GEORGIA SECURITY GUARD AGENCY LICENSE

The license. Security company license (statute: a license 'to conduct a private security business'; rules and PSI use 'security company'/'private security agency'). Related company licenses: private detective company, dual private detective/security company, and in-house security operations that elect licensure. [1]

Who needs it. Any individual or entity that wants to engage in the private security business: private patrol, watchman, guard, armored car, or protection of persons from death or serious bodily harm. Exempt (O.C.G.A. 43-38-14 as amended by 2022 HB 1441): government officers/employees on official duty; employers using their own employees for security of their own affairs only (in-house; may elect licensure), now 43-38-14(c); POST-certified peace officers employed by or contracting with a licensed company (exempt from further licensure, but the company must register them with the Board), now 43-38-14(a)(7). [8]

Local licensing. Licensing is state-level, through the Board. There are two local hooks. (1) O.C.G.A. 43-38-14.1(a): no municipality, county, or other political subdivision may grant a local business license to a person required to be licensed under Chapter 38 until that person has made bona fide application to the Board and the Board has acted other than by refusal, cancellation, revocation, or failure to renew. (2) Cities and counties may, by ordinance, regulate street patrol, special officers, or persons furnishing street patrol service, including requiring registration with a local agency. This was 43-38-14(c) in the 2021 code text; 2022 HB 1441 relettered it as 43-38-14(b), and the in-house exemption moved from (d) to (c). No specific county or city ordinance was retrieved.

Your guards. Armed guards, watchmen, and patrolmen must be licensed by the Board (43-38-7) and hold a Board weapon permit (43-38-10). Unarmed guards need not be licensed or registered with the Board: the licensed company keeps their registration records, runs GCIC/FBI fingerprint checks, and keeps records of Board-prescribed training (43-38-7.1). Rule 509-3-.02 requires 24 classroom hours for security employees. The Board rules still refer to employee registrations (expiring Aug. 31 of odd years) and to CE for registered employees. POST-certified peace officers working for the company must be registered with the Board by the company (43-38-14(a)(7), HB 1441). The company's designee must be registered with the Board. [1]

Role

There is no statutory 'qualifying agent' title. An individual applicant applies personally. For an entity, the application is filed by a corporate officer (corporation) or an officer (firm, association, partnership, LLC), and that person must personally meet the 43-38-6 qualifications. Rule 509-2-.03(1) calls this person the 'appropriately qualified designee', who is directly responsible for all operations and must be registered with the Board (the 'license holder of the company'). [1]

Experience

Statute 43-38-6(b)(7) for a security company requires one of: at least 2 years' experience as a supervisor or administrator in in-house security operations or with a licensed security agency; at least 2 years' experience in law enforcement; or a 4-year degree in criminal justice or a related field from an accredited university or college. Rule 509-2-.02(2)-(3) adds that the supervisory experience must be 'full-time', meaning employed at least 2 years at a minimum of 30 hours per week, and that law-enforcement experience must meet O.C.G.A. 35-8-2(8) or a similar definition. A dual detective/security company must meet both sets of requirements. [1]

Age & background

At least 18; U.S. citizen or registered resident alien; good moral character. No conviction of a felony, a crime involving illegal use, carrying, or possession of a dangerous weapon, or a crime of moral turpitude. For such a conviction, nolo plea, or first-offender plea, the Board may inquire into the facts and, in its discretion, license anyway. No act of dishonesty or fraud. Fingerprints are checked through GCIC and the FBI. [1]

• Statute: the person filing for an entity must be a corporate officer (corporation) or an officer (firm, association, partnership, LLC), and must meet the Code-section qualifications. [1]
• Business must have a competent training officer and adequate Board-approved training program (or Board-approved outside training source). [1]
• Rule 509-2-.02(2) supervisory experience must be full-time (stricter than the statute's wording). [5]
• 24 hours of classroom basic training is required for private security agency licensees as well as security employees (effective January 1, 2022). [5]
• Experience definition: 2 years full-time = employed at least 2 years, minimum 30 hours/week; law-enforcement experience must meet O.C.G.A. 35-8-2(8) or similar. [5]
• Two complete sets of fingerprints and one 2x3 inch full-face photo taken within 6 months. [1]
• Company name may not suggest a public law-enforcement or government agency and may not include 'police', 'enforcement', or 'federal'; company must operate only under its licensed name. [5]
• Dual detective/security company applicants must meet both sets of requirements. [5]
• Experience documentation and licensure verification must be originals or notarized copies. [5]
• If the company license holder dies, resigns or is terminated, company must notify Board within 10 business days and obtain a new license immediately to continue operating [14]
• Written examination as the Board may prescribe [8]

Exam

Georgia Private Security Agency Licensure Examination (PSI test 1746, global ID PW8VTA9M). The 2020 bulletin heading is 'PRIVATE SECURITY AGENCY LICENSURE EXAMINATION', and the bulletin registration form says 'Security Agent Licensure Examination'. Related PSI tests: Georgia Private Detective Agency and Private Security Agency Licensure Examination (dual; two 90-minute portions) and Georgia In-House Private Security Agency Licensure Examination. [17]

Who sits it

The company license applicant: the individual applicant, or the officer/designee applying for the entity. Eligibility must be approved before PSI scheduling, by the Board or, since July 1, 2026, by the division director on the Board's behalf (HB 579). The statute makes the exam discretionary ('may be required', 43-38-6(b)(8)). The Board has adopted one by rule 509-2-.02(5), and PSI's live catalog lists it as eligibility-required. Rule 509-2-.01(2) also allows the Board to require the exam for re-licensure after a lapsed license. [5]

Administered by

PSI Services LLC [7]

Delivery

Computer-based at PSI test centers (bulletin lists Duluth, Marietta, Macon, Tifton; other PSI centers by phone); score shown on screen immediately; silent non-programmable calculator permitted. [7]

Questions

80 [7]

Scored questions

80 scored; 5 to 10 additional unscored experimental questions may be administered (time on them does not count). [7]

Time limit (minutes)

90 [7]

Passing score

80% correct for the security agency exam (the detective exam is 70%). Under rule 509-2-.02(f) the Board sets the passing level. Per the bulletin, eligible veterans may have 5 or 10 percentage points added under O.C.G.A. 43-1-9. [7]

Open book

No [7]

Retakes

Rule 509-2-.02(g)-(h): a failed applicant may retake, but not more than three times without a new application and fee; three consecutive no-shows also require a new application and fee. PSI bulletin: eligibility lasts one year from Board notice, with three attempts in that year; re-register for each retest. The PSI live API shows a $125 retake fee. [5]

Candidate handbook ↗

Insurance

Optional alternative to the bond: liability insurance policy of not less than $1 million covering personal liability for damages arising out of acts of the insured or employees. No separate mandatory insurance requirement found in statute or rules. [1]

Surety bond

$25,000 surety bond in favor of the State, conditioned to pay damages to persons aggrieved by violations; filed with the division director upon licensure. Alternatives: liability insurance of not less than $1 million, or a net worth affidavit showing net worth of more than $50,000 (Board may also accept a financial affidavit). 30 days' written notice by certified mail/statutory overnight delivery before cancelling; failure to replace within 10 days of cancellation allows revocation. [1]

Branch offices

A duplicate license certificate must be conspicuously posted at each branch office. Change of business location must be reported to the Board within 30 days. No separate branch-office license or fee was found in statute or rules. [1]

• PSI exam fee, Private Security Agency Licensure Examination: $125; retake fee $125; optional cancellation protection $19.95 (live PSI API, 2026-11-09). [17]
• PSI exam fee, dual Private Detective Agency and Private Security Agency exam: $250; retake $250; cancellation protection $24.95. [17]
• The 2020 PSI bulletin registration form also lists $125 for the security exam, charged for each registration (first attempt or repeat). [7]
• Board application fee: non-refundable; amount set by the Board fee schedule. Payment by cashier's check, certified check, money order, or approved online method; company check at the Board's discretion. [5]
• Fingerprint processing fees are paid by the licensee to the processing authority. [5]

1. File a verified application under oath on the division director's form: full name, age, birth date and place, 5-year residence and employment history, arrest and conviction history. [1]
2. Submit two fingerprint sets and a photo; Board forwards fingerprints to GCIC/GBI and FBI. [1]
3. Submit experience documentation as originals or notarized copies. [5]
4. File the complete application, with all documents and fees, at least 10 days before the Board meeting at which it will be considered. Incomplete applications are not presented. [5]
5. Eligibility is approved by the Board, or since July 1, 2026 by the division director (HB 579). The candidate is then told how to register with PSI. [7]
6. Pass the PSI exam within one year of eligibility (three attempts). [7]
7. Provide the $25,000 bond, a $1 million liability insurance policy, or a net worth affidavit; file the bond with the division director upon licensure. [1]
8. License issued once documents, fees, qualifications, and minimum training are satisfied and background/fingerprint results are received. [5]
9. Post the license conspicuously at the place of business, with a duplicate at each branch office. [1]
10. Obtain any local business license. A locality may issue it only after bona fide application to the Board and Board action other than refusal. [1]

Renewal

Company licenses expire June 30 of each odd-numbered year (biennial; next June 30, 2027). Rule 509-2-.01(2): a penalty fee applies to renewals after June 30 through July 31. Failure to renew by July 31 has the effect of revocation; reinstatement is at the Board's discretion and may require a new application and a written exam. CONFLICT: from July 1, 2026, O.C.G.A. 43-1-4(b) as amended by HB 579 makes licenses renewable up to 45 days after expiration (about Aug. 14) 'notwithstanding any provision of this title to the contrary'. The statute controls over the 31-day rule window. [5]

Disqualifiers & waivers

43-38-6(b)(4): bar for felonies, dangerous-weapon crimes, and crimes of moral turpitude (including nolo and first-offender pleas), with Board discretion to license after inquiry into the crime, date, and circumstances; acts of dishonesty or fraud also disqualify. Grounds for denial or revocation are in 43-38-11. 43-38-6(f): a false application statement or an unrestored felony allows suspension without a prior hearing. General law O.C.G.A. 43-1-19(q) (2022 text): a board may not deny a license for such convictions unless the felony or moral-turpitude crime directly relates to the occupation. Rule 509-2-.07 bars weapon permits where state or federal law prohibits them. From July 1, 2027 (SB 207, after the edition date): 'covered misdemeanor' standard, hearing on request before a denial, written findings, and predetermination petitions. [1]

• 2026-07-012025 HB 579: amends O.C.G.A. 43-1-4(b) so licenses of all professional licensing boards (including this Board) are renewable for up to 45 days after expiration, notwithstanding contrary provisions of Title 43 (the Board rule allows penalty renewal only through July 31). Ga. L. 2025, HB 579, § 1-4 (O.C.G.A. 43-1-4) [3]
• 2026-07-012025 HB 579: new O.C.G.A. 43-1-3.1 lets the division director grant, renew, or reinstate licenses for the Board when an application shows all requirements are met, and amended 43-1-2(j)(2) lets the division director approve exam eligibility for the Board. Ga. L. 2025, HB 579, §§ 1-1, 1-3 (O.C.G.A. 43-1-2(j)(2), 43-1-3.1) [3]
• 2026-07-012025 HB 579: new O.C.G.A. 43-1-26 limits each professional licensing board's rulemaking to rules designed to protect public health, safety, and welfare regarding the regulated profession. Ga. L. 2025, HB 579, § 1-6 (O.C.G.A. 43-1-26) [3]
• 2026-07-012025 HB 579 effective-date clause. Ga. L. 2025, HB 579, § 3-1 [3]
• 2027-07-01ENACTED, EFFECTIVE AFTER 2027-01-01 (list separately in the 2027 edition): 2026 SB 207 Parts I-IV amend O.C.G.A. 43-1-1 and 43-1-19. Changes: criminal-record preclearance; 'covered misdemeanor' replaces 'crime involving moral turpitude' in 43-1-19(q); hearing on request before a denial based on criminal record; written findings; reapplication rights; predetermination petitions. Applies to applications submitted on or after July 1, 2027. SB 207's other parts (eff. July 1, 2026) concern insurance, firefighters, GCIC record restriction, first offenders, and 17-10-21, and do not amend Chapter 38. Ga. L. 2026, SB 207, § 6-1(b) [4]

• O.C.G.A. 43-38-1 to 43-38-16 — Georgia Private Detective and Security Agencies Act (Title 43, Chapter 38). Saved text is the 2021 bound volume; read it together with 2022 HB 1441 [1]
• Ga. L. 2022, HB 1441 (amends O.C.G.A. 43-38-7, 43-38-14) — Exemption for POST-certified peace officers working as employees or independent contractors of licensed companies; 43-38-14 subsections relettered [2]
• O.C.G.A. 43-1-1 et seq. — Professional licensing boards, general provisions (Title 43, Chapter 1). Saved text is the 2022 bound volume [10]
• Ga. L. 2025, HB 579 (O.C.G.A. 43-1-2(j)(2), 43-1-3.1, 43-1-4(b), 43-1-26), eff. July 1, 2026 — Division director may approve exam eligibility and grant, renew, or reinstate licenses; 45-day post-expiration renewal; limits on the scope of board rules [3]
• Ga. L. 2026, SB 207, Parts I-IV (O.C.G.A. 43-1-1, 43-1-19), eff. July 1, 2027 (AFTER the edition date) — Criminal-record preclearance and predetermination; hearing required before a denial based on criminal record [4]
• Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 509-1 — Organization (meetings, fees) [5]
• Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 509-2 — Licensure and Registration (expiration, qualifications, examination, issuance, weapon permits, applications, criminal convictions) [5]
• Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 509-3 — Instructors & Training Program Requirements [5]
• Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 509-4 — Safety and Conduct of Licensees and Registrants [5]
• Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 509-5 — Procedural Rules [5]
• Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 509-6 — Changes (location, ownership) [5]

1. O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 38 (Georgia Private Detective and Security Agencies Act) - official O.C.G.A. Vol. 30A (2021) OCR text via Public.Resource.Org/Internet Archive · retrieved 2026-11-09
2. 2022 HB 1441 as passed (signed) - amends O.C.G.A. 43-38-7 and 43-38-14 · retrieved 2026-11-09
3. 2025 HB 579 as passed (signed) - Title 43 Chapter 1 licensing provisions, eff. July 1, 2026 · retrieved 2026-11-09
4. 2026 SB 207 as passed (signed) - criminal-record preclearance for licensing boards, Parts I-IV eff. July 1, 2027 · retrieved 2026-11-09
5. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Department 509 (Chapters 509-1 to 509-6), full text via LII mirror of the official Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia · retrieved 2026-11-09
6. Official Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia, Dept. 509 index/administrative history - currency check (WebFetch summary, not verbatim) · retrieved 2026-11-09
7. PSI - Georgia Private Agency Licensure Examination Candidate Information Bulletin (Updated 9/29/2020) · retrieved 2026-11-09
8. O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 38 (Georgia Private Detective and Security Agencies Act), 2021 bound volume via Public.Resource.Org/Internet Archive · retrieved 2026-11-09
9. Ga. L. 2022, HB 1441 (amends O.C.G.A. 43-38-7, 43-38-14), as signed · retrieved 2026-11-09
10. O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 1 (professional licensing boards general provisions), 2022 bound volume via Public.Resource.Org/Internet Archive · retrieved 2026-11-09
11. Ga. L. 2025, HB 579 (amends O.C.G.A. 43-1-2, 43-1-3, 43-1-3.1, 43-1-4), as signed; effective July 1, 2026 · retrieved 2026-11-09
12. Ga. L. 2026, SB 207 (criminal-record preclearance; amends O.C.G.A. 43-1-1, 43-1-19), as signed; Parts I-IV effective July 1, 2027 · retrieved 2026-11-09
13. Office of the Governor - Signed Legislation lists 2025 and 2026 (screening log) · retrieved 2026-11-09
14. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Department 509 (Chapters 509-1 to 509-6), LII mirror of official rules.sos.ga.gov · retrieved 2026-11-09
15. Official Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia, Department 509 index - currency check (WebFetch summary, not verbatim) · retrieved 2026-11-09
16. PSI Georgia Private Agency Licensure Examination Candidate Information Bulletin (Updated 9/29/2020) · retrieved 2026-11-09
17. PSI test-taker portal API - Georgia Multi Board exam catalog, fees and durations · 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.