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Security employee licence

An Employee Licence is valid for three years and allows you to work for someone who holds an agent individual or an agent body corporate licence.

You cannot work for yourself if you hold an Employee licence  

An employee can apply for the following security licence activities to be added to their licence:

  • Crowd Control
  • Security Guarding General
    • Security Guard
    • Monitoring Room Operator
    • Bodyguard
  • Commercial Employee
  • Additional endorsements

An employee can apply for the following additional endorsements to be added to their licence:

  • permitted to use guard dog
  • permitted to carry firearm
  • permitted to carry baton
  • permitted to carry handcuffs

NOTE: an employee must already hold a Security Guarding General licence before applying for endorsements

Eligibility

You can apply for a security licence if you:

There are mandatory requirements for displaying identification (ID) when working. To learn about this requirement and others, read Working in the security industry.

Under the Security and Investigations Agents Act 2002 people working in the security agent industry must:

  • have the appropriate licence and have completed the units of competency for each activity
  • already hold full licence for Security Guarding General to apply for the following licence endorsements:
    • permitted to use guard dog
    • permitted to carry firearm
    • permitted to carry baton
    • permitted to carry handcuffs

Documents must be in a digital format (i.e. PDF; jpeg; jpg; text) ready to upload to your online application.

Should your application be successful, you will receive a photographic licence card and will be able to download a paper certificate from the My Licence portal.

The average processing time for an application is six weeks from the date the application is accepted

If there are issues with your application you will be contacted either by phone or email. Your application cannot progress until you provide all the required documents.

Wait six weeks from the date you submitted the application before calling 1300 65 44 99 to find out how your application is progressing.

You are unable to work or operate within the security industry without a current licence identification card

Renewing an expired employee licence

If your licence has expired, you cannot work as a security agent

For the first renewal after the new system is live, you will receive a renewal reminder notice in the mail approximately eight weeks before the expiry date on your licence card.

If the option to renew your licence is no longer available through the My Licence portal, you will need to submit a new application online.

New applicants applying for their Employee licence are required to pay for and get their fingerprints checked. You need to upload all documents that are required for a new Employee licence application.

First aid and visas must remain current for the full three years of a security licence. If the first aid or visa is due to expire, the licence holder is responsible to upload a new first aid certificate and/or visa to the My Licence portal.

Licence holders are required to ensure their contact details and licensed manager are current at all times. Update this information using the My Licence portal.

You cannot get a refund if your application is refused or withdrawn for any reason.

To learn more about applying for a new Employee licence, please read the Guide to licensing services for Security Agents June 2018 (PDF, 5.6 MB).

Checklist

  1. Read the information on this licence page so you know what to do and what documents to provide (new application and renewal)
  2. Read the Personal Information Protection Statement (new application and renewal)
  3. Prove your identity and have your photo taken at a Service Tasmania shop (new application only) and take with you:
    1. the application or payment receipt (download and print online) and your identification to Service Tasmania shop
    2. a photo will only need to be taken for renewals if the photo has expired.
  4. Give consent and have your fingerprints checked at a Tasmania Police station  (new application only), and take with you:
    1. the payment receipt - (download and print online or from a Service Tasmania shop
    2. photo identification and your payment receipt (download and print)
      1. if you are interstate, go to the Police in the state or territory you live in. Your original fingerprints will be sent by post to CBOS.
  5. Give consent to CBOS to request a National Criminal History check for the purposes of your security licence.
  6. Scan and save (computer or storage device like a USB) a digital copy of:
    1. current visa or Australian Citizenship certificate, or Australian Passport if born overseas showing you have work rights in Australia (new application and renewal)
    2. qualifications of full training requirements (new application only)
    3. any new qualifications (renewal only)
    4. If applying for activity Crowd Control, provide a copy of:
      1. a statement of attainment (qualifications) showing the completed training units (new application only)
      2. current first aid certificate (new application and renewal)
      3. declare that you have read the code of conduct questions – accessed online (new application and renewal)
    5. If applying for activity Security Guarding General’, provide a copy of:
      1. a statement of attainment (qualifications) showing the completed training units (new application only)
      2. current first aid certificate (new application and renewal)
    6. If applying for security guarding activity Monitoring Room Operator, provide a copy of:
      1. a statement of attainment (qualifications) showing the completed training units (new application only)
      2. current first aid certificate (new application and renewal)
    7. If applying for security guarding activity Bodyguard, provide a copy of:
      1. a statement of attainment (qualifications) showing the completed training units (new application only)
      2. current first aid certificate (new application and renewal)
    8. If applying for endorsement Permitted to use a dog, you must already hold a full security general licence and provide a copy of:
      1. a statement of attainment (qualifications) showing the completed training units (new application only)
      2. current first aid certificate (new application and renewal)
      3. dog training certificate or Statutory Declaration stating the dog is an appropriate breed to undertake the security guard dog activity and is trained to a standard acknowledged by a training organisation to perform functions of a security guard dog (new application and renewal)
      4. dog registration (new application and renewal)
    9. If applying for endorsement Permitted to carry firearm, you must already hold a full security general guard licence and provide a copy of:
      1. a statement of attainment (qualifications) showing the completed training units (new application only)
      2. current first aid certificate (new application and renewal)
      3. a current Tasmanian firearms licence with a H6 category (new application and renewal)
    10. If applying for endorsement Permitted to carry baton, you must already hold a full security general guard licence and provide a copy of:
      1. a statement of attainment (qualifications) showing the completed training units (new application only)
      2. current first aid certificate (new application and renewal)
      3. letter from the Firearms Service, Tasmania Police advising you are exempt under Section 15c(1) of the Police Offences Act 1935. (new application only)
    11. If applying for endorsement Permitted to carry handcuffs, you must already hold a full security general licence and provide a copy of:
      1. a statement of attainment (qualifications) showing the completed training units (new application only)
      2. current first aid certificate (new application and renewal)
      3. letter from the Firearms Service, Tasmania Police advising you are exempt under Section 15c(1) of the Police Offences Act 1935. (new application only)
    12. If applying for activity Commercial Employee, provide a copy of:
      1. a statement of attainment (qualifications) showing the completed training units (new application only)
  7. If you have a Company (Body Corporate), scan and save a current ASIC search showing all Directors and Secretary/s  of the company and upload this to the application at the Supporting Information tab. The search can be accessed by using the ASIC website (new application and renewal)
  8. Ensure all Company Directors, Secretary/s showing on the ASIC search are added to the licence application at the Associated Client tab, (new application and renewal)
  9. OR if you have a Business Name only, provide a Business Name search showing business owners and upload this to the application at the Supporting Information tab.  The search can be accessed by using the ASIC website (new application and renewal)
  10. Or all business owners are added to the licence application at the Associated client tab (new application and renewal)
  11. Provide online your manager's licence number (renewal only)
  12. Have a credit card ready to pay for your licence fee online or at any Service Tasmania shop (new application and renewal)

Declaration

When you are completing your online application or renewal, you will need to answer a set of suitability questions. If you answer YES to any of these, you must provide a reason why.

  1. Have you ever been charged, found guilty (without a conviction record) or convicted of an offence involving assault or violence in any country?
  2. Have you ever been the subject of a restraint order / family violence order or interim restraint order / interim family violence order?
  3. Have you been charged, found guilty (without a conviction recorded) or convicted of an offence involving dishonesty, fraud or theft in any country?
  4. Have you ever been charged, found guilty (without a conviction recorded) or convicted of an offence involving burglary or stealing in any country?
  5. Have you ever been charged, found guilty (without a conviction recorded) or convicted of a firearms or weapons offence in any country?
  6. Have you ever been charged, found guilty (without a conviction recorded) or convicted of a drug offence in any country?
  7. Have you ever been subject to a court or police diversion for any offence?
  8. Do you have any charges pending anywhere in the world? (Not traffic charges)
  9. Have you been convicted of any offence anywhere in the world? (Not traffic charges)
  10. Are you undischarged bankrupt or have you entered into any composition or arrangement with your creditors that is still continuing?

There is a penalty for supplying any false or misleading information

Need help to apply for or renew your licence?

Read the Guide to licensing services for Security Agents June 2018 (PDF, 5.6 MB). This guide has step-by-step instructions to help you apply for or renew your licence.

Apply for a licence Renew a licence

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Last updated: 02 Aug 2023

This page has been produced and published by the Consumer Building and Occupational Services Division of the Department of Justice. Although every care has been taken in production, no responsibility is accepted for the accuracy, completeness, or relevance to the user's purpose of the information. Those using it for whatever purpose are advised to verify it with the relevant government department, local government body or other source and to obtain any appropriate professional advice. The Crown, its officers, employees and agents do not accept liability however arising, including liability for negligence, for any loss resulting from the use of or reliance upon the information and/or reliance on its availability at any time.