Applying for a new private security licence or registration

You will require this licence if you intend to perform any of the following private security activities:

• investigator
• bodyguard
• crowd controller
• security guard
• private security trainer

Read more about private security activities.

You may apply for a licence covering one or more of the above activities. Each of the above activities has a number of different sub-categories. Applicants must state which activities they are applying for.

A private security business may employ others to carry on one or more activities of the following security activities:

• acting as an investigator
• acting as a bodyguard
• acting as a crowd controller
• acting as a security guard (and sub-activities)
• acting as a private security trainer

Included with your application must be:

• Standard operating procedures
• Public liability insurance certificates
• Current membership of security industry
• Detailed resume or certificate from an approved training course

Read more about private security activities.

You will require this registration if you intend to operate as a private security professional that offers the following services:

• security adviser (employed or retained to provide advice in relation to security equipment or security methods or principles)
• security equipment installer (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 and 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

Read more about private security activities.

You will require this registration if you intend to operate a business that provides the following types of private security services:

• security adviser (employed or retained to provide advice in relation to security equipment or security methods or principles)
• security equipment installer (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 and 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

Your business must only offer these services through individuals who are licensed to act as security advisers or equipment installers. Registration authorises you to access and collect sensitive information about the personal and security arrangements of your clients.

Read more on private security activities.

If you are applying for a private security business licence, you must be able to demonstrate competency in the activities you wish to cover. It is only then that your application may be approved.

An applicant for a private security business licence can demonstrate that they meet the competency requirements by providing:

• Evidence of membership to an approved Security Industry Organisation; or
• A current CPP40707 Certificate IV in Security and Risk Management or CPP40719 Certificate IV in Security Management. Note: The issuing training organisation must be registered with the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) or the Victorian Registration & Qualifications Authority (VRQA).

Business applicants may also have to provide:

• Personal Information Forms for relevant people connected to the business.
• Certified National Police Record Checks Certificates for all relevant people connected to the business (licence applications only).
• Standard operating procedures.
• Business plans.
• Evidence of Public Liability Insurance in the form of a certificate of currency from your insurance provider, showing coverage for the activities and sub-activities applied for.
• Evidence of financial viability including a declaration by a chartered accountant verifying the financial viability of the business.
• Evidence of understanding of employer responsibilities.
• Newspaper advertisement indicating your intent to apply for a business licence/registration. Wording should be as follows:

"[Insert your Business Name] of [Insert your Business Address] has made an application to the Licensing and Regulation Division for a Private Security Business [insert Licence or Registration] to provide the services of [insert activities applied for]. Any person wishing to object to the granting of the licence has 14 days from the date of this advertisement to lodge an objection in writing to Licensing and Regulation Division, GPO Box 2807, Melbourne VIC 3001."

• Official documentation including a Certificate of Registration of a Company, proof of appointment of directors (Current and Historical ASIC extract), a current Certificate of Registration of a Business from Australian Securities & Investments Commission for any trading names that your company/business will operate under.

‘Guarding with a dog’ business applicants must also be able to provide:

• Details of the person within the business responsible for direct management of this activity (including full name and date of birth).
• Deployment or reasons for provision of dog handlers (to ensure only a guarding/protection role and not crowd control).
• Standard operating procedures and/or detailed information covering the following: type and number of dogs, selection, training, kennelling, registration, veterinary care, transportation and record keeping of dogs, staff training, use of force policies, procedures and record keeping of security staff, on-going testing of the handler and the dog to ensure public safety.
• A copy of the business insurance policy which references the use of dogs.
• A declaration by the applicant of the understanding of risk of prosecution under cruelty to animals or domestic animals legislation should the business fail to meet standards.
• A comprehensive resume and statement of results relevant to Guard with Dog Certificate III.

Firearms and private security

All applicants who do not hold a current firearm, private security or prohibited weapons licence/registration/approval must supply 100 points of certified copies of identification with a new application. This must comprise of:

• at least one primary identification document. e.g. passport or birth certificates and;
• multiple secondary identification documents (one of these must include your residential address).

Handgun ownership and storage requirements

Handguns used in the private security industry must be registered to a cash-in-transit or armed guard security business.

Employees may not register a handgun against their individual firearm licence unless they hold the licence for an additional reason, such as sport/target shooting. In those cases those firearm may not, under any circumstances, be used for employment purposes.

Employers are responsible for storage and the day-to-day management of firearms possessed under the licence.

Employees may not keep a firearm at home for work purposes unless required to do so by the employer and specific authorisation has been granted by the Licensing and Regulation Division. Contact us for more information about how to apply for a keep at home endorsement.

Fingerprinting

Private Security licences require a full set of fingerprints to be taken as a part of the application process.

You can find more information on the fingerprinting process and how to arrange an appointment on Book a fingerprinting appointment.

Note:

• A full set of fingerprints taken for the purpose of obtaining a private security licence will expire after six months. Please submit your private security licence application within six months or a new full set of fingerprints will need to be taken at your expense. 
• If you are applying for a Private Security Licence at the same time as applying for a general category Handgun Licence, Armed Guard or Cash-in-Transit licence, it is recommended that you advise the customer service officer of this requirement so that two sets of fingerprints can be taken at the same time for the one fee.
• The national police record check must be received, processed and issued by Victoria Police. If this application is issued by another jurisdiction, the Australian Federal Police, or another organisation, your fingerprints will not be recorded with Victoria Police and will not be accepted.

References

You are required to supply an identification reference from an acceptable referee as well as two suitability references.

An acceptable referee for an identification reference must be someone who:

• has known you for at least 12 months and;
• is not related to you by either birth or marriage.

The person who provides your identification reference must be the same person who certifies your 100 points of identification.

Read more about acceptable referees.

The suitability references must be completed using the Suitability Reference form.

Certified documents

A certified document is a copy of a document or record signed and certified as a true copy of an original by an authorised person. The person certifying a document must sight a copy of the original at the time they are certifying the copy.

Certification should be made on the same side as the copy of the document being certified (not on the back of the copy).

Medical history

If you answer 'Yes' to any of the medical history questions in your application you must also provide a medical report from your treating doctor supporting your suitability to hold a private security licence or registration and be possibly in possession of firearms.

Information about what details your health care professional will need to provide is available in this guide.

Each financial year, the holder of a firearm licence issued for security guard or prison guard purposes must re-qualify at an approved industry specific firearms training course.

All licence holders have a common qualification expiry date of 30 June each year. The current approved security industry specific firearms training unit of competency is Control Security Risk Situation Using Firearms CPPSEC3114.

Licence holders should be aware that:

• once the licence holder has successfully completed the re-qualification course a copy of the certificate must be submitted to the Licensing and Regulation Division
• it is the responsibility of each licence holder to ensure that a certificate has been submitted. Licence holders should not rely on, or assume that their employer or training provider will take responsibility for providing this documentation within the required time frames.

Failure to complete re-qualification requirement by the end of each financial year (30 June) means that:

• a firearm licence could be suspended
• even if a valid private security licence is held, the suspended licence holder cannot handle those firearms in the course of their duties

In circumstances where a licence holder may not be able to complete re-qualification by June 30, they must email the Licensing and Regulation Division before this date.