SIA License guidelines
Licensing Activity
Who Needs a License?
Any Security personnel that is involved in the provision of Security services, whether it is manned guarding, door supervision, close protection, cash and valuables in transit, or public space surveillance (CCTV)activity.
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 license:
A front line license is required if undertaking licensable activity, other than key holding activities (this also covers undertaking non-front line activity). A front line license is in the form of a credit card-sized plastic card that must be worn, subject to the license conditions.
A non-front line license 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 license 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 license 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 immobilisers, you will not need to get two licences).
In some cases, the SIA are satisfied that the licensing criteria to be met for one licensable activity are sufficient to allow a licensed individual to carry out other licensable activities. The matrix below shows where a license may be used to cover more than one activity.
License Held |
Activities Covered |
||||||||
|
CViT |
CP |
DS |
CCTV* |
SG |
CCTV activities only within SG^ |
VI |
KH |
Non-Front line (All sectors) |
Front line door supervisor license (DS) |
|
|
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Front line close protection license (CP) |
|
Y |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Front line cash & valuables in transit license (CViT) |
Y |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
Front line public space surveillance (CCTV) license |
|
|
|
Y |
|
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Front line security license (SG) |
|
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
Front line vehicle immobiliser license (VI) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
Y |
Key holder license (KH) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
Non-front line license in any sector |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y |
Y |
Notes:
* Undertaken to monitor the activities of a member of the public in a public
or private place or to identify a particular person.
^ Only to identify a
trespasser or to protect property.
What does a License Cost?
The license application fee is £245 for a three year license.
The fee is to cover the cost of processing your application and is not
refundable.
If you pay your own license 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 license fee on behalf of an employee there will be no tax or National Insurance liability.
Some security operatives may need more than one license; in such cases the second license will be discounted by 50% by the SIA
