What licences and records does a security company need in the UK?
Short answer
- Decide which of your staff carry out licensable activities under a contract for services. Each of them needs the right SIA licence.
- Make sure directors, managers and supervisors hold a front line or non-front-line licence if you supply security operatives to others.
- Search the SIA register of licence holders for each officer before the first shift. Keep a record of the check.
- Hold employers' liability insurance. Keep right-to-work copies and working-time records.
- 4guards stores your customers, sites, officers and contracts. It issues no licences and sends nothing to the SIA.
What the law says
- Private Security Industry Act 2001, section 3(1): it is an offence to engage in licensable conduct except under and in accordance with a licence.
- Section 3(2) reaches employees who carry out designated activities under a security contract and their managers and supervisors. It also reaches a director when another director or employee engages in licensable conduct. SIA guidance sets out front line and non-front-line licences.
- Section 5: it is an offence to provide security services through an individual who engages in licensable conduct without a licence. A defence exists if you did not know and had no reasonable grounds to suspect, or took all reasonable steps. On indictment the maximum is five years' imprisonment, a fine, or both.
- The SIA licenses people. Joining its Approved Contractor Scheme for companies is voluntary. Claiming approved status falsely is a criminal offence.
- Employers' liability insurance: an employer carrying on business in Great Britain must insure against employees' bodily injury or disease. Cover must be not less than £5 million per occurrence.
- Before employing someone you must check their right to work, then keep copies for the employment and 2 years after. Employers keep working-time records for two years.
Official sources consulted on :
- Private Security Industry Act 2001, section 3 – Licence requirement, legislation.gov.uk
- Private Security Industry Act 2001, section 5 – Offence of using unlicensed security operative, legislation.gov.uk
- Find out if you need an SIA licence, GOV.UK (Security Industry Authority)
- Learn about our Approved Contractor Scheme, GOV.UK (Security Industry Authority)
- Find out why you should apply for ACS approval, GOV.UK (Security Industry Authority)
- Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969, section 1, legislation.gov.uk
- Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Regulations 1998, regulation 3, legislation.gov.uk
- Checking a job applicant's right to work, GOV.UK
- Working Time Regulations 1998, regulation 9 – Records, legislation.gov.uk
Practical examples
- Company file: insurance certificate, Approved Contractor Scheme certificate if you hold one, and a contract for each site.
- Officer file: SIA licence number and expiry, date of the register check, right-to-work copy and shift records.
- A director who patrols a site personally needs a front line licence. A director who only manages can hold a non-front-line licence.
Common mistakes
- Treating Approved Contractor approval as a legal licence for the company. It is voluntary, although many public contracts require it.
- Rostering an officer on the strength of a photocard shown at interview, with no register check.
- Forgetting that directors, managers and supervisors can need a licence too.
- Keeping no record of when and how you checked a licence.
How 4guards helps
- 4guards holds customers, sites, officers and contracts. Each contract has a value, period and hours. A list shows contracts ending inside a window you set.
- On an officer's profile you type the licence number and, optionally, an expiry date. 4guards does not query the SIA register and cannot confirm that a licence is genuine.
- Keep insurance certificates, right-to-work copies and register checks in your own filing system. 4guards issues no licences, files nothing with the SIA and does not guarantee legal compliance.