What the SIA is and why a licence matters
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is the regulator for the private security industry in the UK. It issues licences to people who carry out certain security activities and publishes a register where anyone can check whether a person holds a valid licence. Working in a licensable role without the right licence is an offence under the Private Security Industry Act 2001, and using unlicensed staff in licensable roles can put the buyer at risk as well.
For you as a buyer, a licence tells you three useful things. The holder has passed a criminal record check and an identity check, has completed training linked to the role, and can be checked against a public register. It does not, on its own, tell you how reliable an individual or a company is, which is why vetting, supervision and good management matter as well.
The SIA licence types
The SIA lists the following licence types. Front-line licences are for people who personally carry out the activity and require a licence-linked qualification before applying.
- Security guarding: guarding premises or property against theft, damage or unauthorised access. This is the licence most people think of for shop, site, warehouse and office guards.
- Door supervision: controlling entry and managing customers at licensed premises such as bars, clubs and some events.
- Public space surveillance (CCTV): monitoring public spaces with CCTV, where the person is working with that kind of surveillance.
- Close protection: protecting individuals from physical harm or other threats.
- Cash and valuables in transit: moving or guarding cash and other valuables in transit.
- Key holding: holding keys for a client and, for example, attending alarm activations. The SIA does not require a licence-linked qualification for this one.
- Vehicle immobilisation: applies in Northern Ireland only.
- Non-front-line licence: for people who manage, supervise or employ licence holders but do not themselves work as a security operative.
How an officer gets a licence
For a front-line role, an applicant must first gain the licence-linked qualification, then apply to the SIA. They must pass the SIA’s criminal record checks, which consider criminal convictions and other relevant information, and prove their identity with original documents. People who have spent six or more continuous months outside the UK in the last ten years may need to provide overseas criminal records evidence.
Licences last for three years. At the time of writing (1 October 2026) the SIA fee for a single licence is £204 and each additional licence applied for at the same time costs £102, but fees change, so check the SIA’s own page before relying on them.
Which licence does each job need?
As a rule of thumb: a guard at a shop, building site, warehouse or office needs a security guarding licence, and a door supervisor at licensed premises needs a door supervision licence. Our own retail security guards, construction site security guards and warehouse security guards work under a security guarding licence, and our door supervisors hold a door supervision licence.
Some roles sit in a grey area. Event stewarding, for example, can involve different duties at different events, and whether a particular steward needs a licence depends on what they actually do. If you are unsure, ask the provider which licence each person will hold and why, and check your premises licence conditions where they apply. A reputable provider will answer plainly.
What to check before anyone starts work
A short checklist protects you whichever company you use.
- Ask for the name and licence type of each officer, and check them on the SIA public register of licence holders.
- Make sure the licence type matches the work: a guarding licence is not a door supervision licence.
- Check the licence is current. Each licence shows an expiry date.
- Ask how the provider vets staff in addition to licensing. We screen to BS 7858, which includes employment history verification and identity checks.
- Ask what happens when a licensed officer is unavailable, so a replacement is also licensed.
Common misunderstandings
A few points come up again and again when we talk to buyers, and they are worth clearing up before you sign anything.
- A company being “SIA registered” is not the same as its officers being licensed. Licences belong to individuals, so the thing to check is each person’s licence, not a company badge.
- A guarding licence does not allow someone to work the door of licensed premises. The door supervision licence is a different licence with different training.
- A licence is not a guarantee of quality. It is the minimum legal standard, and good providers add vetting, briefing and supervision on top of it.
- Licences expire. An officer who was licensed when they joined a company may not be today, so a one-off check at the start of a contract is not enough for a long contract.
How MEHXIV approaches licensing
Every officer we deploy holds a valid SIA licence for the work they are doing and is screened to BS 7858. We are happy for you to check any licence on the register, and to explain which licence each person holds and why. If you would like to discuss the right cover for your premises, request a quote or call us.
Related services
Sources
Facts and figures were checked against these sources on 1 October 2026. Rules and fees can change, so check the source before relying on them.