SIA Licensing Explained: What an SIA Licence Means for Buyers

The Act makes certain activities “licensable conduct” and makes it an offence to carry them out without a licence. The SIA sets the licensing criteria, issues and revokes licences, and runs the voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme for businesses.

A key principle is that the SIA licenses individuals, not companies. A company cannot hold a front-line licence on behalf of its staff. Companies can instead seek approval under the Approved Contractor Scheme.

Front-line licences are issued as a credit-card-sized physical card. Non-front-line licence holders receive a letter confirming the grant instead.

Who needs a licence?

Licensing applies mainly to people supplying security services under contract. According to SIA guidance, staff employed directly (in-house) by the organisation that uses their services generally do not need a licence, with exceptions including door supervision at licensed premises and vehicle immobilising in Northern Ireland. Officers supplied by a security company to a client’s site do need the relevant licence.

The vehicle immobiliser licence lasts one year. Licences do not renew automatically; holders can apply to renew up to four months before expiry. If a licence lapses, the holder must apply for a new one and cannot carry out licensable work in the meantime.

For buyers, this means licence status can change during a contract. A licence that was valid at mobilisation may expire, or be suspended or revoked, later. Periodic checks, not just one at the start, are good practice.

• Age: applicants must be 18 or over.
• Identity: documentary proof of identity and address history.
• Criminality: criminal record checks, including overseas checks for applicants who have lived outside the UK for six months or more in the past ten years.
• Right to work: generally required; the SIA will not issue a front-line licence to someone without the right to work in the UK.
• Training: a licence-linked qualification for most front-line licences (not for key holding or non-front-line licences).

The application fee is £204 for one licence, as published on GOV.UK at the time of writing.

• Display: front-line licence holders must wear their licence where it can be seen at all times while carrying out licensable activity, with limited exceptions (for example where the licence has been reported lost or stolen, or where the work requires the holder not to be identifiable). They must also produce it on request.
• Reporting changes: holders must tell the SIA within set timescales about relevant convictions, cautions or charges, changes to their right to work, and changes of name or address.

Breaching a licence condition is a criminal offence under section 9 of the Act, and can also lead to suspension or revocation of the licence.

You need either:

• the holder’s 16-digit SIA licence number, or
• their surname plus other details, such as date of birth and security role.

When checking, confirm three things: that the name matches the person on site, that the licence is active, and that it covers the right activity. A key holding licence, for example, does not permit static security guarding.

Practical steps for site managers:

1. Ask your provider for the licence numbers of every officer assigned to your site, including relief officers.
2. Check each number on the register before the officer’s first shift.
3. Look at the licence card worn on duty and compare the photograph and number.
4. Repeat checks periodically and whenever a new officer is introduced.

• Section 3: working without a licence. It is an offence to engage in licensable conduct except under, and in accordance with, a licence. On summary conviction this can lead to up to six months’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.
• Section 5: using an unlicensed operative. It is an offence to provide security industry services through an individual who carries out licensable conduct without a licence. On conviction on indictment, the maximum penalty is five years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both. There are defences, including showing that all reasonable steps were taken to ensure the individual would not work unlicensed.
• Section 9: breaching licence conditions, such as failing to display a front-line licence.
• Section 22: false information given in connection with licensing.
• Section 23: criminal liability of directors and similar officers where an offence committed by a company is attributable to them.

The section 5 defence is one reason why responsible buyers and providers keep evidence of licence checks.

It does not, on its own, tell you whether the officer has been inducted to your site, whether the employer pays them lawfully, how they will be supervised, or what the quality of reporting will be. Those questions belong to supplier selection; see how to choose a security company.

Officer licence details for your site are available on request. To discuss security guarding or keyholding, or to review our compliance and standards, request a quote.