Changes coming in April 2025

From 1 April 2025, you must have a ‘refresher’ qualification before you can renew your door supervisor or security guard licence. The refresher training will be available from 1 October 2024.

You must have an an up-to-date Emergency First Aid at Work qualification, or equivalent, before you can take the refresher training (read about the first aid qualifications we accept).

You will need to show this to your training provider when you register for the course.

If you hold a door supervisor licence you can choose one of the following options:

• take the door supervisor refresher training and renew your door supervisor licence
• take the security guard refresher training and switch to a security guard licence

In either case, you must have an Emergency First Aid at Work qualification, or equivalent, before you can take the refresher training.

Changes we have already introduced

InThe changes we introduced in 2021 were:

• we introduced new, updated qualifications for all sectors except close protection and vehicle immobilisation.

  We also made it a requirement that:

  immobilisation
  • you must have ana Emergencyfirst Firstaid Aidqualification at Work qualification, or equivalent, before you can take the training required for a door supervisor or security guard licence
  • you must have one of the new qualifications or take top-up training before you can apply for or renew a door supervisor and security guard licence – this includes renewals

  InThe changes we introduced in 2022 were:

  • we introduced an updated close protection qualification. We also made it a requirement that qualification
  • you must have the new qualificationqualifications or take top-up training before you can apply for or renew a close protection licence.licence – this includes renewals

  We explain these changes in more detail below.

  Why are suchwe changesmaking necessary?these changes?

  We need to make sure that people working in the private security industry can:

  • keep the public safe
  • follow new working practices
  • understand recent changes to the law
  • make the best use of new technology

  SwitchingFirst toaid atraining differentfor licence

  If you hold a door supervisorsupervisors licenceand yousecurity can choose one of the following options:

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  • take

    We theexpect doorapplicants supervisorfor refreshera training and renew your door supervisor licence

  • takeor the security guard refresherlicence training and switch to complete a securityfirst guardaid licence

  Ifqualification youbefore alreadytaking holdtheir alicence-linked closetraining.

  You protectionneed licenceto youdo canthis chooseif oneeither of the following options:apply:

  • takeyou theare closeapplying protectionfor top-upa traininglicence andfor renewthe yourfirst close protection licencetime
  • takeit thehas doorbeen supervisorlonger refresherthan training3 andyears switchsince toyou alast doorheld supervisora licence for that activity

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  You aidalso training

  Doorneed supervisorsto anddo securitythis guards

  if you are renewing your licence.

  YouThe qualification must completebe an Emergency First Aid at Work qualification,qualification or equivalent,equivalent. The beforerequirement takingfor first aid training will improve your licence-linkedskills training.as Thisan appliesSIA bothlicence toholder. It will not change the fullobligations licence-linkedyou traininghave courseswhen andresponding to thean refresher training.emergency.

  What do we mean by “equivalent”?

  We accept other qualifications that comply with the relevant guidance from the Health and Safety Executive. Some examples are:

  • First Aid at Work (FAW)
  • First Person on Scene (FPOS)
  • First Response Emergency Care (FREC)

  Your training provider can tell you more about this.

  Close

  First aid training for close protection operatives

  YouWe mustexpect applicants for a close protection licence to complete a first aid qualification at level 3 or above before taking yourtheir licence-linked training. Some examples are:

  • Level 3 First Aid at Work (FAW)
  • Level 3 First Person on Scene (FPOS)
  • Level 3 First Response Emergency Care (FREC)

  We accept other qualifications. Your training provider can tell you more about this.

  Top-up training for some licence holders

  Door supervisors and security guards

  You must have one of the following before you can apply for, or renew, a door supervisor or security guard licence:

  • one of the new qualifications set in place in April 2021
  • one of the older licence-linked qualifications and a ‘top-up’ qualification

  This applies to any applications, including renewals.

  Close protection operatives

  You must have one of the following before you can apply for, or renew, a close protection licence:

  • the new qualification introduced on 1 April 2022
  • one of the older licence-linked qualifications and a ‘top-up’ qualification

  This applies to any applications, including renewals.

  If you hold a door supervisor licence

  If you hold a door supervisor licence you can choose one of the following options:

  • take the door supervisor top-up training and renew your door supervisor licence
  • take the security guard top-up training and switch to a security guard licence

  In either case, you must have an Emergency First Aid at Work qualification, or equivalent, before you can take the top-up training.

  The security guard top-up training is shorter than the door supervisor top-up training, so is likely to be cheaper. However, you should consider the day-to-day duties of the job that you do. If your job involves guarding licensed premises (such as a pub or a club) you will need to renew your door supervisor licence.

  If you hold a close protection licence

  If you hold a close protection licence you can choose one of the following options:

  • take the close protection top-up training and renew your close protection licence
  • take the door supervisor top-up training and switch to a door supervisor licence

  In either case, you must have the appropriate first aid qualification before you can take the top-up training.

  Other changes

  More relevant course material

  We have moved some training to the ‘common unit’ that is taken by all security operatives except close protection operatives. This includes new training on:

  • terror threat awareness
  • dealing with emergencies

  We have introduced new sector-specific content – for example:

  • the door supervision course includes new material on the use of equipment such as body worn video recorders and breathalysers
  • the public space surveillance (CCTV) course includes new material on CCTV operational procedures and the law
  • the security guarding course includes new material covering personal safety
  • the close protection course includes a bespoke physical intervention unit, as well as material from the door supervision course needed to allow close protection operatives to work as door supervisors

  More practical assessments

  We have increased the number of practical elements in the training to help learners reinforce their knowledge. The practical assessments include:

  • searching
  • dealing with conflict
  • report/statement writing
  • using communications devices
  • application of physical intervention skills for close protection operatives in the private security industry

  Find out more

  Read Changes to SIA licence-linked training: your questions answered to find out more.