WEST VIRGINIA SECURITY GUARD AGENCY LICENSE

The license. Security Guard Firm License (the W. Va. Code Ch. 30, Art. 18 'firm license' to operate a 'security guard firm'); a Combined Firm Private Investigation and Security Guard License is also offered [1]

Who needs it. Any person (individual or entity) in the 'security guard business', meaning furnishing watchmen, guards, bodyguards, private patrolmen or others for hire, reward or other remuneration to protect property or persons, prevent theft, or supply guard dogs or armored motor vehicle security services. A firm license is needed if the person employs or allows anyone else to perform the services. A sole operator with no helpers may hold an individual security guard license instead. Excluded: persons employed exclusively and regularly by only one employer for that employer's own affairs (proprietary/in-house guards), and duties that require law-enforcement certification under W. Va. Code 30-29. SOS guidance says 'for hire' includes arrangements with or without pay. [13]

Local licensing. Security guard businesses are licensed STATEWIDE by the WV Secretary of State. No county or municipal licensing specific to security agencies was found. General local overlays: under W. Va. Code §8-13-4 a municipality may require a municipal license for anything that needs a state license and is done within its corporate limits. The municipal tax may not exceed the state license tax; alternatively a city may adopt a general municipal business license capped at $20. As amended by 2025 HB 2451 (in effect July 11, 2025), no municipal license may be required of an independent contractor or sole proprietor who earns under $2,500 a year and has no permanent physical location in the city. Municipal B&O/privilege taxes may also apply under §8-13-5. The SOS separately requires a WV State Tax Department business registration certificate (at approval and at renewal) and business-entity registration with the SOS Business Division / One Stop Business Portal.

Your guards. No separate state guard card or registration for employees of a licensed firm. Individuals employed by a licensed security guard firm are exempt from individual licensing. They must still meet the §30-18-5 eligibility requirements except prior experience, and must authorize an SOS review of conviction records. The firm keeps a recent full-face photo and one full fingerprint set for each employee at its central WV business location (released to the SOS on request). It lists employees on the application and renewal, and reports new and departing employees to the SOS; Form PISG-APP says changes must be submitted within 60 days. [1]

Role

Qualifying Agent. The statute calls this person the 'applicant' when a non-natural person applies: the person whose qualifications are presented to meet the experience/education requirements. [13]

Experience

Statute §30-18-5(a)(6): at least one year of verified, full-time employment conducting security guard or private investigation business for a licensed firm, or one year of substantially equivalent training or experience. The SOS 'Additional Eligibility Requirements' page, Form PISG-APP (Rev. 7/7/2021) and the SOS individual security guard page (30 credit hours, or 32 hrs/week for 50 weeks) agree. CONFLICT: the SOS 'Applying for Security Guard Firm License' page's documentation list for the qualifying agent uses a 2-year standard: a 2- or 4-year criminal justice degree, 60 credit hours, or 32 hrs/week for 100 weeks. This appears to be carried over from the PI firm page. The statute controls. A qualifying agent for a COMBINED PI/SG firm must be PI-qualified (§30-18-2 standard). [1]

Age & background

At least 18; U.S. citizen or legally residing alien; no prior PI/security license revoked or application denied anywhere; not adjudged incompetent (unless competency is restored); no habitual drunkenness or narcotics addiction; no felony conviction in any state or territory; no conviction for illegally using/carrying/possessing a pistol or dangerous weapon, burglar's instruments, buying/receiving stolen property, unlawful entry of a building, aiding an inmate's escape, or possessing/distributing illicit drugs; no violation of §30-18-8. An executive pardon removes the disability. Fingerprint-based state (WV State Police) and FBI criminal history check required. Per SOS, these basic requirements also apply to every officer, member, partner and employee of a firm. [1]

• Qualifying agent must be directly involved with and responsible for supervising the firm's security guard operations [13]
• Five character references from reputable citizens who have known the applicant at least five years and are not related by blood or marriage, written for the application. SOS requires five for the qualifying agent and for each officer/member/partner [1]
• Each officer, member or partner of a corporation, LLC or partnership submits a completed application with references and a photo; qualification documentation is required only for the qualifying agent [13]
• State and national (FBI) fingerprint-based criminal history record check; statute says applicant pays actual cost (SOS form says the charge is included in the application fee) [1]
• Firm license holder must supervise, and provide reasonably necessary education/training to, every employee conducting security guard business, paid or not [1]
• A person who qualifies for a PI license is also qualified to conduct security guard business on written notice to the SOS; but a person qualified only as a security guard cannot be qualifying agent for a combined PI/SG firm [16]
• Out-of-state corporations must include a certificate of good standing from the state of incorporation; corporate application signed by the president [1]
• Child support obligation certification under WV Code §48A-5A-5(c) is part of the application [23]
• Licensees may not transfer the license or contract/subcontract with an unlicensed person, firm or agency to conduct security guard business [1]

Insurance

Liability insurance is an alternative to the $5,000 surety bond. No minimum coverage amount appears in the statute, any rule, or any SOS page or form; the statute delegates to 'as required by the Secretary of State' and no substantive rule exists. [1]

Surety bond

$5,000 surety bond, conditioned on the faithful and honest conduct of the business. It must be written by a company approved by the WV Insurance Commissioner, on a form approved by the Attorney General (the SOS/WVAGO bond form, Last Revised 5/4/2020, expressly covers 'the business of Watch, Guard or Patrol Agency'), and run in favor of the State and of any person damaged by a violation. The surety is liable only for compensatory (not punitive) damages, in aggregate up to the bond amount. Alternatively, file 'sufficient proof of liability insurance as required by the Secretary of State' in lieu of the bond. Signatures of principal and surety agent must be notarized, with power of attorney attached. Bond (continuation certificate or new bond) or insurance must be refiled at each renewal. [1]

Branch offices

No separate branch-office license or fee. The application must list the location of each office in WV; firms report additional in-state offices to the SOS by letter; the renewal form asks for the name and address of any sub agency, office or branch office for which renewal is requested. Employee photos and fingerprints must be kept at the firm's central business location in WV. [19]

• Statute §30-18-6(g)(2): $50 nonrefundable application processing service charge plus $200 license fee for a firm ($100 individual). The license fee is refunded only if the license is denied. (Form PISG-APP labels the $50 'Criminal History Background Check Fee (non-refundable)'.) [1]
• Security Guard Firm initial license: $250 total, same for WV resident and non-resident (includes $50 non-refundable processing fee) [3]
• Combined PI/Security Guard Firm initial license: $450 ($200 PI firm + $200 SG firm + $50 processing), resident and non-resident [16]
• Optional individual license for the qualifying agent filed with the firm license: $350 total ($200 firm + $100 individual + $50 processing) [16]
• Renewal: $50 flat fee for all license types (statute caps the renewal fee at $50); term two years [24]
• Fingerprinting/background check: SOS form says no separate payment is required because the charge is included in the application fee; statute §30-18-10(d)(6) says the applicant pays the actual cost. These are consistent, since the cost is collected through the fee [23]
• Initial-fee waiver for low-income individuals and military families under §30-1-23 (applies to 'each board or licensing authority referred to in this chapter'). SOS PI/SG pages do not mention it [4]
• DISCREPANCY (individual license, not firm): the SOS individual security guard web page lists $550 for a non-resident individual. Form PISG-APP (Rev. 7/7/2021) lists $150 for resident and non-resident individuals, and the statute ($50 + $100) makes no residency distinction. The statute controls. The firm fee ($250) is consistent across all sources [14]

1. Register the business: form or qualify the entity with the SOS (sole proprietorships and general partnerships register with the State Tax Department); out-of-state entities need a certificate of good standing [13]
2. Obtain Form PISG-APP (download, email licensing@wvsos.gov, or call (304) 558-8000) [13]
3. Qualifying agent completes the security guard license application; each officer/member/partner completes an application with references [13]
4. Complete the firm application with the list of employees who will conduct security guard operations in WV; signed by each officer/member/partner [13]
5. One passport-size color photo (taken within the last year) for the qualifying agent and each officer, member or partner [13]
6. File a $5,000 surety bond on the SOS/WVAGO form, or proof of liability insurance [13]
7. Five completed character references for each individual (qualifying agent and each officer/member/partner) [13]
8. Documentation of the qualifying agent's training/experience (sworn employer statement, transcripts, law-enforcement or military training) [13]
9. Pay the fee ($250 firm) by check or money order payable to West Virginia Secretary of State [23]
10. Mail the packet to WV Secretary of State, Licensing Division, 1900 Kanawha Blvd. East, Building 1, Suite 157-K, Charleston, WV 25305 [13]
11. After the application is received, the SOS sends fingerprint instructions. Prints go through IdentoGO by IDEMIA: live scan in WV, fingerprint cards for out-of-state applicants [23]
12. If approved, register and obtain a business license through the WV State Tax Department [23]

Renewal

License term is two years from issuance. It is renewable for two-year periods on the SOS form, on payment of the fee (statutory cap $50; SOS charges $50 flat) and refiling of the bond (continuation certificate or new $5,000 bond) or proof of liability insurance. The firm renewal packet: Form PISG-REN; copy of the State Tax Department business registration certificate; one new photo; certificate of existence/good standing for out-of-state firms; and a list of WV employees (name, address, birth date, SSN), with certifications that background checks, fingerprint cards and photos are on file. If the qualifying agent changes, a complete application for the new agent is required, and the license cannot be renewed until that agent is approved. NOTE: Form PISG-REN and PISG-APP contain inconsistent text ('renewed for a one (1) year term' / 'renewed each subsequent year for an effective term of two (2) years'). The statute's two-year term controls. [1]

Disqualifiers & waivers

Mandatory bars in §30-18-5: felony anywhere; the listed weapon, burglar's-tool, stolen-property, unlawful-entry, escape and illicit-drug offenses; prior license revocation or application denial anywhere; adjudicated incompetence; addiction or habitual drunkenness; violation of §30-18-8. The only waiver in Art. 18 is an executive pardon. The general 'fair chance' rule in §30-1-24 (rational-nexus test, 5-year reapplication path) expressly does NOT apply to Art. 18. A hearing must be requested within 15 days of written notice of an adverse determination (§30-18-10(b); 153 CSR 12-2.3). A denial or revocation based on a disqualifying conviction gets an identity-only hearing (§30-18-10(c)). Judicial review is in Kanawha County Circuit Court. Under 153 CSR 12-3.1, reapplication after denial of initial licensure is not accepted for one year unless the applicant documents that the deficiencies are corrected. Penalties (§30-18-11): misdemeanor, $100-$5,000 fine and/or up to one year in jail, assessed per day (and, for firms, per unauthorized person). [1]

• n/aNo bill enacted in 2022-2026 amended any section of W. Va. Code §30-18. The most recent signed bills are 2021 SB 521 (§§30-18-9, 30-18-10) and 2020 HB 4749 (§§30-18-2, -3, -5, -6, -9, -10). The 2027 Regular Session had not convened as of 2026-11-09, so no enacted later-2027 changes are known. W. Va. Code §30-18-9 / §30-18-10 bill history (Signed Bills) [2]
• 2025-07-112025 HB 2451 amended W. Va. Code §8-13-4(c): no municipal license may be required of an independent contractor or sole proprietor who earns less than $2,500 in annual gross revenue and has no permanent physical location within city limits. This is a general municipal-license change, not specific to security. W. Va. Code §8-13-4(c), 2025 HB 2451 (Ch. 44, Acts 2025) [7]
• 2025-07-01 (Legislature Code Sections Affected: 'Effective Ninety Days from Passage (July 1, 2025)')Universal Professional and Occupational Licensing Act of 2025 (SB 458), W. Va. Code §30-1-27: licensure without examination for new residents and military spouses licensed in another state, applicable to 'every board of examination or registration in this chapter'. Whether it reaches the SOS-issued Art. 18 license is unverified: the SOS is not a board, Art. 18 has no exam, and SOS PI/SG pages and forms lack the notice §30-1-27(h) requires. W. Va. Code §30-1-27 (2025 SB 458) [5]

• W. Va. Code §§30-18-1 to 30-18-13 (Chapter 30, Article 18) — Private Investigative and Security Services [1]
• W. Va. Code §30-1-23 — Waiver of initial licensing fees for certain individuals (low-income, military families); applies to 'each board or licensing authority referred to in this chapter'. SOS implementation for Art. 18 not documented [4]
• W. Va. Code §30-1-24(b) — Use of criminal records as disqualification. Art. 18 (§30-18-1 et seq.) is expressly EXCLUDED [4]
• W. Va. Code §30-1-27 — Universal Professional and Occupational Licensing Act of 2025 (applies to 'every board of examination or registration in this chapter'; whether it applies to the SOS-issued Art. 18 license is unverified) [5]
• W. Va. Code §8-13-4 (as amended 2025 HB 2451) — Municipal license and tax thereon when state license required (general municipal licensing power; not security-specific) [6]
• W. Va. Code St. R. §153-12-1 et seq. (153 CSR 12), eff. 12/21/2000 — Rules of Procedure for Contested Case Hearings Related to Licensing of Private Detectives and Security Guards. This procedural rule is the only active rule under Art. 18 [10]
• 153 CSR 34 (proposed 2017, withdrawn 11/15/2017); 153 CSR 11 (1986) and 153 CSR 2 (1961/1975), Historical — Licensing of Private Investigators and Security Guards. No substantive licensing rule is in effect [11]

1. W. Va. Code Ch. 30, Art. 18 - Private Investigative and Security Services (§§30-18-1 to -13), incl. per-section Bill History / Signed Bills · retrieved 2026-11-09
2. W. Va. Code Ch. 30, Art. 18 · retrieved 2026-11-09
3. WV SOS Applying for Security Guard Firm License · retrieved 2026-11-09
4. W. Va. Code §§30-1-1, 30-1-23, 30-1-24 (general professional licensing provisions) · retrieved 2026-11-09
5. W. Va. Code §30-1-27 Universal Professional and Occupational Licensing Act of 2025 · retrieved 2026-11-09
6. W. Va. Code §8-13-4 Municipal license and tax thereon when state license required · retrieved 2026-11-09
7. Enrolled Committee Substitute for House Bill 2451 (2025 RS) - amends §8-13-4, §8-13-5 · retrieved 2026-11-09
8. WVLeg-code-affected-2024-2026 · retrieved 2026-11-09
9. WV Legislature Bill Status - Code Sections Affected 2024-2026 · retrieved 2026-11-09
10. 153 CSR 12 Rules of Procedure for Contested Case Hearings Related to Licensing of Private Detectives and Security Guards (eff. 12/21/2000) · retrieved 2026-11-09
11. WV Code of State Rules index, Title 153 - PI/security guard rule status (153-34 withdrawn 2017; 153-11, 153-2 historical) · retrieved 2026-11-09
12. WV SOS Private Investigator and Security Guard Licensing Information · retrieved 2026-11-09
13. WV SOS Applying for Security Guard Firm License · retrieved 2026-11-09
14. WV SOS Applying for an Individual Security Guard License · retrieved 2026-11-09
15. WV SOS Additional Eligibility Requirements for Licensing · retrieved 2026-11-09
16. WV SOS Combined Individual & Firm Security Guard / Combined Firm PI & SG / Renewing Combined License · retrieved 2026-11-09
17. WV SOS Renewing a Private Investigation or Security Guard Firm License · retrieved 2026-11-09
18. WV SOS Renewing an Individual Private Investigator or Security Guard License · retrieved 2026-11-09
19. WV SOS Changes in Your PI or Security Guard License / Changing Information · retrieved 2026-11-09
20. WV SOS Eligibility Requirements - Basic Requirements for All Licensees (Rev. 6/5/2020) · retrieved 2026-11-09
21. WV SOS Exemptions for Security Guards (Rev. 3/20/2018) · retrieved 2026-11-09
22. WV SOS Exemptions for Private Investigators (Rev. 3/20/2018) · retrieved 2026-11-09
23. WV SOS Initial Application, License as a PI and/or Security Guard, Form PISG-APP Rev. 7/7/2021 · retrieved 2026-11-09
24. WV SOS Renewal Application, Form PISG-REN Rev. 7/7/2021 · retrieved 2026-11-09
25. WV SOS Private Detective or Investigator Surety Bond form (WVAGO Approved Form, Last Revised 5/4/2020) · 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.