Businesses and their employees must hold a security agent's licence when undertaking:
- crowd or venue control work
- installing and maintaining security systems
- guarding property or people
- security systems sales and advice
Some professions don't need a licence, such as law enforcement officers and legal practitioners.
If you'll be training people to be licensed agents, you must add security agent trainer to your licence application.
Licence categories for security and investigation agents (107KB PDF)
You must have a security agent licence before you can apply for a H6 firearms licence through South Australia Police.
Sole traders, partners and companies (including directors) can apply, unless you have legal restrictions on your work or business, such as bankruptcy, financial receivership, suspended or disqualified trade licence.
You can't apply if you were a director of a company that was wound up to benefit creditors in the last five years, including if you were a director six months before winding-up started.
What you'll need
Check you have the right knowledge and experience to apply for a security or investigation agents licence.
Business criteria for security and investigation agents (308KB PDF)
There are a number of places that offer training for the security industry.
Companies must have a manager who holds a relevant licence, or more than one manager if their combined licences cover all the company's licence conditions.
Finances
Sole traders, partners in a business and companies must have at least $10,000 in net assets.
You can apply for a restricted licence to work with a licensed business partner if you don’t have all the knowledge and qualifications.
Fees
Individual - employee, employee under supervision or security industry trainer | $961.00 |
| $669.50 |
Individual -business | $1,376.00 |
| $1,084.50 |
Body corporate (company) | $1,978.00 |
Application for alteration to conditions | $354.00 |
Personal information declaration
Security agents / all company directors must complete a personal information declaration (PID) form (316KB PDF) if one hasn't been provided for another current licence.
People who have lived overseas in the last two years must provide a police certificate from the country where you lived, and a copy of your passport. If the overseas country does not issue a police certificate, complete a statutory declaration.
Offences and convictions
You may not be able to register if one of the directors has been found guilty of::
- Category A offence - serious (indictable) offences.
- Category B offence - summary offences including drug possession, firearms offences, basic assault and offences of dishonesty.
Refer to offences and convictions for detail about these types of offences and penalties that are considered.
What happens next
As part of the application process, South Australia Police will contact you to arrange fingerprinting. South Australia Police will contact you using the email address provided on your application.
Check the CBS website for application processing times.
Digital licences
You can download your licence or registration to an Apple or Android smartphone or tablet using the mySAGOV app.
Once registered in the app, press the '+' button in the top right corner, select your 'occupational licence' type, then enter the licence/registration number requested along with your client ID.
Your client ID can be found in the Consumer and Business Services licence register.
Hard copy licences will still be issued and it's a good idea to carry these with you until digital licences become widely accepted.
