SIA licensing
What is an SIA licence?
UK private security is regulated. Here are the three things people often mix up.
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The regulator
Security Industry Authority
Sets the standards, decides who can hold a licence and publishes the official guidance.
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The licence
Permission for an activity
Each type of security work, such as door supervision, has its own licence.
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The training
Evidence you are ready
For many licences you prove competence with an approved qualification from a provider such as SGS.
Always confirm with the SIA. Rules, fees and requirements can change. This page is a friendly guide, not an official source.
Who may need one
The UK private security context
People who carry out certain security activities for others may need a licence. These are the ones learners ask about most.
- 01Door supervision
- 02Security guarding
- 03CCTV public-space surveillance
- 04Key holding
- 05Close protection
- 06Cash and valuables in transit
Not sure? Ask the SIA or your prospective employer before you start. An in-house role and a contracted role can be treated differently, so do not assume.
Choosing the right security role
Pick the work first, then the training
Licences and courses are role-specific, so the best first decision is the kind of work you want to do. Here is how three common pathways compare.
Door Supervisor
Controlling entry and keeping people safe at venues.
- Where you might work
- Bars, clubs, music venues, festivals and events.
- Typical focus
- Managing queues and capacity, checking entry conditions, spotting risk and defusing tension before it escalates.
- Worth thinking about
- Evening and weekend shifts, long periods on your feet and staying calm with the public.
Security Guard
Protecting people, property and premises on a site.
- Where you might work
- Retail, offices, construction sites, warehouses, hospitals and residential developments.
- Typical focus
- Patrols, access control, incident reporting and responding to alarms or concerns.
- Worth thinking about
- Regular site-based shifts, a wide choice of employers and clear routes to supervisory roles.
CCTV Operator
Watching over places through cameras and control rooms.
- Where you might work
- Control rooms, town centres, shopping centres and transport hubs.
- Typical focus
- Monitoring screens, logging incidents, using radios and guiding colleagues on the ground.
- Worth thinking about
- Sustained concentration, mostly seated work and shift patterns that can include nights.
Not sure yet? Compare the descriptions, then talk to SGS about your circumstances. Other regulated roles exist, and the SIA lists them all.
Your training and licensing journey
Six steps, one at a time
Select a step, or use the buttons, to see what it involves and what to double-check with official sources.
Identify your intended security role
Decide which kind of work you are aiming for. Licences relate to activities, so this choice shapes everything that follows.
- Picture a typical shift in each role
- Think about location, hours and progression
- Speak to people already doing the job
Check the relevant training pathway
Each role has its own approved pathway. Confirm which qualification applies today and whether anything extra is expected, for example first aid for some roles.
- Look up the current requirements on official sources
- Ask your training centre what the course includes
- Compare dates, formats and locations
Complete the required training
Attend your course and complete the assessments. Assessment formats depend on the qualification, so ask your provider what to expect.
- Arrive on time with the ID your provider asks for
- Make notes and ask questions while you are there
- Keep every certificate and confirmation you are given
Prepare the information and documents
Gather what you will need before you start the application so it is not rushed. Having everything to hand also reduces avoidable mistakes.
- Identity documents in the formats the SIA accepts
- Your address history and personal details
- A suitable photograph and a payment method
Make the appropriate application
Apply through the SIA’s official service for the correct licence type. Answer every question honestly and check details carefully before you submit.
- Only use the official SIA service
- Pay the fee set by the SIA directly to it
- Keep a copy of your reference details
Follow the relevant SIA process
After you apply, the SIA carries out its own checks and makes its decision. Timescales vary, so plan your work and finances around that.
- Track your application through official channels
- Respond promptly if the SIA asks for more information
- Diarise your licence renewal date once issued
Step 1 of 6
Getting ready
Preparing for the process
A little preparation takes the stress out of applying. Use this as a personal prompt list and tick items off as you go.
After training
Sensible next steps once your course is complete
Finishing your course is a milestone, not the finish line. These are the habits that keep your pathway moving towards a security licence in the UK.
Apply and keep track
Apply through the official SIA service, keep your reference details and watch for any request for more information.
Licence checker →Plan to stay current
Note your renewal date, and look at refresher training when it is relevant to your licence type.
Refresher training →SIA licensing FAQ
Questions people ask before they apply
It is a licence issued by the Security Industry Authority (SIA), the UK regulator for the private security industry, that allows a person to carry out certain regulated security activities. It is tied to a specific activity, such as door supervision or security guarding, rather than to a particular employer.
In general, people who work in certain private security roles, for example on doors, as security guards or monitoring public-space CCTV, may need one. Whether a specific job is licensable depends on the activity, how the work is arranged and where in the UK it is carried out, so confirm the position with the SIA or your employer before you start.
Licence-linked roles normally have an approved qualification pathway, and some ask for additional qualifications as well. The exact requirements can change and depend on the role and your circumstances, so check the SIA’s current guidance and your training centre before you book.
Start with the work you want to do, then match it to the training pathway for that role. Think about the environments, the shift patterns and whether you want to progress later. Our role comparison and the course pages explain the day-to-day differences.
Typically you will want your training evidence, identity documents, your address history and a suitable photograph, plus a payment method for the fee set by the SIA. The SIA publishes the current list of what it accepts, so read it before you begin. Use the checklist on this page as a prompt, not an official list.
Once you have your results and certificate details, you apply through the SIA’s official service and then follow its process. Timescales can vary, so do not arrange work around a licence you have not yet received. Keep your records safe and diarise any renewal date.
Yes. Tell us the kind of work you are aiming for and we can point you to the relevant SGS course page and explain how the pathway fits together. For licence rules and eligibility, the SIA is always the authority, and we will direct you there. Contact SGS to start the conversation.
Validity periods and fees are set by the SIA and can change, so we do not quote them here. The SIA’s website shows the current fee and how long a licence of each type normally lasts, and it is where you should confirm both.
Working in a licensable role without the right authorisation can be an offence, so check carefully before starting any paid security work. Ask the SIA or your employer to confirm what is permitted in your situation rather than assuming.
Ready to choose your pathway?
Tell us the kind of security work you want to do and we will help you find the training that matches it, then point you to the official steps that follow.