Private security licence activities

There are a number of activities and security guard sub-activities you can undertake under a private security licence.

Security guards

A security guard is a person who is employed or retained to protect, watch or guard any property by any means including:

by patrolling the property in person
by monitoring the property via closed circuit television (CCTV), a closed monitoring system, radio or other similar alarm device

A security guard may be licensed to perform up to six-sub activities. Each sub-activity requires training qualifications and a person may be licensed for more than one sub-activity depending on their training.

For more information on the qualification requirements for each security guard sub-activity, you can read our guide.

Security guard sub-activities are defined below:

A monitoring centre operator is employed to work in a centre monitoring intruder alarm systems. A monitoring centre operator may be required to interpret signals from alarms transmitted to the centre and take appropriate action, or relay and receive situation reports to and from other personnel.
Monitoring centre operators do not:
- conduct patrols
- routinely leave the monitoring centre to respond to a situation, or
- conduct, supervise or coordinate other personnel activities.
A person employed to protect, watch or guard any property may patrol with a dog. They can’t be used for any other security licence activity such as crowd control.
Note: Commercial yard dogs that are left on their own at premises as a deterrent are not regulated by Victoria Police.
The Licensing and Regulation Division does not provide information about animal training. Information regarding dog training and industry laws and standards can be found via AgricultureVictoria(opens in a new window).
It is a condition of any security guard licence endorsed for guard with dog that any dogs used for security purposes are trained to the minimum obedience level as defined by the Domestic Animals Regulations 2015.
The breed of dog must be in accordance with the Code of Practice for the operation of dog training establishments(opens in a new window).

Crowd controllers

A crowd controller is a person who is employed or retained to maintain order at any public place by doing any of the following:

screening entry into a premises
monitoring or controlling behaviour in a premises
removing any person from a premises

Crowd controllers may otherwise be engaged in maintaining order in any such place, unless that person is doing nothing more than securing or:

checking that persons allowed admission
have paid to be admitted, or
have invitations or passes allowing for admission.

WorkSafe has developed some practical occupational health and safety guides for crowd controllers a which may be helpful to those working in the industry: Crowd control at venues and events: A practical occupational health and safety guide.(opens in a new window)

Bodyguards

A bodyguard is a person who is employed or retained to provide a close personal protection service.

Temporary overseas bodyguard permits can be obtained by submitting a temporary overseas bodyguard visitor permit.

Temporary overseas bodyguard permit

PDF 116.96 KB

Investigators

An investigator is a person who, on behalf of another person, is employed or retained to obtain and provide information regarding the personal character, actions or location of any person.

This includes investigations in the following areas: fraud and risk management, aviation accidents and losses, marine losses, occupational health and safety, family law, criminal law, consumer law, and intellectual property.

Security equipment installers

A security equipment installer is a person who is employed or retained to install, repair, service or maintain security equipment.

Security equipment includes:

security camera or audio systems
security audio or visual recording systems
security alarms or alarm monitoring systems
safes and vaults
security intrusion detectors including motion, infra-red, microwave or contact detectors
electric, electro-mechanical, magnetic, or biometric access control devices, but not including stock, inventory or product loss prevention monitoring devices.

Security advisers

A security adviser is a person who is employed or retained to provide advice in relation to security equipment, security methods or principles.

New abbreviated titles on private security licences

Due to recent changes to private security licensing requirements, some private security licences issued from August 2025 onwards will display abbreviated titles for some activities on the plastic licence card and on the Register of Licence, Registration and Permit Holders.

For example, the activity of ‘crowd controller’ may be shown as ‘Crowd Controller’ or as ‘Crowd Ctrl’, depending on the other activities on the licence.

The new abbreviations are:

Private Security Act 2004 - Section 3 Definitions	Abbreviated Version(s)
Crowd Controller	Crowd Ctrl
Security Adviser	Sec Adviser or Adviser
Security Equipment Installer	Sec Equipment Installer or Installer
Private Security Trainer	PS Trainer

Note: The security activities of ‘bodyguard’, ‘investigator’ and ‘security guard’ will not be abbreviated.

To check which activities a licence holder is eligible to perform, refer to the Register of Licence, Registration and Permit Holders(opens in a new window).