DELAWARE SECURITY GUARD AGENCY LICENSE

The license. Class B License - Private Security Agency (Class C = combined Private Investigative & Private Security Agency) [2]

Who needs it. Any person (individual, firm, partnership, corporation, etc.) engaging in the business of providing a private watchperson, guard or street patrol service on a contractual basis for another person, including supervising event security staff. DSP states that 'in-house' security hired and employed directly by a business is not required to be licensed. [1]

Local licensing. C. ch. 13 through DSP Professional Licensing. DSP requires agency applicants to be 'Businesses with a valid Business License in Delaware' (state business license, Division of Revenue, 30 Del. C. ch. 23) and the Agency Application asks 'Does this agency have a State of Delaware Business License?'. Constables (24 Del. C. ch. 56) are a separate regime not required for a guard agency.

Your guards. Every guard working for a Class B/C agency needs an individual DSP Security Guard license ('Yellow Card', valid 5 years; armed guards add a 'Red Card' endorsement): Board-approved training plus a DTCC test with a 75% passing grade (Rule 4.1), and IdentoGO fingerprints. Agencies account for guards on the mandatory monthly roster. See https://dsp.delaware.gov/security-guards/ [6]

Role

License Holder (must be an owner/partner/corporate officer of the agency); a Compliance Agent is also required where the agency has no Delaware office [2]

Experience

Statute: at least 4 years as a manager in a bona fide licensed security agency, OR at least 5 years' investigative experience, OR having been a police officer (local/state/federal or equivalent) who graduated from a certified law-enforcement academy. Reg 9.2 adds that law-enforcement qualification is a minimum of 3 years' experience excluding academy. DSP Class B instructions and License Holder Application instead state 5 years as a police officer. See notes for which controls. [1]

Age & background

At least 25 years of age; no felony convictions; no theft/drug/moral-turpitude misdemeanor within the last 7 years, no more than 2 such misdemeanors lifetime, and none during/as a result of employment regulated by Ch. 13; plus Board qualifications. Fingerprint-based state and FBI criminal history check for the individual and all officers. [1]

• Law-enforcement experience must be at least 3 years, not counting academy attendance (regulation) [2]
• DSP's Class B instructions require 5 years as a police officer with verification letters on agency letterhead [9]
• Corrections, auxiliary police and fire police experience does not count as police experience [9]
• Manager-route experience must be with a security agency licensed in Delaware or any other state; 'Manager' = corporate officer or supervisor, or general/unlimited partner; experience from multiple agencies needs verification from each [9]
• Resumes are not accepted as verification; wet-signed letters required [9]
• Experience proof required only on initial License Holder application, not concurrent renewals [9]
• Fingerprints of the individual and all officers to the State Bureau of Identification for state and federal criminal history [1]
• Compliance agent: if no in-state office, report a compliance agent who keeps all Delaware records and produces them within 48 hours [1]
• License Holder signs a notarized affidavit accepting accountability to the Board for each employee's conduct [11]
• Uniforms, patches, badges, vehicle markings, letterhead, business cards and advertising must be Board-approved before use [2]
• Must hold a Delaware business license before applying for agency licensure [8]
• Applicants holding PI/security/armored car licenses in another state must obtain a Verification of Licensure from each issuing state [19]
• License Holder Application summary table: Class B = 4 years Manager/Security Agency or 5 years Investigative; all classes may use 5 years Law Enforcement Experience [12]

Insurance

$1,000,000 liability insurance per occurrence (DSP instructions: Commercial General Liability; certificate holder Delaware State Police Professional Licensing, PO Box 430, Dover, DE 19903) [2]

Surety bond

$10,000 surety bond, minimum 1 year, in the name of the agency, for Class B (in-state and out-of-state); Class C combined PI & security agency: $15,000. Filed on the DSP bond form (obligee State of Delaware). Statute (§ 1311) requires the bond and liability certificate 'in the amount set forth by the Board'. [2]

Branch offices

No separate branch license or fee found; license (or certified copy) must be displayed in the principal office and each branch office; office address changes must be reported within 14 days, and relocation requires Director authorization/endorsement. [1]

• Class B in-state (Delaware) agency license fee: $300 (per 2-year license term; see renewal) [2]
• Class B out-of-state agency license fee: $500 (DSP defines out-of-state as 'not located in Delaware') [2]
• Class C (PI & security) in-state agency license fee: $500 [2]
• Class C out-of-state agency license fee: $800 [2]
• License Holder application/fingerprint fee $105, paid to IdentoGO at a Delaware location (varies outside Delaware); service code 27S48X [9]
• Statutory cap: application fee set by the Board, not to exceed $600 per year [1]
• Agency license fee payable by card, company check, certified check or money order payable to Delaware State Police [18]
• Fees are non-refundable [9]
• Separate prerequisite: State of Delaware business license (Division of Revenue). General service license fee is $75 per year for businesses not otherwise specifically classified in § 2301(a); the security-agency classification was not confirmed. [17]

1. Obtain a Delaware business license [8]
2. Assemble agency package: Agency Application, licensing fee, License Holder Application, bond form, $1M CGL certificate, advertising/uniform items [9]
3. License Holder completes License Holder Application with experience verification letters [9]
4. License Holder fingerprints/photo through IdentoGO (service code 27S48X) [9]
5. Mail/courier package to DSP Professional Licensing, Attn: Class B New/Renewal, 600 South Bay Road, Suite 1, Dover, DE 19901 [9]
6. Board of Examiners approval at a quarterly meeting; submissions generally due 30 days before the meeting [9]
7. All new agency licenses must be Board-approved [2]
8. Post license conspicuously in principal office and each branch before exercising rights [1]
9. Ongoing: monthly personnel roster and job site list by the 10th of each month (Class B/C) [2]

Renewal

Agency licenses expire 2 years from the last day of the month approved (Rule 13.5). Rule 13.6: standard renewals with no changes may be approved by the Professional Licensing Section with notice to the Board; a License Holder change needs Board approval. Renewing License Holders re-fingerprint via IdentoGO but need not resubmit qualifications; DSP normally emails a reminder within 3 months of the renewal date. [2]

Disqualifiers & waivers

Felony conviction; theft/drug/moral-turpitude misdemeanor within 7 years, more than 2 lifetime, or any arising from regulated employment (statute); Assault III within 3 years and any pending charges for listed crimes (regulation 6.1, 6.3); reg 6.2 lists moral-turpitude misdemeanors. No waiver or rehabilitation provision found in the statute or regulation; denial is appealable to the Board, then to the Secretary within 30 days. [2]

• 2026-02-11Board amended 24 DE Admin. Code 1300 (proposed 29 DE Reg. 380, 11/01/25; order adopted Jan. 7, 2026; published Feb. 1, 2026): updated firearms policy and training requirements, replaced the animal prohibition with Board-approved detection canines for Class B/C agencies (Rule 5.0), and clarifying edits throughout. Effective 10 days after Feb. 1, 2026 publication (Feb. 11, 2026 by computation). Rule 13.0 fees, bond and insurance unchanged. 29 DE Reg. 706 (02/01/26); proposed 29 DE Reg. 380 (11/01/25) [3]
• 2025-07-14Citizen's arrest abolished: arrest or detention by anyone not specifically authorized by statute is prohibited (11 Del. C. § 1914); repealed obsolete private-detective arrest provisions. Matters for guard powers-and-limits content. 85 Del. Laws c. 74 (HB 153 w/ HA 1), 11 Del. C. § 1914; repealed 11 Del. C. §§ 6563-6564 [4]
• 2026-08-31New exception to § 1914: persons employed by or providing security services for a health-care institution or licensed medical/dental practice may detain a person presenting a security or safety risk, to summon law enforcement. 85 Del. Laws c. 454 (HS 1 for HB 322) [5]
• 2026-08-31Effective date of HS 1 for HB 322 confirmed on the legislature bill record (signed 8/31/26, effective on signature). 85 Del. Laws c. 454 [5]

• 24 Del. C. §§ 1301-1330 (Chapter 13) — Private Investigators and Private Security Agencies Act [1]
• 11 Del. C. § 1914 — Arrest or detention by private person prohibited; exceptions (affects guard powers) [5]
• 30 Del. C. § 2301 (state business/occupational license, Division of Revenue) — Occupations requiring licenses; definitions; fees; exemptions (general business license prerequisite) [17]
• 24 Del. Admin. Code 1300 — Board of Examiners of Private Investigators & Private Security Agencies (last amended 29 DE Reg. 706, 02/01/26) [2]

1. Delaware Code Title 24, Chapter 13. Private Investigators and Private Security Agencies · retrieved 2026-11-09
2. 24 Del. Admin. Code 1300 Board of Examiners of Private Investigators & Private Security Agencies (current, incl. 29 DE Reg. 706) · retrieved 2026-11-09
3. Delaware Register Vol. 29 Iss. 8 (Feb. 1, 2026) Final Order 29 DE Reg. 706 amending 24 DE Admin. Code 1300; with Nov. 1, 2025 proposed notice 29 DE Reg. 380 · retrieved 2026-11-09
4. 85 Del. Laws c. 74 (HB 153 w/ HA 1) - arrest or detention by private person prohibited · retrieved 2026-11-09
5. 11 Del. C. § 1914 (current) and HS 1 for HB 322 (85 Del. Laws c. 454) - health-care security detention exception · retrieved 2026-11-09
6. Delaware State Police - Security Guards/Armed Security Guards page (incl. Class B/C agency sections) · retrieved 2026-11-09
7. Delaware State Police - Unarmed Security Guard FAQs · retrieved 2026-11-09
8. Delaware State Police - Professional Licensing Section · retrieved 2026-11-09
9. Licensure Instructions - Class B - Private Security Agency - New & Renewal · retrieved 2026-11-09
10. Licensure Instructions - Class C - Private Investigative/Private Security Agency - New & Renewal · retrieved 2026-11-09
11. Agency License Application - Class A-D · retrieved 2026-11-09
12. Agency License Holder Application (DSP-5-2025) · retrieved 2026-11-09
13. Private Investigations & Private Security Agency Surety Bond form (amended 11-2022) · retrieved 2026-11-09
14. Agency Roster & Job Site Template (June 2025) · retrieved 2026-11-09
15. Security Guard Application (12-2024) · retrieved 2026-11-09
16. Delaware Security Guard Study Guide 2019 (individual guard resource) · retrieved 2026-11-09
17. Delaware Code Title 30, Chapter 23 - Occupational licenses (state business license) · retrieved 2026-11-09
18. Agency License Application - Class A-D (06/25) · retrieved 2026-11-09
19. Agency License Holder Application (DSP-5-2025) · retrieved 2026-11-09
20. Licensure Instructions - Class B (rev. 8-2023, older 2023/09 upload still linked in Renewal section) · retrieved 2026-11-09
21. Delaware General Assembly bill detail - HB 153 (85 Del. Laws c. 74) and HS 1 for HB 322 (85 Del. Laws c. 454) · retrieved 2026-11-09
22. Delaware General Assembly 153rd GA (2025-2026) full legislation list - keyword-filtered extract (derived from legislature JSON endpoint) · retrieved 2026-11-09
23. Delaware Code Title 24, Chapter 13 · retrieved 2026-11-09
24. 24 Del. Admin. Code 1300 · 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.