BUSINESS, CONSUMER SERVICES AND HOUSING AGENCY • GAVIN NEWSOM, GOVERNOR

DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS

BUREAU OF SECURITY AND INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES
P.O. Box 989002, West Sacramento, CA 95798-9002
P (916) 322-4000 | P (800) 952-5210 | F (916) 575-7290 | www.bsis.ca.gov

Security Guard Registration

FACTSHEET
Requirements for Registration
Security guards are employed by licensed Private Patrol Operators or private
security employers to protect persons or property or prevent theft as defined in
Business and Professions Code (BPC) Section 7582.1. To be eligible to apply for
a security guard registration through the Bureau of Security and Investigative
Service (BSIS or Bureau), you must:
• Be at least 18 years old (BPC Section 7582.8)
• Undergo a criminal history background check through the California
Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
(BPC Sections 7581 and 7583.9) and
• Complete the Power to Arrest training (see “Training Requirements” below)

Fees (Title 16, California Code of Regulations (CCR) Section 640)

Visit https://www.bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/newfees.pdf to view the Bureau’s fees.

Criminal History Background Check/Live Scan

Applicants for a BSIS Security Guard Registration must undergo a criminal history
background check through the FBI and DOJ. Applicants should use the Security
Guard Request for Live Scan Service form, which is available on the Bureau’s
website at http://www.bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/livescan/guard.pdf. The Security
Guard Request for Live Scan Form contains the correct coding needed to ensure
the Bureau receives the information in a timely manner- failure to Live Scan with
the correct form will delay the processing of your application. Applicants are
responsible for paying all Live Scan, DOJ and FBI processing fees at the time
of fingerprinting. To locate the nearest Live Scan site, visit
https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/locations.

Training Requirements
• The power to arrest training must be completed prior to the issuance of a
Security Guard Registration (BPC Sections 7583.6 and 7583.7).
NOTE: A security guard registrant who is unable to provide their employing
licensee the certificate of satisfactory completion of the power to arrest
training shall complete the training within six months of the registrant’s
employment date.
• The thirty-two (32) hours of training in security officer skills must be
completed within the first six (6) months of registration.
 NOTE: A security guard registrant who is unable to provide their employing
PPO the certificates of satisfactory completion of the security officer skills
training shall complete 16 hours of the training within 30 days of the
registrant’s employment date and shall complete the 16 remaining hours
within six months of the registrant’s employment date.
• Eight (8) hours of continuing training must be completed annually (BPC
7583.6 and California Code of Regulations (CCR) Section 643).
• The training may be administered by a Private Patrol Operator, a Bureau-
certified training facility, or by a Bureau-approved course provider.

All registered security guards are required to maintain their certificate

of completion of their required training until the registration expires or has
been canceled (BPC 7583.6). Employers are required to maintain records
for the duration of the registrant’s employment.

Submitting an Initial Application for a Security Guard Registration

Online Application
Applicants may apply for security guard registration online via BreEZe. The
Bureau recommends submitting your application online in BreEZe as it
bypasses the Cashiering Office and can reduce application processing by up
to two weeks. To create an account, pay the application fee via credit card,
and submit your application online, visit https://www.breeze.ca.gov/.

Paper Application
Applicants may also submit their completed Application for Security Guard
Registration and application fee by mail to the Bureau. You can access the
application at https://www.bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/gappnew.pdf and view the
application fee by visiting https://www.bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/newfees.pdf.

Mail the completed application and fee to:

Bureau of Security and Investigative Services
P.O. Box 989002
West Sacramento, CA 95798-9002

*Out-of-state applicants that do not have access to a Live Scan site may submit
fingerprint hard cards. For additional information, please visit the Bureau’s website
at: https://www.bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/livescan/fpcard_instructions.pdf.

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 Application Processing

Please allow approximately 4-6 weeks for applications to be processed.

Processing times may be longer depending on the time it takes for the Bureau
to receive responses from the DOJ and FBI and make the necessary
determinations required by law. To view the Bureau’s current initial application
processing timelines, please visit:
https://www.bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/app_processing_timeframes.shtml

Verification of Security Guard Registration

Once the Bureau has processed the application and issued the registration,
the applicant’s security guard registration will be available to view on the “Verify
a License” page at “Verify a License” page at:
https://www.bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/online_services/verify_license.shtml

Working with a Web Print-Out

A security guard must possess a valid and current security guard registration
card on his or her person while on-duty (BPC Section 7583.3); however a
person may work as a security guard pending receipt of their hard-copy
security guard registration card if he or she has been approved by the Bureau
and carries on his or her person a hardcopy printout of the Bureau’s approval
from the Bureau’s website and valid picture identification (BPC Section
7583.17). Registrants should receive their registration card via US Mail within
approximately 3 weeks from the time the Bureau issues the registration.

Additional BSIS License Types to be Used with a Security Guard

Registration
Firearms Permit
For information on obtaining a BSIS exposed firearms permit, please review
The Bureau’s “Firearms Permit Fact Sheet” at:
http://www.bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/fire_fact.shtml

Tear Gas Permit

BPC Section 7583.35 requires all licensees or registrants wishing to carry tear
gas while on duty to complete a training course pursuant to Penal Code
Section 22835. Some Bureau-approved training facilities may provide tear gas
training. For information on Bureau-approved training facilities, visit the “Verify
a License” page at:

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 https://www.bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/online_services/verify_license.shtml.
You should contact the facility to confirm whether it provides the training before
showing up.

Baton Permit
BPC Section 7584.1 requires anyone who carries a baton while on duty to be
a registered security guard and to complete a baton training course from a
Bureau- approved Baton Training Facility. For information on Bureau-
approved training facilities, visit the “Verify a License” page available on the
Bureau’s website at:
https://www.bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/online_services/verify_license.shtml

Renewing a Guard Registration

It is important that guard registrants keep a current and valid address on file with
the Bureau at all times to help ensure they receive their renewal notices. The
Bureau automatically mails a registrant his/her registration renewal form
approximately 90 days before the registration is set to expire to their address of
record. By law, a registrant must submit the completed renewal application or
coupon at least 60 days prior to expiration to provide the Bureau sufficient time to
process the renewal. If a guard does not receive the Bureau-issued renewal
coupon, he/she can submit a completed Security Guard Registration Renewal
Application along with the applicable renewal fee. You can access the renewal
application at http://www.bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/renapp_sec.pdf and view the
renewal fee at https://www.bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/newfees.pdf.

You may also renew a Security Guard registration online using BreEZe, which
bypasses the Cashiering Office, can reduce application processing time by up to
two weeks, and updates your registration in real-time. To create a BreEZe
account, pay the renewal fee with a credit card, and submit your application
online, visit https://www.breeze.ca.gov/.

NOTE: Guard registrations not renewed within 60 days of expiration are canceled
and cannot be renewed (BPC Section 7583.20). If you fail to submit your renewal
application, regardless of whether or not the Bureau sends you a renewal
application, including payment of all required fees, before the 60th day after your
registration expires, your registration will be canceled, and you will have to apply for
a new guard registration. Submission of a renewal application after the registration
expires, but before the 60 days has lapsed, requires the payment of a delinquency
fee in addition to the renewal fee.

Additional information can be found on the Bureau’s website at www.bsis.ca.gov.

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