Security Industry Licensing

Businesses that employ or subcontract people to carry on security activities must hold a Master licence.

A Master licence may be held by an individual, corporation or government agency.

A Master licence authorises the holder to provide a specific number of persons on any one day to carry on security activities, each of whom must be the holder of a Class 1 or Class 2 licence.

By law, your Master licence number must be shown on all your advertising and signage.

To qualify for a Master licence, you must:

* declare details of any close associates of the business (see below)
* satisfy stringent integrity requirements, including in relation to any close associates.

A Close Associate is a person who:
* holds, or will hold, any relevant financial interest in the business
* currently is, or will be, entitled to exercise any relevant power in the business
* holds, or will hold, any relevant position (eg. director, manager, etc).

To apply for a Master licence, you must:
* complete an 'Application for a Master Licence' (P641, P642 or P643 form)
* provide your Australian Business Number (ABN)
* provide a copy of your Business Name registration (unless you do not trade under a business name).

IMPORTANT: A Master Licence cannot be issued to a partnership and is not transferable.

Any person who carries on a security activity in the manpower sector must hold a Class 1 licence.

Class 1 licences have subclasses, with each subclass specifying the activity authorised by the licence, as follows:

1A (Unarmed Guard)
1B (Bodyguard)
1C (Crowd Controller)
1D (Guard Dog Handler)
1E (Monitoring Centre Operator)
1F (Armed Guard)

To be granted a Class 1 licence, you must:
* be 18 years of age or over
* be a fit and proper person to hold the class of licence sought
* have the relevant competencies and experience required
* have successfully completed any required training and assessment
* be competent to carry on the security activity to which the licence relates
* be an Australian Citizen or permanent Australian resident, or hold New Zealand citizenship or a visa that entitles you to work in Australia (other than a student visa or a working holiday visa)
* obtain a NSW Driver Licence or Photo Card, or a Customer Number from Roads & Maritime Services (RMS).

Any person who carries on a security activity in the technical sector must hold a Class 2 licence.

Class 2 licences have subclasses, with each subclass specifying the activity authorised by the licence, as follows:

2A (Security Consultant)
2B (Security Seller)
2C (Security Equipment Specialist)
2D (Security Trainer)

To be granted a Class 2 licence, you must:
* be 18 years of age or over
* be a fit and proper person to hold the class of licence sought
* have the relevant competencies and experience required
* have successfully completed any required training and assessment
* be competent to carry on the security activity to which the licence relates
* be an Australian Citizen or permanent Australian resident, or hold New Zealand citizenship or a visa that entitles you to work in Australia (other than a student visa or a working holiday visa)
* obtain a NSW Driver Licence or Photo Card, or a Customer Number from Roads & Maritime Services (RMS).

The Commissioner of Police may declare any event or class of events that the Commissioner considers to be of regional, state or national significance to be a Special Event. Declared Special Events must be published on the NSW Police Force SLED website (www.police.nsw.gov.au/sled).

A person who is ordinarily resident in another State or Territory and holds a current security licence in that state but does not hold a NSW security licence, may apply to the Commissioner for the grant of a Visitor Permit to carry on the security activity for which they are licensed during the period of one or more Special Events.