Private security

The Licensing and Regulation Division of Victoria Police regulates the private security industry in Victoria.

To learn more about private security legislation, you can access the Private Security Act 2004. You can also view our most recent Statement of Expectations, privacy statements and compliance principles on our Licensing and Regulation Division page.

Private security licence fees can be found on our Service fees and penalties page.

Bushfire relief amnesty

Victoria Police recognises the impact that the Victorian bushfires have had on firearm, weapon and private security licence holders.

A bushfire relief amnesty is in place for those who have been injured, displaced or otherwise directly affected by the 2026 bushfires.

The amnesty provides temporary regulatory relief from certain notification, expiry and training requirements. Eligible licence, registration and authority holders can apply for the amnesty.

Ongoing obligations, including safe and secure storage requirements, continue to apply.

To be considered for the amnesty, complete and submit the Bushfire relief notification form.

Bushfire relief notification form - Firearms, security and weapons - Amnesty 2026

PDF 266.88 KB

The form is a fillable PDF and should be returned as soon as possible. Email the completed form to lrd@police.vic.gov.au.

This bushfire relief amnesty operates separately from the permanent national firearms amnesty.

Status of current applications

For application processing updates and approval time frames, please review the Status of current applications.

Last updated 12 January 2026

Application type	Processing applications submitted
New private security licence/registration applications	10 October 2025
Private security licence/registration renewals	13 November 2025
Mutual recognition applications	20 November 2025
Applications to vary	08 December 2025
Private security business licence applications	20 November 2025
Private security business renewals	19 November 2025

Please note that the application processing times outlined above are indicative only. Complex applications, or those with suitability concerns, may take longer to process. In addition, private security business licence applications require thorough review before approval.

Registration transition application forms are processed by prioritising those closest to their registration expiry date. For more information, please visit Changes to private security licences and registrations(opens in a new window).

Changes to private security licences and registrations

From 19 June 2025, most changes under the Private Security and County Court Amendment Act 2024 (the Act) came into place.

This means all private security activities are licensed activities, and there are additional requirements for existing licence holders.

Please visit Changes to private security licences and registrations for the latest information about the changes.

Public register for register of licence, registration and permit holders

The public register for Register of Licence, Registration and Permit Holders allows businesses and individuals to ensure that their employees are appropriately licensed.

All current holders of a Victorian private security individual or business licence or registration will appear on the Victoria Police public register, regardless of the documented expiry date. Sections 36 (4) and 92 (4) of the Private Security Act 2004, allow that a licence or registration, in respect of a renewal application, is deemed to continue in force, after the expiry of the licence period, until the Chief Commissioner makes a decision in relation to the application.

Please note: During the transition to licences, some registrations will continue to be valid until 19 June 2026.

Ability to work while you wait for your plastic licence

Under sections 36(4) and 92(4) of the Private Security Act 2004, if you are renewing your private security licence, you can still continue to work while awaiting your licence renewal to be processed and finalised.

You or your employer can check the validity of your licence by checking the public register of licence, registration and permit holders.

If you have completed your renewal application and are still waiting to receive your new plastic licence card you should carry your expired licence together with your receipted payment notice.

Private security licence activities

There are a number of activities and security guard sub-activities you can undertake under a private security licence. Private security licence activities and their definitions are outlined below.

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:
Unarmed guard
An unarmed guard is a person who is employed or retained to protect, watch or guard any property while unarmed.
Armed guard
An armed guard is a person who is employed or retained to protect, watch or guard any property while being armed with a firearm.
Cash-in-transit guard
A cash-in-transit guard is a person employed to collect, transfer and/or deliver cash or other valuables while being armed with a firearm.
WorkSafe has developed some practical occupational health and safety guides for cash-in-transit operators which may be helpful to those working in the industry: Cash-in-transit: A guide to managing OHS in the cash-in-transit industry(opens in a new window)
Control room operator
A control room operator monitors activity – via CCTV monitors or similar means – and may be required to respond in person and/or conduct guarding duties such as patrolling. A control room is usually on site but may be off site as part of a remote-monitoring centre.
Monitoring centre operator
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.
Guard with a dog
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 Agriculture Victoria(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).
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)
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.
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’.

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).

Firearm licensing for security guards

People performing duties as an armed guard or cash-in-transit firearm must be the holder of a current firearms licence in addition to their private security licence.

The following types of handguns are suitable for work in the private security industry:
- semi-automatic pistols 9mm and .40 calibres
- revolvers .38 calibre and .357 magnum calibres
There are restrictions about the type of ammunition permitted for use in handguns used in the private security industry. Only manufacturer recommended ammunition should be used in these handguns.
All other types of ammunition are not permitted, unless they are solely used for training purposes.
Victoria Police determines that there are no exceptional or legitimate circumstances for the carriage of handguns or ammunition outside of these specifications for use in the private security industry.
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.
Each financial year (July 1 to June 30) 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 CPPSEC3114 - Control Security Risk Situations Using Firearms.
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 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 notify Licensing and Regulation Division in writing before this date.
When a licence holder completes handgun re-qualification training after the expiry date of 30 June, their re-qualification document will be backdated for that financial year. This however, does not cover the licence holder’s re-qualification training for the new financial year. It is the sole responsibility of the licence holder to ensure re-qualification is undertaken annually within the financial year. Failure to comply with the re-qualification requirement by the end of each financial year (30 June) may result in the immediate suspension of the firearms licence under Section 47 of the Firearms Act 1996.
All firearm applications are subject to a mandatory waiting period of 28 days.
Anyone wishing to apply for general category handgun licence for the purpose of working as a security guard must:
- hold a private security licence with the activity of armed guard and/or cash-in-transit
- a letter of employment from an approved cash-in-transit and/or armed guard employer
- evidence that training competency relating to firearm-handling was attained within 12 months of your application for a handgun licence
- have had fingerprints taken (in addition to a set of fingerprints required for your private security licence)
Applicants for a private security licence for the purpose of armed guard and/or cash-in-transit are strongly advised to submit their applications for a private security licence and firearm licence at the same time if possible.
Applicants should also state the two reasons (private security and firearms licensing) on their fingerprint application form.
Taking these actions will minimise waiting times and avoid the need to provide evidence twice and pay multiple fees for the taking of fingerprints.

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Updated 14 January 2026