How to check a security provider’s licence in Australia
What to look up, where, and what to confirm before you sign
Published · Last updated
Checking a licence takes a few minutes and is one of the most useful things you can do before engaging a security provider. It confirms the business is authorised to do the work in your state, and gives you a name and number to hold them to.
Why requirements differ by state
There is no single national security licence. Each state and territory has its own law and its own regulator, and they differ in:
- Which activities need a licence: guarding and crowd control are licensed everywhere, but whether locksmiths, CCTV and alarm installers, or security consultants need one varies.
- What the licences are called, and how they are divided into classes.
- Whether a public register can be searched online.
A licence issued in one state generally doesn’t authorise work in another, so check the licence for the state where the work will happen.
Business licences and individual licences
Most states issue security licences at two levels:
- The business: the company or sole trader that contracts with you and supplies the staff. In NSW, for example, this is a master licence; in Victoria, a private security business licence.
- The individual: each person who does the work, such as a guard, crowd controller or installer, needs their own licence for that activity. In NSW, individuals hold a Class 1 or Class 2 security operative licence.
You should check both. A licensed business can still send an officer who isn’t licensed for the task, and an individually licensed officer working on their own may also need a business licence to contract with you. In NSW, for example, a sole trader who does the work themselves needs a master licence as well as an operative licence.
What this directory’s licence statuses mean
Every listing on this site shows one licence status, based only on what we have been able to check:
- Public-register match: we matched the licence on a public register, and the listing shows the source and the date we checked. It confirms what the register showed on that date. It is not an endorsement.
- Licence number published: the business publishes a number, but we haven’t checked it on the register yet.
- No licence number published: the business doesn’t publish one. That doesn’t mean it is unlicensed; ask the provider.
- Security licence not applicable: for services such as cybersecurity that state security licences don’t generally cover.
- Not matched to a register: we looked, but couldn’t find a matching register entry. Ask the provider for their licence details.
- Verification pending: the listing hasn’t been reviewed yet.
Licences can be suspended, cancelled or allowed to lapse at any time, so whatever a listing shows, look the licence up yourself before you sign. How the directory works explains what we do and don’t check.
How to use the regulator registers
- Ask the provider for the licence number and the state that issued it, for the business and for the officers who will attend.
- Find the regulator for the state where the work will happen (see the table below).
- Search the register by licence number, or by business name if the register allows it.
- Check the details match: the licence holder’s name should match the business on your quote and invoice, and its ABN should match too.
- Check the licence is current and covers the activity you’re paying for.
- If there’s no online register, or you can’t find a match, contact the regulator and ask.
| State or territory | Regulator |
|---|---|
| Queensland | Office of Fair Trading Queensland |
| New South Wales | NSW Police Force Security Licensing & Enforcement Directorate |
| Victoria | Victoria Police Licensing & Regulation Division |
| Western Australia | WA Police Force Licensing Services |
| South Australia | Consumer and Business Services (SA) |
| Tasmania | Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (Tasmania) |
| Australian Capital Territory | Access Canberra |
| Northern Territory | Licensing NT |
Where a link is shown, it goes to that regulator’s licence check or current licence list. For the others, search the regulator’s website for its licence register or contact it directly.
What to confirm before signing a contract
- The business licence is current, in the state where the work will be done, and in the same name as the business you are contracting with.
- The individual licences of the officers or technicians who will attend cover the work they will do. Ask for names and licence numbers before the first shift.
- Subcontractors, if any, are licensed and insured too, and you know who they are.
- The ABN on the quote matches the licence holder.
- Insurance: certificates of currency for public liability and, for employers, workers’ compensation.
- Expiry dates: note when licences expire, and ask for updated details at renewal.
For the rest of what to check when choosing a provider, see how to choose a security company for a business.
When you’re ready, browse security providers and use each listing’s licence information as a starting point for your own check.