The Licensing Unit will be transitioning to a new system this fall; There will be some service disruptions and delays.
We recommend you renew early if you are due October - November.
Reminder: We accept renewals up to 6 months before expiration.
Fingerprint Affidavit form and fingerprint card, sealed in a single envelope. IF received in any other form, the packet will be rejected.
Security Guard & Private Investigator Licensing
The Security Guard and Private Investigator Licensing Unit (Licensing Unit) oversees the licensing, regulation, and compliance of security guards, security agencies, private investigators, investigative agencies, and certified trainers. The Unit also receives and reviews public complaints, ensuring all regulated entities operate in accordance with applicable statutes and administrative rules.
To apply online, click Public Services Portal (PSP)
- For Technical Support on the Public Services Portal (PSP) for Fingerprints, Licensing, or Records, please contact (602) 223-2999 and select option 8, or email them at [email protected].
Click HERE for all Licensing Forms Click HERE here to check any license status
UPDATES
- FORMS - Only the most current version of forms and applications will be accepted. The forms and applications are updated multiple times per year in accordance with legislative and regulatory changes. IF any form or application is signed and received AFTER July 1, 2026, and it is NOT the newest form version, it will be rejected.
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For Private Investigator and Security Guard Hearing Board information, please click HERE.
Qualifications of Licensee
A Private Investigation agency license is issued to the Qualifying Party (QP), regardless of the agency structure (sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation). The Qualifying Party is sometimes referred to as the Licensee under A.R.S. § 32-2422.
Agency Name
Before contacting the Arizona Secretary of State, you must obtain approval for your agency name from the Licensing Unit. Please note that the Licensing Unit applies more rigorous standards than other state agencies and must evaluate additional criteria before approving, in accordance with AAC R13-2-202.A.7.
Agency Associates
Per AAC R13-2-202, the following must apply to be an agency associate:
- Each partner, officer, director, member, and manager
- Corporation: Each corporate officer
- Partnership: Partners other than the Qualifying Party
Surety Bonds and Workers' Compensation Insurance
Do not purchase or submit proof of your surety bond and workers' compensation insurance until you have received notification from the Licensing Unit confirming that your agency has been approved.
Surety Bonds
As required by A.R.S. § 32-2423.B.1, every agency must obtain a valid surety bond. Before an agency license can be issued, the applicant shall provide the department with a continuous, four-year surety bond in the amount of $2500.00.
Workers' Compensation
As required by A.R.S. § 32-2423.B.2, each agency must maintain valid Workers' Compensation insurance issued by a company authorized to conduct business in Arizona.
Who is required to be licensed?
A person shall not act or attempt to act as a private investigator, nor represent themselves as a private investigator, unless they are registered as a private investigator under this chapter and are operating within the scope of their employment for an agency licensed under Article 2 of this chapter.
Any person who knowingly violates this requirement is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor pursuant to A.R.S. § 32-2601-16.
Precluding Offenses
Precluding offenses for private investigator employee registrations per A.R.S. § 32-2441
Qualifications of Licensee
A Security Guard agency license is issued to the Qualifying Party (QP), regardless of the agency's structure (sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation). The Qualifying Party is sometimes referred to as the Licensee under A.R.S. § 32-2612.
Agency Name
You must obtain approval of your agency name through the Licensing Unit before contacting the Arizona Corporation Commission or the Arizona Secretary of State. The Licensing Unit applies more rigorous standards than other state agencies and must evaluate additional factors before approving an agency name, in accordance with AAC R13-6-207.
Selecting your agency name and associates: Instructions for choosing your agency name are listed here.
Agency Associates
In accordance with AAC R13-6-102, the following must submit an associate application:
- Each partner, officer, director, member, and manager
- Corporation: Each corporate officer
- Partnership: Partners other than the Qualifying Party
Liability and Workers' Compensation Insurance
Do not purchase or submit proof of your liability insurance or workers' compensation policy until you have received official notification from the Licensing Unit confirming that your agency has been approved.
General Liability Insurance
As required by A.R.S. § 32-2613.C.2., once you receive notification of agency name approval - and before your agency license is issued, you must submit a valid insurance certificate demonstrating proof of general liability insurance. The certificate must be issued by an insurance company licensed to do business in Arizona, and must provide coverage of at least $100,000 per occurrence, with a minimum aggregate total of $300,000.
Workers' Compensation
As required by A.R.S. § 32-2613.C.3, each agency must maintain valid Workers' Compensation insurance issued by a company authorized to conduct business in Arizona.
Uniforms and Vehicles
A.R.S. § 32-2635 Uniforms and Insignia
A.A.C. R13-6-501 Uniforms and Vehicles
Who is required to be licensed?
"Private security guard service" means any agency, individual, or employer engaged in providing, for hire or compensation, dogs, watchmen, patrol services, private security guards, or other persons to protect human life or to prevent the theft or the misappropriation, or concealment of goods, merchandise, money, financial instruments, documents, or other valuable property. This definition is established under A.R.S. § 32-2601-16.
Precluding Offenses
Precluding offenses for security guard registrations per A.R.S. § 32-2622
Who is required to be registered?
You must be registered as a security guard training instructor and/or firearms-safety training instructor in order to provide general unarmed or firearms-safety training to applicants or current registered security guards.
- Training may not be provided until you are officially registered with the Licensing Unit.
- Instructors certified in other states are not recognized in Arizona.
Authorized Instructors
Security Guard Training Instructor
The Qualifying Party must designate, in writing, which registered security guard training instructor(s) the agency will utilize. These registered security guard training instructor(s) shall conduct the required eight-hour unarmed pre-assignment training class. The registered security guard training instructor(s) are the only individuals who are authorized to sign the Security Guard Training Verification Forms (TVF) for the required training. The Licensing Unit must register these security guard training instructor(s) before they conduct any training.
Firearm-Safety Training Instructor
The Qualifying Party must designate, in writing, which registered firearm-safety training instructor(s) the agency will utilize. These registered firearm-safety training instructor(s) shall conduct the required sixteen-hour initial armed training class and the annual eight-hour armed refresher classes. The registered firearm-safety training instructor(s) are the only individuals who are authorized to sign the Armed Security Guard Training Verification Forms (TVF) for the required training. The Licensing Unit must register these firearm-safety training instructor(s) before conducting any training.
The written authorization to DPS must include a signature sample with the printed name, as signatures are often illegible. These authorizations and sample signatures are retained in the agency file.
Resources Available For:
- Active-duty military service members' spouses.
- Honorably discharged veterans who were discharged within the past two years.
- Individual applicants whose family income does not exceed two hundred percent of the federal poverty guidelines.
In accordance with A.R.S. § 41-1080.01.A, and except for individuals applying for a license pursuant to Title 36, Chapter 4, Article 10 or Chapter 28.1, an agency shall waive all initial licensing fees for any of the individuals above, provided the applicant is applying for that specific license in Arizona FOR THE FIRST TIME.
Note: The fingerprint processing fee still applies and must accompany your application.
To download the Licensing Fee Waiver form, click below.
Under the authority of A.R.S. §§ 32-2407 and 32-2607, the Department establishes and collects the following fees:
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- All fees are non-refundable, pursuant to A.A.C. R12-2-102.C and R12-6-103.D
- Fees must be paid by cashier’s check, certified check, credit card, or money order made payable to the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
- Security Guard applications: Fingerprints, a fingerprint affidavit, and the fingerprint fee are required for every application.
- Private Investigator applications: Fingerprints, a fingerprint affidavit, and the fingerprint processing fee are required for all new and renewal applications. Additional PI agency employee applications also require these if more than 365 days have passed since the last submission of a fingerprint card and fingerprint processing fee (PI ONLY).
- PI Employee applications and fingerprint materials may be submitted separately from the agency renewal application; however, they will not be fully processed until the agency's renewal is complete.
- PI Employee registration certificate expiration dates will align with the agency's expiration date.
- Please allow at least 15 business days after submitting your application before contacting the unit about your status. Repeated phone calls may delay processing.
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Are fees refundable?
No. Fees paid for services involving fingerprint-based checks conducted by DPS are not refundable per A.R.S. § 32-2601-16.
How to check if a license is valid?
You can check the status of a Security Guard or Private Investigator Registration online at the PSP Portal.
Can I use my employer's address as my residential and/or mailing address?
No. Due to the confidential information we send out, any correspondence and identification card(s) are between the applicant and the Department.
How to obtain a replacement card if it is lost, stolen, or my name changes?
You will need to submit a card replacement form. The form may be obtained in one of two ways:
- Online – Replacement card requests can be made through the PSP Portal.
- In-Person – Replacement card requests can be made at our office by filling out the replacement card request form and paying applicable fees.
How long is a registration valid for?
All licenses and registrations are valid for four (4) years per A.R.S. § 32-2601-16
I'm a licensed security guard in another state. Is my license transferable to Arizona?
No. Registrations are not transferable between states or persons.
If approved, when will I get my identification card?
If approved, your identification card will be transmitted to a third-party vendor for printing. In the following 2 business days, the identification card will be printed and mailed to the address we have on file. Please allow 14 business days for your identification card to be delivered via US First Class Mail.
Can DPS send a notification stating my application is in process or that my identification card is valid?
DPS cannot send an email to you or an employer regarding the status of an application, or to verify that a license or registration is valid. The employer can check the status on the PSP Portal. You may verify your status by logging in to your personal portal account.
Renewing your application
Per AAC R-13-6-302(A), DPS recommends submitting the renewal application within 180 days before the current card expiration. This will allow for adequate processing time and address any issues or concerns that may arise in the process.
If you send in your renewal packet more than 180 days before your expiration date, it will be returned to you.
If I lost or never received my denial or suspension letter, can I get a copy?
Yes. Email the Licensing Unit at [email protected] (be sure to provide your full name, license number, and date of birth). A copy of the letter will be mailed to you via US Mail. Due to the confidential criminal history information contained in the letter, it cannot be sent via email.
What will my fingerprints be used for?
Your fingerprints will be used to check the criminal history records of the state of Arizona and of the FBI. DPS and the FBI may retain your fingerprints and associated information after the completion of this application. While your fingerprints may continue to be compared against other fingerprints, including latent fingerprints submitted to or retained by DPS and the FBI.
If you have a criminal history record, the officials making the determination of your suitability for the job, license, or other benefit must provide you with the opportunity to complete or challenge the accuracy of the information in the record. You should be afforded a reasonable amount of time to correct or complete the record (or decline to do so) before officials deny you the job, license, or other benefit based on information in the criminal history record.
The procedures for obtaining a change, correction, or update of your FBI criminal history record are set forth in Title 28, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Sections 16.30 through 16.34. Information on how to review and challenge your FBI criminal history record can be found at www.fbi.gov, under Criminal History Summary Checks, or by calling (304) 625-5590.
To obtain a copy of your Arizona criminal history record to review, update, or correct, you can contact the Arizona Department of Public Safety Central State Repository at (602) 223-2222 or visit here to request a Review and Challenge.
If I receive a notice of denial from DPS, is there any way I can ever be issued a Security Guard or Private Investigator license?
Depending on the offense(s) for which you were denied, you MAY be eligible to pursue a good cause exception through the Arizona Private Investigator and Security Guard Hearing Board. If you have any questions, you may email [email protected] regarding the good cause exception process.
Is a photocopy proof that a card is valid?
No. A photocopy of a security guard or private investigator registration, or the identification card itself, is not proof that it is a valid card. As an employer, you will need to either check the status online at the DPS website or contact the DPS Licensing unit to determine if the person has a valid card. A.R.S. § 32-2601-16.