ARIZONA SECURITY GUARD AGENCY LICENSE

The license. Security Guard Agency License (statutory term: "agency license" to conduct the business of private security guard service) [1]

Who needs it. Any agency, individual or employer in the business of furnishing to the public for hire guards, watchmen, patrol services, dogs or other persons to protect life or property ("private security guard service"); no one may engage in that business or represent himself as a licensee unless licensed (32-2611). Exempt (32-2606): government officers/employees on duty; security work at commercial nuclear stations or DoD-regulated companies; proprietary (in-house) security companies meeting 32-2606(3) (16h initial + 8h annual firearms training if armed, DPS-conforming uniforms/badges, annual background-procedure affidavit, DPS form 03951); the Arizona Rangers. [1]

Local licensing. Licensing is state-level through AZ DPS. A.R.S. 32-2605: "This chapter does not prevent any political subdivision of this state from prescribing additional requirements for regulation of security guard agencies, but the political subdivision may not assess an additional fee." (src ars-32-26).

Your guards. Every guard must hold a DPS security guard registration certificate (unarmed $50, armed $100, new/renew; 4-year term) and act only within the scope of employment for a licensed agency. The agency must provide 8 hours of pre-assignment training by a DPS-certified instructor (8-hour refresher for renewal applicants; armed: 16 hours initial + 8 hours annual firearms training), use only registered instructors, file a monthly armed-guard roster (due by the 10th of the following month), and notify DPS within 24 hours of receiving notice of a guard's arrest. Individual licensees/QPs/officers licensed under Art. 2 are exempt from guard registration (32-2621(B)). [1]

Role

Qualifying Party (QP). Sole proprietorship: the QP is the agency licensee. Partnership/corporation/LLC: the QP is the individual liable for managing the agency; all other partners/officers register as associates. A Resident Manager (Arizona full-time legal resident meeting 32-2612/32-2613) is required if the QP lives outside Arizona. [1]

Experience

At least three years of full-time experience as a manager, supervisor or administrator of a security guard agency, OR three years of full-time supervisory experience with any federal, U.S. military, state, county or municipal law enforcement agency; same for a required resident manager. Must be substantiated on a DPS form certified by the employer (letters from others accepted if employer certification unavailable); burden of proof on applicant. DPS accepts employer letters, supervisor letters, retirement papers/evaluations/military records showing supervisory rank (DD214 alone insufficient). [1]

Age & background

At least 21; U.S. citizen or legal resident authorized to work; no felony conviction or pending felony indictment; within 5 years no misdemeanor involving violence/threats, deadly-weapon misconduct, dishonesty/fraud, arson, theft, domestic violence, Title 13 ch. 34/34.1 drug offenses or sexual misconduct; not on parole/community supervision/release or named in an outstanding warrant; not on probation for violence/DV; not adjudicated mentally incompetent, found dangerous/disabled under 36-540, Rule 11 incompetent or guilty except insane; no conviction for unlicensed guard/agency work; not a registered sex offender. Applies to an individual applicant or each associate, director or manager of an entity applicant. [1]

• Out-of-state QP must designate a resident manager who is a manager of the agency and a full-time Arizona legal resident meeting 32-2612 and 32-2613. [1]
• Each partner, officer, director, member and manager other than the QP and resident manager must meet A.R.S. 32-2622 (associate standards, age 18+) and file an associate application. [24]
• DPS checklist: QP, associates and employees may not be peace officers or reserve peace officers (unless retired, or an accident reconstructionist or fire origin-and-cause investigator). [27]
• QP/resident manager is accountable for the 8-hour unarmed pre-assignment and refresher training program and must designate registered trainers in writing (with sample signatures). [6]
• QP must initial, sign and have notarized the Qualifying Party Responsibilities form (DPS 802-03913). [27]
• If the QP leaves, everyone in the agency must stop guard services within 15 business days unless a qualified individual applies for a new agency license. [4]
• If required, the QP must keep workers' compensation and liability insurance in effect. [1]

Insurance

General liability insurance of at least $100,000 for any one person and $300,000 for any one event (DPS instructions: "aggregate total"), from an insurer licensed/authorized in Arizona, certificate naming DPS as certificate holder; provided within 90 days after DPS notifies the license is ready for issuance and kept in force at all times; insurer must give DPS at least 10 days' certified-mail notice of cancellation (minimum limits are set by DPS rule under 32-2613(C)(2)). Do not buy policies until DPS notifies approval. [4]

Branch offices

A branch office certificate from DPS is required before establishing/operating a branch; issued in the agency's name only; obtained by written notice of the branch address (R13-6-204); expires and renews with the agency license; must be posted in the branch; branch address changes reported within 15 business days (rule; DPS QP form says 15 days). No separate branch fee appears in R13-6-103 or the DPS fee table. [1]

• Agency application (includes qualifying party): $500 [6]
• Agency license (issuance): $500 [5]
• Agency license renewal: $500 (4-year term) [5]
• Agency restructure: $100 (waived if made at renewal, R13-6-206(A)) [6]
• Late renewal fee (agency): $100 [6]
• Resident manager application (new/renew): $50; resident manager renewal late fee: $10 [5]
• Associate registration (each partner/officer/member other than QP), new/renew: $50 [5]
• Fingerprint processing fee: $22 per card/person (rule R13-6-103(B) sets it as the cost of processing) [5]
• Replacement identification card: $10 [25]
• Rule fee schedule (A.A.C. R13-6-103, eff. 2006) matches DPS agency amounts: original application $500, license $500, renewal $500, restructure $100, late renewal $100; rule also lists an optional $15 fingerprint/digital photo fee not shown on the DPS fee list [4]
• All fees non-refundable [5]
• Initial-license fee waiver under A.R.S. 41-1080.01 (family income <=200% FPG, active-duty military spouses, veterans discharged within 2 years); first-time applicants for that license only; $22 fingerprint fee still due (form 03144) [5]

1. Obtain agency-name approval from the DPS Licensing Unit (form 03912; R13-6-207) BEFORE contacting the Arizona Corporation Commission or Secretary of State. [5]
2. Complete the notarized Security Guard Agency Application (DPS 802-03902) for the QP, plus an Associate application (DPS 802-03906) for every partner, LLC member/manager and corporate officer/director. [6]
3. Include a legible notarized ID copy, one classifiable fingerprint card with the fingerprint affidavit, fees, and a color passport-sized photo. [6]
4. Fingerprints received on or after July 8, 2026 must be sealed in a single envelope with the completed DPS Fingerprint Affidavit (form 03934) or the packet is rejected. [25]
5. Include experience documentation, entity/trade-name papers, notarized QP Responsibilities form, notarized 8-hour unarmed training program (form 03916), color photos of uniforms, badges/patches and vehicles, resident manager application if applicable. Missing items 1, 2, 4 or 14 = packet returned unprocessed. [27]
6. Uniforms, patches and vehicle markings must be approved before license issuance. [6]
7. Submit by mail, portal or drop-off (DPS suspended electronic applications/fingerprints from Oct 30, 2026 during its system transition; paper still accepted). Allow at least 15 business days before calling. [6]
8. Do not buy insurance until DPS notifies approval; then within 90 days of the ready-for-issuance notice pay the $500 license fee and file the liability certificate (and workers' comp if employees), or the application is canceled and fees forfeited. [1]
9. DPS issues the 4-year agency license and ID cards to the QP, associates and resident managers; post the license in the principal office. [1]
10. Rule time-frames (R13-6-105): administrative completeness 5 days, substantive review 10 days, overall 15 days. [4]

Renewal

Agency license term is four years (A.R.S. 32-2614(A), as amended by Laws 2025 ch. 12, eff. 2025-09-26). Renewal requires the DPS form, $500 fee, proof of liability insurance and workers' compensation, and identification of the certified security guard training and firearms-safety instructors the agency uses. DPS accepts renewals up to 180 days before expiration and returns earlier filings (rule R13-6-203(A) still says 60 days). No regulated business may be conducted between expiration and renewal; late renewal carries a $100 penalty. SB 1618 deleted the statutory 90-day post-expiration renewal cutoff; rule R13-6-203(D) still contains a 90-day cutoff. [1]

Disqualifiers & waivers

Disqualifiers: the A.R.S. 32-2612(A) list (see qualifier.age_and_background); DPS may also deny if the applicant is unfit based on a conviction, citation or law-enforcement encounter (32-2612(C)) or on 32-2640(A) grounds (incl. inadequate experience verification, false statements, prior refusal/revocation). Waivers: the Private Investigator and Security Guard Hearing Board may grant a good cause exception (32-2609) for misdemeanors once all sentencing terms are completed and felonies only if 10+ years have passed since completion of sentence, never for offenses listed in A.R.S. 41-1758.03(B); a denied applicant may request a Board hearing in writing within 30 calendar days (32-2640(B)). DPS also points applicants to a court-issued Certificate of Second Chance. A revoked licensee may not reapply for at least one year (32-2607(G)). [1]

• 2025-09-26 (general effective date, 57th Leg. 1st Reg. Sess.; SB 1618 has no emergency or delayed effective-date clause)Agency license term extended from two years to four years (A.R.S. 32-2614(A)). Laws 2025, Ch. 12 (SB 1618), sec. 7 [2]
• 2025-09-26Security guard, armed guard and instructor registration certificates extended from two to four years (A.R.S. 32-2624(A)). Laws 2025, Ch. 12 (SB 1618), sec. 9 [2]
• 2025-09-26Deleted the statutory bar on renewing an agency license/registration more than 90 days after expiration (A.R.S. 32-2607(B) and (E)). The quoted sentence is STRUCK text in the enrolled PDF. A.A.C. R13-6-203(D) still contains a 90-day bar. Laws 2025, Ch. 12 (SB 1618), sec. 5 [2]
• 2025-09-26'Periodic state criminal history checks' became 'periodic criminal history checks' in A.R.S. 32-2613(A)(5) and 32-2623(A)(2) (word 'state' struck; current compiled text quoted). Laws 2025, Ch. 12 (SB 1618), secs. 6, 8 [1]
• approved 2025-03-25; operative on the 2025 general effective dateSB 1618 approved by the Governor and filed with the Secretary of State. Laws 2025, Ch. 12 [2]
• 2025-09-26General effective date for 2025 session laws without an emergency/delayed clause. azleg.gov General Effective Dates [3]
• 2026-07-08DPS administrative change: fingerprints received on/after July 8, 2026 must be sealed in one envelope with the completed Fingerprint Affidavit (form 03934) or the packet is rejected. DPS Licensing Unit notice [25]
• 2026-10-30DPS administrative change: Licensing Unit moving to a new processing system in fall 2026; electronic applications and fingerprint submissions suspended from October 30, 2026 until launch (paper still accepted). Only the newest form versions are accepted. DPS Licensing Unit notice [25]

• A.R.S. 32-2601 to 32-2642 (Title 32, Chapter 26) — Security Guards [33]
• A.R.S. 32-2611 — Necessity of an agency license [1]
• A.R.S. 32-2612 — Qualifications of applicant for agency license; substantiation of work experience [1]
• A.R.S. 32-2613 — Application for agency license; financial responsibility; notice and opportunity to supply additional information [1]
• A.R.S. 32-2614 — Issuance of agency licenses and identification cards; deadline for completing application [1]
• A.R.S. 32-2616 — Qualifying party; responsibilities [1]
• A.R.S. 32-2617 — Branch office certificate [1]
• A.R.S. 32-2607 — Fees; renewal of agency licenses and associate or employee registration certificates [1]
• A.R.S. 32-2609, 32-2640 — Good cause exceptions; grounds for refusal to issue or renew an agency license [1]
• Laws 2025, Ch. 12 (SB 1618) — security guards; private investigators; licensure [2]
• A.A.C. R13-6-101 to R13-6-704 (Title 13, Chapter 6) — Department of Public Safety - Security Guards [4]
• A.A.C. R13-6-103 — Fees [4]
• A.A.C. R13-6-201 to R13-6-207 — Agency license application, issuance, renewal, branch office, change of qualifying party, restructure, business name [4]
• A.A.C. R13-6-601 to R13-6-603 — Security guard pre-assignment, refresher and armed training [4]

1. A.R.S. Title 32, Chapter 26 - Security Guards (32-2601 to 32-2642) · retrieved 2026-11-09
2. Laws 2025, Chapter 12 (SB 1618) security guards; private investigators; licensure · retrieved 2026-11-09
3. Arizona Legislature - General Effective Dates · retrieved 2026-11-09
4. A.A.C. Title 13, Ch. 6 - DPS Security Guards (R13-6-101 to R13-6-704) via Cornell LII mirror; official https://apps.azsos.gov/public_services/Title_13/13-06.pdf blocked · retrieved 2026-11-09
5. AZ DPS Security Guard & Private Investigator Licensing page (incl. fee table, FAQ) · retrieved 2026-11-09
6. DPS 802-03902I Security Guard Agency License Instructions (Rev. 08/2026) · retrieved 2026-11-09
7. DPS Security Guard Agency Application (03902) · retrieved 2026-11-09
8. DPS 802-03919R Security Guard Agency Application Checklist (Rev. 08/2026) · retrieved 2026-11-09
9. DPS 802-03913 Security Guard Qualifying Party Responsibilities (Rev. 07/2026) · retrieved 2026-11-09
10. DPS Security Guard Agency Name Selection (03912) · retrieved 2026-11-09
11. DPS 802-03916 Security Guard Training Program form · retrieved 2026-11-09
12. DPS Security Guard Resident Manager Application (03903) · retrieved 2026-11-09
13. DPS 802-03903I Resident Manager Instructions (Rev. 07/2026) · retrieved 2026-11-09
14. DPS Security Guard Agency Associate Application (03906) · retrieved 2026-11-09
15. DPS Security Guard Unarmed Application (03900) · retrieved 2026-11-09
16. DPS SG/PI Licensing Fee Waiver Form (03144) · retrieved 2026-11-09
17. DPS 802-03918 Unarmed Security Guard 8-Hour Training Syllabus (Rev. 06/2026) · retrieved 2026-11-09
18. DPS Security Guard Training Verification Form (03917) · retrieved 2026-11-09
19. DPS Affidavit for Proprietary Security Company (03951) · retrieved 2026-11-09
20. A.R.S. Title 32, Chapter 26 - Security Guards (32-2601 to 32-2642), azleg.gov section pages (created 09/09/26) · retrieved 2026-11-09
21. Laws 2025, Chapter 12 (SB 1618) - security guards; private investigators; licensure (with strikethrough analysis) · retrieved 2026-11-09
22. Arizona Legislature - General Effective Dates · retrieved 2026-11-09
23. v-azleg-sessionlaws-2026 · retrieved 2026-11-09
24. Ariz. Admin. Code R13-6-101 to -105, -201 to -207, -601, -602 · retrieved 2026-11-09
25. AZ DPS - Security Guard & Private Investigator Licensing (notices, SG agency section, fees, FAQ) · retrieved 2026-11-09
26. DPS 802-03902I Rev. 08/2026 Security Guard Agency License Instructions · retrieved 2026-11-09
27. DPS 802-03919R Security Guard Agency Application Checklist (2026-09 upload) · retrieved 2026-11-09
28. DPS 802-03919R Rev. 08/2026 Security Guard Agency Application Checklist (2026-08 upload, includes fingerprint affidavit page) · retrieved 2026-11-09
29. DPS 802-03902 Security Guard Agency Application (with Privacy Act statement and fingerprint affidavit) · retrieved 2026-11-09
30. DPS 802-03913 Rev. 07/2026 Security Guard Qualifying Party Responsibilities · retrieved 2026-11-09
31. DPS 802-03934 Rev. 07/2026 Fingerprint Affidavit for PI and SG Licensing · retrieved 2026-11-09
32. DPS 802-03909I Rev. 06/2026 Armed Security Guard Roster Instructions · retrieved 2026-11-09
33. A.R.S. Title 32 index - Chapter 26 'SECURITY GUARDS' table of contents · retrieved 2026-11-09

Compiled from the primary government sources above, retrieved on the dates shown. This page is a research summary, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the issuing authority before you file.