England and Wales, and what changes
This guide follows GOV.UK and SIA pages as they stood on 24 October 2026. The fee changed on 1 April 2026. The SIA has just closed a consultation that says some people would need to do more training. The outcome is not published yet. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules, so this guide does not cover them. It is not legal advice.
The short version
- Three front line licences: door supervision, security guarding and public space surveillance (CCTV). Each needs a licence-linked qualification before you can apply.
- First aid first. Door supervisors and security guards need a first aid qualification before the training starts.
- The fee is £204 for one licence, paid to the SIA, and it is not refundable. A licence lasts 3 years.
- Checks: identity, criminal record and, in most cases, right to work.
- Timing: the SIA cannot say exactly how long an application takes.
- Renewal: door supervisors and security guards need a refresher qualification.
Which licence you need
GOV.UK says you need a licence if you do a licensable activity under a contract for services. Door supervision at licensed premises needs one even in-house. Unpaid volunteers and people who only check tickets do not need one.
| Detail | Door supervisor | Security guard | CCTV operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it covers | Guarding licensed premises against damage, theft, unauthorised access or disorderly behaviour | Guarding premises or property against the same. It does not cover using CCTV for that | Using CCTV to identify people or monitor what they do, to prevent disorder or damage or protect people |
| Qualification | Level 2 Award for Working as a Door Supervisor in the Private Security Industry | Level 2 Award for Working as a Security Officer in the Private Security Industry | Level 2 Award for Working as a CCTV Operator (Public Space Surveillance) within the Private Security Industry |
| Multiple-choice papers | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Minimum training | 6 days if self-study is evidenced, otherwise 52 hours over 7 days | 4 days if self-study is evidenced, otherwise 38 hours over 5 days | 3 days if self-study is evidenced, otherwise 4 days |
| First aid before training | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| Refresher at renewal | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
The training
Approved training centres run the courses. An awarding organisation sets and marks the exams. GOV.UK lists six for the current qualifications: Highfield Qualifications, Laser Learning Awards, NOCN, Pearson, QNUK and SFJ Awards. The SIA says it will not accept qualifications granted by BIIAB on or after 11 August 2026. It still accepts earlier ones.
Each qualification has knowledge units with an externally set multiple-choice paper, plus practical assessments marked by the centre. The first unit, Principles of Working in the Private Security Industry, is common to all three: 72 questions in 110 minutes, pass mark 70 per cent. Door supervisors also sit papers on the role (50 questions), conflict management (20) and physical intervention (30, pass mark 80 per cent). Security guards sit a 60-question role paper and conflict management. CCTV operators sit a 40-question role paper. These figures come from a document last updated in April 2022, so check them with your centre.
Other rules in that document:
- You must be 18 to hold a licence. People aged 16 and 17 can enrol in the security guard and CCTV qualifications, but not door supervisor.
- The centre must make sure every learner is competent in English or Welsh.
- To apply for the first time, you must have got your qualification less than 3 years ago.
First aid. Door supervisors and security guards need an Emergency First Aid at Work qualification, or equivalent, before taking the training. GOV.UK says it must be valid for at least another 12 months. The April 2022 document says CCTV learners need no first aid qualification, and the current GOV.UK training page lists none.
The fee and how long a licence lasts
GOV.UK says it costs £204 to apply for one licence. Each extra licence in the same application costs £102. The SIA must receive full payment before it processes the application and does not take instalments. The fee is not refunded in any situation, even if the application is cancelled because of wrong information. Your employer can pay it if you link your SIA online account to theirs.
All these licences last 3 years.
How to apply
- Create an SIA online account.
- Complete and submit the application form. It has 9 sections. Section 1 asks for consent to identity and criminal record checks. Section 9 is a declaration. You cannot change the information once submitted.
- Follow the “next steps” message. In the UK it usually sends you to a Post Office, which checks your documents, takes your photo and often takes payment.
You cannot submit a front line application without the right qualification.
What the SIA checks
- Identity. You need 1 Group A document, such as a signed, valid passport or a UK photocard driving licence, and 2 Group B documents, such as a recent utility bill or bank statement. One Group B document must show your current address. Photocopies and internet printouts are not accepted.
- Criminal record. The SIA asks the Disclosure and Barring Service, Disclosure Scotland or AccessNI, depending on where you have lived in the last 5 years. It considers spent convictions too. A conviction is not an automatic bar, and the SIA weighs how relevant and recent it is. If you have spent 6 continuous months or more outside the UK in the last 10 years, it asks for overseas checks.
- Right to work. In most cases you must have the right to work in the UK. The SIA checks Home Office records. If it asks for evidence and gets none within 21 days, it cancels the application.
- Other information. The form asks about compulsory detention under the Mental Health Act in the last 5 years. The SIA also looks at information from the police and other regulators.
How long it takes
The SIA says it cannot tell you exactly how long an application will take. Its online decision timescale indicator gives an estimate, not a guarantee. It lists what affects the time, including complete and correct information, address history, criminal record, pending court charges and right-to-work checks.
A front line licence card should arrive within 14 days of the licence being granted. GOV.UK says you can start work before then if you carry your licence letter and photo ID. It also says working without a licence may be breaking the law.
Renewal
Your licence does not renew automatically. You can apply 4 months before it expires, and time left on the old licence is added to the new one. The fee is £204 again and the SIA runs the same checks, including proof of identity. You do not retake training you have already done, but the SIA may require extra training in some cases. If a licence has expired you cannot renew it and must make a new application.
Top-up training is no longer accepted. Since 1 April 2025, a door supervisor or security guard renewing needs the matching Level 2 Refresher qualification as well as their full qualification, and a valid first aid qualification before the refresher. The renewal page lists no refresher for CCTV.
Practice before the exams
Our free SIA door supervisor practice test has 25 original questions with answers and sources. A bank of 295 questions in the same style is on sale as the SIA door supervisor question bank for £19. There are free practice tests for the security officer and CCTV operator licences too. None of these is from the SIA or an awarding body.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an SIA licence cost?
£204 for one licence, according to GOV.UK, and £102 for each extra licence in the same application. That is the SIA’s fee for the licence. It does not include training or first aid courses.
Do I need first aid for a CCTV licence?
Not according to the SIA’s April 2022 document, and the current GOV.UK training page lists none. Check with your training centre.
Sources
Last checked 24 October 2026. Dates in brackets are when each page says it was last updated.
- Apply for an SIA licence, GOV.UK (19 June 2026)
- Check what training you need to get an SIA licence, GOV.UK (20 August 2026)
- Find out if you need an SIA licence, GOV.UK (29 January 2026)
- Check if you can get an SIA licence with a criminal record, GOV.UK (19 June 2026)
- If your application for an SIA licence is successful, GOV.UK (11 June 2026)
- Renew your SIA licence, GOV.UK (19 June 2026)
- Changes to the training you need for an SIA licence, SIA (17 September 2026)
- The SIA ending its endorsement of BIIAB: what it means for you, SIA (12 August 2026)
- Get Training: requirements for awarding organisations and training centres, SIA (April 2022)
- Proposed changes to SIA licence-linked qualifications, SIA (consultation closed 23 October 2026)
Changes to this guide
- 24 October 2026: Draft written.
This guide is general information written from the official sources listed above and checked on 24 October 2026. It is not legal, tax or financial advice, and Plainfiles is not endorsed by any government body. Rules change, so check the linked official pages for your own situation. Written and designed by Plainfiles with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, then checked against the official legislation and guidance listed in the sources. How we write and check our guides.