An SIA licence is required if you undertake the licensable activities of a security guard and your services are supplied for the purposes of or in connection with any contract to a consumer.

Who Needs a Licence

Unless your employer or company has been given an exemption under Section 4(4) of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, it is a criminal offence to undertake the licensable activities of a security guard without an SIA licence. An exemption is applicable only where the company in question has been granted approved contractor status by the SIA and the other conditions of Section 4(4) have also been met. Every condition must be met for this section to be applied.

Cost of a Licence

The licence application fee is £245 for a three year licence. The fee is to cover the cost of processing your application and is not refundable.
If you pay your own licence fee you will be able to claim tax relief against your taxable income. For example, if you pay the basic rate of tax the relief is worth £53.90. If you are an employer paying the licence fee on behalf of an employee there will be no tax or National Insurance liability.
Some security operatives may need more than one licence; in such cases the second licence will be discounted by 50%.

A Security licence is required when manned guarding activity that does not fall under the descriptions of door supervision, close protection, cash and valuables in transit, or public space surveillance (CCTV) is undertaken. This applies only if your services are supplied for the purposes of or in connection with any contract to a consumer.

There are two types of SIA licence:

•A front line licence is required if undertaking licensable activity, other than key holding activities (this also covers undertaking non-front line activity). A front line licence is in the form of a credit card-sized plastic card that must be worn, subject to the licence conditions.

•A non-front line licence is required for those who manage, supervise and/or employ individuals who engage in licensable activity, as long as front line activity is not carried out - this includes directors* or partners. A non-front line licence is issued in the form of a letter that also covers key holding activities.

• For the purposes of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, "director" means executive and non-executive directors, shadow directors, parent company directors and corporate entities holding a directorship.

If you have a non-front line licence you do not need to get another one if you are involved in another area of non-front line licensable activity (for example: if you are a director of a firm supplying security guards but you also supply vehicle immobilizers, you will not need to get two licences).