IDAHO SECURITY GUARD COMPANY LICENSING (LOCAL)

The license. No state license exists. Local example (Boise, largest city): City of Boise 'Security Company License' (fee schedule label: 'Private Patrol / Security Service Company Service'). Coeur d'Alene calls its license a 'Security License'. Other cities use their own names. [1]

Who needs it. Boise: the business owner and business of a Security Patrol Service, Alarm Service and Installation Company, or Private Security Service operating in Boise; every other employee needs a separate individual Security Personnel license. Coeur d'Alene: any agency/person in the business of watching, guarding or protecting premises, property or persons, or patrolling, within city limits. Elsewhere: depends on each city's code (many cities have no security license). [5]

Local licensing. Idaho has NO state licensing statute, agency, IDAPA rule, qualifier or exam for contract security companies or guards. Evidence: Idaho Code Title 54 (Professions, Vocations, and Businesses) has 59 chapters and none covers private security, patrol, guards or private investigators (IC-T54-TOC); the Legislature's official full-text statute search returns 0 hits for 'security guard', 'security officer', 'security services', 'guard service', 'private investigator', 'watchman', 'bouncer', and 'private security' only in 20-611 (V-LEGSEARCH); the DOPL website search returns 0 hits for 'security guard', 'private security', 'private investigator' (V-DOPL-SEARCH); the only state licensing attempt located, 1998 HB 770 (private investigators, not guards), shows a last action of '02/26 Rpt prt - to Bus' and was never enacted (H0770-1998). Licensing is purely municipal, city-by-city, under Idaho Code 50-307. VERIFIED from official city pages: BOISE (City Clerk) - Security Company License for the business + separate individual Security Personnel license for each security patrol agent / alarm installer / event security staff; in-person fingerprinting/FBI record check at City Hall; $10,000 company fiduciary bond; $500,000 liability insurance certificate; uniform photo approval at initial application and every three years; company fee $189.00, individual fee $52.00. COEUR D'ALENE (City Clerk) - 'Security License' for agencies/persons guarding or patrolling within city limits; criminal history background check; apply via Online Business Licensing (fee/bond/insurance not stated on page). Cities checked whose official business-license page shows no security category: Idaho Falls (IDAHOFALLS-BL) and Twin Falls, which 'does not require general business licenses' (TWINFALLS-BL) - absence from a web page does not prove the city code is silent. No county-level security licensing was found. Do not confuse Garden City, Idaho with Garden City, Colorado in search results.

Your guards. Boise Security Personnel License (individual; Security Patrol Agent, Alarm Installer, Event Security Staff; fingerprinting + $2,500 bond; $52.00 fee): https://www.cityofboise.org/departments/city-clerk/licensing/security-services/security-personnel-license/ [2]

Age & background

Boise: background check with in-person fingerprinting at City Hall (FBI record check) must be completed before the license is processed; an Idaho concealed weapons permit does not exempt the applicant. Coeur d'Alene: criminal history background check required. [1]

• Boise: photos of the company uniform must be approved by licensing staff, at initial application and every three years thereafter. [1]
• Boise: an Idaho concealed weapons permit does not exempt applicants from the FBI record check. [1]
• Boise: the requirements do not apply to regularly appointed police officers / law enforcement agents. [1]

Insurance

Boise company license: $500,000 certificate of liability insurance naming the City of Boise as certificate holder. No state insurance requirement. Coeur d'Alene insurance not stated on its page. [1]

Surety bond

Boise company license: $10,000 fiduciary bond naming the City of Boise as certificate holder; separate from the $2,500 bond each individual patrol agent / alarm installer must carry. No state bond. Coeur d'Alene bond not stated on its page. [1]

• Boise Private Patrol / Security Service Company license: $189 [3]
• Boise Alarm Installation Service (company) license: $189 [3]
• Boise Private Patrol Agent / Security Person (individual) license: $52 [3]
• Boise Alarm Installer (individual) license: $52 [3]
• Boise License Processing Fee (asterisked: required on all licenses/permits, added separately): $3 [3]
• Boise Fingerprints Fee (fingerprinting is required for the security company and personnel licenses): $37 [3]
• Boise other administrative fees listed (applicability to security licenses not stated): Photo ID License $5.70; Fingerprint Roll $5.70; License Reprint $5.70 [3]
• Boise: all fees subject to change; fee due when the application is submitted. [4]

1. Boise step 1: gather prerequisites - company uniform photos, $10,000 fiduciary bond, $500,000 liability insurance certificate (both naming the City of Boise). [1]
2. Boise step 2: set up an account on the city's online permitting/licensing system, select Apply > License, choose the Security Company Application. [1]
3. Boise step 3: pay the fee at submission. [4]
4. Boise step 4: schedule and complete in-person fingerprinting / background check at City Hall; the application is incomplete until done. [1]
5. Boise step 5: each employee security patrol agent / alarm installer / event security staff obtains an individual Security Personnel license (own fingerprinting and $2,500 bond). [2]
6. Coeur d'Alene: apply through Online Business Licensing; criminal history background check required. [24]

Renewal

Boise company license term/expiration is NOT stated on the official pages. Stated renewal-related items only: company uniform photos re-approved every three years; individual Security Personnel renewals require proof the $2,500 bond is still current. [1]

• 2025-07-01TANGENTIAL (not security-specific): Occupational Licensing Reform Act amended - no new licensure of a profession/occupation may be created by administrative rule or policy without express statutory authorization; all licensure fees to be in statute or rule by July 1, 2026. Means no state security license can arise by rule. Does not create or change any security licensing. 2025 H0107, Session Law ch. 63, amending Idaho Code 67-9402 [17]
• 2026-04-02TANGENTIAL: Firearms preemption (Idaho Code 18-3302J) strengthened - cities/counties may not adopt or enforce ordinances regulating carrying/possession of firearms; such ordinances void; $10,000 civil penalty per willful violation; private cause of action. Possible effect on any city security-licensing provisions regulating armed guards' carrying of firearms is an interpretation (city ordinance text not reviewed). 2026 S1430, Session Law ch. 295, amending Idaho Code 18-3302J [18]

• Idaho Code § 50-307 — License occupations and businesses (city authority to license and regulate any business by ordinance) - the enabling authority for city security licenses [8]
• Idaho Code § 50-301 — Corporate and local self-government powers of cities [9]
• Idaho Code § 31-714 — County ordinances - general county ordinance power (context only; no county security-licensing ordinance located) [10]
• Idaho Code § 20-611 — Temporary guards - sheriff may hire a private security service for jail/inmate duties (context only; no licensing; only Idaho Code section using 'private security') [11]
• Idaho Code § 18-3302J (am. 2026, ch. 295) — Preemption of firearms regulation - bars city/county ordinances regulating carrying/possession of firearms (context for armed-guard provisions in city codes) [12]

1. City of Boise City Clerk - Security Company License · retrieved 2026-11-09
2. City of Boise City Clerk - Security Personnel License · retrieved 2026-11-09
3. City of Boise City Clerk - Licensing Fee Schedule · retrieved 2026-11-09
4. City of Boise City Clerk - Licensing overview · retrieved 2026-11-09
5. City of Coeur d'Alene Municipal Services - Business Licenses & Permits · retrieved 2026-11-09
6. City of Idaho Falls - Business Licenses · retrieved 2026-11-09
7. City of Twin Falls - Business License Information · retrieved 2026-11-09
8. Idaho Code 50-307 License occupations and businesses · retrieved 2026-11-09
9. Idaho Code 50-301 Corporate and local self-government powers · retrieved 2026-11-09
10. Idaho Code 31-714 County ordinances - penalties · retrieved 2026-11-09
11. Idaho Code 20-611 Temporary guards · retrieved 2026-11-09
12. Idaho Code 18-3302J Preemption of firearms regulation (as amended 2026, ch. 295) · retrieved 2026-11-09
13. Idaho Code Title 54 Professions, Vocations, and Businesses - chapter list · retrieved 2026-11-09
14. Idaho Legislature official site search - exact-phrase hit counts for security-industry terms (compiled results) · retrieved 2026-11-09
15. Idaho DOPL website search API results for security-industry terms (compiled results) · retrieved 2026-11-09
16. Idaho 2025 House Bill 107 - Occupational Licensing Reform Act (status page + text) · retrieved 2026-11-09
17. Idaho 2025 House Bill 107 - bill text (PDF) · retrieved 2026-11-09
18. Idaho 2026 Senate Bill 1430 - Firearms preemption (text + status) · retrieved 2026-11-09
19. Idaho 2026 House Bill 703 - DOPL boards (text + status) · retrieved 2026-11-09
20. Idaho Legislature 2025 Legislation index · retrieved 2026-11-09
21. Idaho Legislature 2026 Legislation index · retrieved 2026-11-09
22. Idaho 1998 House Bill 770 - Private investigators, licensure (not enacted) · retrieved 2026-11-09
23. Boise Security Company License · retrieved 2026-11-09
24. Coeur d'Alene Business Licenses & Permits · retrieved 2026-11-09
25. Idaho 2025 House Bill 107 - text + status · 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.