NEW JERSEY SECURITY GUARD AGENCY LICENSE

The license. Security Officer Company License (issued by the Superintendent of State Police under the Security Officer Registration Act, 'SORA', N.J.S.A. 45:19A; NJSP bond form calls the business a 'Licensed Security Agency'; NJSP portal calls the owner application the 'Security Agency Owner' application). Individual guards receive a 'certificate of registration', not a license. [1]

Who needs it. Any entity organized for the purpose of, or primarily engaged in, the business of furnishing one or more security officers for a fee, hire, reward or compensation, including such an entity established by a non-profit (501(c)(3)) organization; the term expressly includes any watch, guard or patrol agency. Excludes federal, state, county, municipal and school-district bodies and their exclusive employees. A 'company maintaining a proprietary or in-house security function' (armed in-house officers) is a separate category: its armed officers must register, but it is not a security officer company. Operating or holding out without a license is a fourth-degree crime (45:19A-3a). The Private Detective Act (N.J.S.A. 45:19-9(b)) expressly excludes watch, guard or patrol agencies, so a private detective license is not the vehicle for a guard company. [1]

Local licensing. Licensing of security officer companies is statewide, by the State Police Superintendent through the NJSP Private Detective Unit (N.J.S.A. 45:19A-3; N.J.A.C. 13:55A-2). The SORA definition excludes counties and municipalities as entities, and nothing in SORA or N.J.A.C. 13:55A creates or references a county/municipal guard-company license. The application must state 'the municipality and location of the security company's principal place of business', which is a disclosure item, not local licensing.

Your guards. Every security officer employed by a security officer company must hold an NJSP SORA certificate of registration (age 18+, fingerprints, 24-hour SORA training course by a certified instructor; unarmed renew every 2 years, armed every year). An owner/operator who employs an unregistered officer commits a fourth-degree crime and faces civil penalties up to $10,000 (first) / $20,000 (subsequent); each owner/operator is liable for each officer's conduct in connection with the business. Companies keep each employee's verified 'employee's statement' and must notify the Superintendent within 48 hours of any for-cause termination. Since October 1, 2024 the 30-day temporary certificate is discontinued; since November 1, 2023 IDs are electronic (E-SORA). [1]

Role

Owners and operators. Each owner and operator (defined as an officer, director, member, sole proprietor, partner or associate of a private security company or a nonprofit organization) files and must qualify; there is no separate 'qualifying agent' or 'manager' license in SORA. N.J.A.C. 13:55A-2.1 requires ALL owners and operators to meet the age and experience minimums; for a company owned by a non-profit, the statute requires only the operator(s) to have the experience. [1]

Experience

Five years' law enforcement experience AND no longer employed by or attached in any capacity to a law enforcement agency; OR five years' experience in a supervisory or management capacity for a licensed security officer company. The rule (13:55A-2.1(b)2) accepts supervisory/management experience with a company licensed under SORA, the Private Detective Act of 1939, or the laws of any other jurisdiction (broader wording than the statute). If the company will be owned by a non-profit organization, only the operator(s) need the experience (45:19A-3b(3), as amended by P.L.2023, c.320). [1]

Age & background

Each owner/operator must be at least 25 years old; fingerprint-based State Bureau of Identification and FBI criminal history record check at the applicant's cost; license barred if any owner/operator has been convicted of a 1st-4th degree crime, any CDS offense under N.J.S.2C:35-2, or any offense where licensure would be contrary to the public interest; Superintendent investigates good character, competency and integrity. [1]

• Written approval from not less than five reputable citizens per owner/operator who have known the applicant at least three years and certify good moral character and behavior. [1]
• Full and complete employment history of the owners/operators. [1]
• Application must list the principal place of business and every other office, sub-agency or branch. [12]
• Fingerprints and written consent for a criminal history background check; owners/operators bear the cost (per N.J.A.C. 13:59). [12]
• NJSP reviews a credit profile report of Security Agency Owner applicants; all derogatory accounts must be documented before licensing. [18]
• Owners cannot be employed by or attached to a law enforcement agency while holding a license (NJSP owner-qualification summary). [17]
• New/additional owners or operators require Superintendent approval (own application, fingerprints, consent, $300 fee) before acting as owner/operator. [12]
• Knowingly false statements or omissions in the company application are a fourth-degree crime. [1]

Surety bond

$5,000 surety bond, conditioned for the faithful and honest conduct of business, issued by a surety company authorized in New Jersey, running to the State of New Jersey for the benefit of any person injured by the willful, malicious or wrongful act of the applicant; delivered after application approval. NJSP 'Security Agency License Bond' form covers a two-year period and may be cancelled by the surety on thirty (30) days' written notice; a Continuation Bond Certificate reflecting the renewal period (expiration date plus two years) is uploaded at renewal. The statute leaves the bond amount to rule (45:19A-3d). [12]

Branch offices

Each office, sub-agency or branch requires Superintendent approval and its own location license ($500 initial, $500 at each biennial renewal); changing any location requires approval and $200 per location affected; the original license must be displayed at each location and may not be reproduced without written approval. [12]

• Owner/operator initial application fee: $300.00 non-refundable, per owner and operator (NJSP fee page: 'Agency Owner Initial $300.00') [12]
• Company license fee: $500.00 non-refundable for each location and place of business (principal office and each office, sub-agency, branch) listed in the initial application, payable after approval (fee page: 'Agency Licensing $500.00') [12]
• Additional branch/location license: $500.00 [20]
• Additional owner/operator: same as initial owner fee ($300.00) [12]
• Change of location: $200.00 non-refundable per location affected (rule only; not listed on NJSP fee page) [12]
• Biennial renewal: $200.00 per owner/operator (fee page: 'Agency Owner Renewal $200.00 *(FP Archive fees not included, may vary)') [12]
• Biennial renewal: $500.00 location renewal fee for each location including the principal place of business (fee page: 'Agency Renewal License $500.00') [12]
• Fingerprinting (NJSP schedule): Initial Print (SORA & PI) $66.05; out-of-state ink-and-roll cards initial $59.91 / renewal $19.91. Statute and rule only say the applicant bears the cost. [20]
• Fingerprint archive fee: $19.62, effective January 1, 2025 [20]
• Security officer (employee) registration: $75.00 initial ($50.00 application + $25.00 registry surcharge under the rule); $60.00 renewal [20]
• All fees non-refundable; online payment by Visa, MasterCard or Discover credit/debit card (Visa gift card accepted) [18]

1. Review SORA and the SORA Rules and Regulations (N.J.A.C. 13:55A), then open the 'Security Agency Owner' application online via the NJSP applicant portal ('Security Officer, Instructor, Agency Owner and Bounty Hunter Applications'); each owner and operator files on the Superintendent's form. [12]
2. Pay the $300 non-refundable owner application fee per owner/operator by Visa/MasterCard/Discover card. [18]
3. Submit five reputable-citizen character approvals, employment history, all business locations, and fingerprints with written consent for the SBI/FBI background check; NJSP reviews a credit profile. [1]
4. Superintendent examines the application, investigates good character, competency and integrity, and advises approval or denial. [12]
5. If approved: deliver the $5,000 surety bond and pay $500 per location; a license issues for each location, valid two years. [12]
6. After licensing: immediately submit a detailed list of all security officers employed; employ only registered officers; obtain employee's statements; display the original license at each location; manage employees through the NJSP 'Security Agency HR Functions' portal. [12]

Renewal

Every two years, filed by all owners/operators before the current license expires: $200 per owner/operator + $500 per location. Done online in the Security Agency HR Function (eagency.njsp.org; Microsoft Edge on a laptop/desktop): update/terminate employees first; Renew Agency and pay; Renew Owner and pay for each owner; owners answer questions and upload a new photo (649x820 pixels, at least 50KB, JPEG); upload a Continuation Bond Certificate (expiration date plus two years); upload a Current Annual Report from the current year or one year prior; upload or email a worksite location list; click Renewal Complete. A written extension request may be approved case by case (13:55A-2.7(d)). [1]

Disqualifiers & waivers

Mandatory bar if any owner/operator has been convicted of a 1st-4th degree crime, any CDS offense (N.J.S.2C:35-2), or any offense where licensure would be contrary to the public interest. The rule (N.J.A.C. 13:55A-2.9) adds grounds for denial/revocation/non-renewal including SORA or rule violations, employing unregistered officers, false or omitted application information, bad moral character/incompetence/untrustworthiness, and good cause in the interest of public safety. The statutory veteran exception (45:19A-4h, P.L.2017, c.351) applies only to individual security officer registration, not to owners. N.J.A.C. 13:55A-1.4 (in the NJSP-posted rule text) lets the Superintendent waive a requirement 'of this chapter' (rules, not statute) for undue hardship on written request. Revocation/suspension is subject to notice and hearing; a hearing request must be made within 15 days of notice (13:55A-8.3). NJSP notes SORA has not been updated for marijuana decriminalization and points to AG Directive 2021-1. [1]

• n/aNo SORA (N.J.S.A. 45:19A) amendment enacted in 2025 or 2026 was found; the Legislature's statutes database history notes show P.L.2023, c.320 as the latest amendment, and the NJSP-posted compilation is current through L.2025, c.405. Bill A2379 (2024-25, 'Concerns licensing of security officer companies') had no governor action and died at session end; no 2026-27 reintroduction was returned by keyword search. Pending 2026-27 bills touching security officers (A893/S1937, A192/S2526, S3493, A3005) have no governor action. No enacted change taking effect later in 2027 was found. N.J.S.A. 45:19A-3 history note; NJSP SORA compilation [8]
• 2026-04-16 (readoption); 2026-05-18 (amendments)N.J.A.C. 13:59 (Criminal History Background Checks, cross-referenced by 13:55A-2.2(c) for owner fingerprint-check costs) readopted with amendments; amendments define 'electronic payment' (debit or credit card only) and require electronic payment of background-check fees; fee subsections (a)-(g) unchanged. R.2026 d.054, 58 N.J.R. 1564(a) [15]
• 2025-01-01NJSP fingerprint archive fee of $19.62 added (set by NJSP fee page, not N.J.A.C. 13:55A). NJSP PDU Application Fees page [20]
• 2024-10-01(Pre-2025 context, still current) NJSP discontinued the 30-day temporary security officer certificate of registration; companies may not deploy applicants until fully approved. NJSP SORA page notice [17]
• 2024-01-16(Pre-2025 context, latest statutory amendment) P.L.2023, c.320: security officer companies established by non-profit organizations covered; owner/operator definition extended to nonprofit organizations; adds 501(c)(3) 'nonprofit organization' definition; for non-profit-owned companies only the operator(s) need the 5-year experience. Approved January 16, 2024. (The 48-hour for-cause termination notice in 45:19A-3h was existing law, not added by this act.) N.J.A.C. 13:55A-2.1 has not been conformed. P.L.2023, c.320 [4]
• expiration 2028-04-13N.J.A.C. 13:55A itself has had no rulemaking listed since the 2021 readoption; the chapter expires April 13, 2028 (after the 2027 edition window), so a readoption proposal may appear during 2027. 53 N.J.R. 938(a) [14]

• N.J.S.A. 45:19A-1 to 45:19A-12 (P.L.2004, c.134, as amended by P.L.2015, c.295; P.L.2017, c.351; P.L.2023, c.320) — Security Officer Registration Act (SORA) [1]
• P.L.2023, c.320 (A5094 1R), approved January 16, 2024, effective immediately (amends 45:19A-2 and 45:19A-3) — An Act concerning security officer companies (non-profit-established companies) [4]
• P.L.2015, c.295 (amends 45:19A-2, -4, -8, -11; C.45:19A-6.1, -6.2) — Detective Melvin Vincent Santiago's Law (armed security officers) [6]
• P.L.2017, c.351 (amends 45:19A-4) — Veteran exception for security officer registration [7]
• N.J.S.A. 45:19-9(b) (Private Detective Act of 1939) — Definitions - 'business of detective agency' excludes 'the business of watch, guard or patrol agency' [3]
• N.J.A.C. 13:55A (readopted with amendments, R.2021 d.045, 53 N.J.R. 938(a); readoption effective April 13, 2021, amendments effective May 17, 2021; expiration date April 13, 2028) — Security Officers and Security Officer Companies [12]
• 53 N.J.R. 938(a) (May 17, 2021) — Readoption with Amendments: N.J.A.C. 13:55A [14]
• N.J.A.C. 13:59 (R.2026 d.054, 58 N.J.R. 1564(a); readoption effective April 16, 2026, amendments effective May 18, 2026; expires April 16, 2033) — Criminal History Background Checks (fingerprint-check procedures and fees referenced by N.J.A.C. 13:55A-2.2(c)) [15]

1. N.J.S.A. 45:19A-1 to -12, Security Officer Registration Act (NJ Legislature statutes database) · retrieved 2026-11-09
2. N.J.S.A. 45:19A-1 to -12, SORA · retrieved 2026-11-09
3. N.J.S.A. 45:19-8 to -27, Private Detective Act of 1939 (NJ Legislature statutes database) · retrieved 2026-11-09
4. P.L.2023, c.320 (A5094 1R) chapter law - security officer companies (non-profit) · retrieved 2026-11-09
5. A5094 (2022-23) introduced bill text with new language marked (became P.L.2023, c.320) · retrieved 2026-11-09
6. P.L.2015, c.295 - Detective Melvin Vincent Santiago's Law (NJSP-hosted copy of chapter law) · retrieved 2026-11-09
7. P.L.2017, c.351 (A1856 1R) - veteran exception for security officer registration · retrieved 2026-11-09
8. SORA compilation posted by NJSP (LexisNexis-formatted, current through L.2025, c.405) · retrieved 2026-11-09
9. A2379 (2024-25) Concerns licensing of security officer companies - introduced, not enacted · retrieved 2026-11-09
10. NJ Legislature bill search results, 2024-2025 and 2026-2027 sessions · retrieved 2026-11-09
11. NJ Legislature bill search results · retrieved 2026-11-09
12. N.J.A.C. 13:55A Security Officers and Security Officer Companies (NJSP-posted text, PDF created 2024-08-26; not the official LexisNexis N.J.A.C.) · retrieved 2026-11-09
13. N.J.A.C. 13:55A older edition in NJSP 2026 SORA Instructor Course packet · retrieved 2026-11-09
14. 53 N.J.R. 938(a) Readoption with Amendments N.J.A.C. 13:55A (NJSP-hosted NJ Register page) · retrieved 2026-11-09
15. 58 N.J.R. 1564(a) Readoption with Amendments N.J.A.C. 13:59 (NJSP-hosted NJ Register pages) · retrieved 2026-11-09
16. NJSP Proposed Rules & Re-Adoptions list (2018-current) · retrieved 2026-11-09
17. NJSP SORA information page · retrieved 2026-11-09
18. NJSP FAQ's - SORA · retrieved 2026-11-09
19. NJSP Private Detective Unit page · retrieved 2026-11-09
20. NJSP PDU Application Fees (page modified 2025-10-22) · retrieved 2026-11-09
21. NJSP NJ Security (Agency) Renewal Instructions (2024-04-11) · retrieved 2026-11-09
22. NJSP Security Agency License Bond form ($5,000) · retrieved 2026-11-09
23. NJSP Security Agency Employee's Statement form (S.P. 202A) · retrieved 2026-11-09
24. NJSP memo: E-SORA electronic ID effective Nov 1, 2023 · retrieved 2026-11-09
25. NJSP Armed Security Officer FAQ · 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.