How to get a Guard Employee Registration (GDE) in Hawaii

Hawaii security guard licenses

Hawaii issues 4 security guard credentials. Each has its own section below; the table shows what each one covers and its headline requirements.

Applies to every license level

These rules are the same for several of the Hawaii security guard licenses on this page, so they are shown once here, with the licenses they apply to. Each license's own section lists only what differs.

1. Every license level (all 4)

How to apply

Application form

Form (PDF, cca.hawaii.gov)⁹

2. Every license level except Guard Agency license (GDA)

Requirements

High school diploma or GED

Required¹⁵⁶

3. Every license level except Security Guard Training Instructor (Board approval)

Fees

Renewal

Renew online

mypvl.dcca.hawaii.gov¹⁰

4. Guard Employee Registration (GDE) and Guard license (GD) — sole proprietor or principal guard

Requirements

Social Security number

Social Security Number required.⁴⁵

Also required

No firearms, batons, chemical sprays, stun devices or other weapons unless authorized in writing by the county chief of police (or appropriate state agency); armed guards also need a county permit to acquire a firearm (HRS 134-2).³

5. Guard Employee Registration (GDE) and Security Guard Training Instructor (Board approval)

Requirements

Minimum age

18 years old¹⁶

6. Guard license (GD) — sole proprietor or principal guard and Guard Agency license (GDA)

Requirements

Background check

Background check required³²
Fingerprints required⁵²

Fees

Who needs a Guard Employee Registration (GDE)

Anyone acting in a guard capacity for a guard agency, a private business (in-house) or a government agency — safekeeping a client's person and property within set boundaries and observing and reporting. Guards may arrest anyone in the act of committing a crime and may stop and frisk for good cause on guarded premises, but may not interrogate.³

Work that does not need this license:

• Board-listed exempt positions include county police, sheriffs, federal agents and federal employees guarding federal property (unless a subcontractor), corrections officers, liquor control officers, school crossing guards and pool guards; parking lot aides are not exempt.¹¹

Other rules on who may do this work:

• Current law enforcement employees or reserve officers cannot hold any chapter 463 registration or license.⁴

Requirements for a Guard Employee Registration (GDE)

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1, group 2, group 3, group 4 and group 5 under Applies to every license level.

Education or training

At least 8 clock hours¹
8 hours of Board-approved classroom instruction from a Board-approved instructor before the first day of service (law on arrest, search and use of force; access control, fire and emergency response; homeland security; incident reporting; patrol; ethics; professional image and aloha training), a written test, and 4 hours of supervised on-the-job training. Approved remote/online providers are listed by the Board.¹
Who may teach it: Board-approved instructor teaching Board-approved curricula (may be an employee, manager or owner of a Hawaii guard agency).¹

Experience

At least 4 hours of on-the-job training¹
4 hours of on-the-job training supervised by a fully trained guard or Board-approved person.¹
Supervision: Supervised by someone who completed all the requirements or is Board-approved for OJT.¹

Exam

Written test after the 8-hour classroom course¹
Given by: Given as part of the Board-approved course (no outside vendor stated)¹

Background check

Background check required¹
Fingerprints required⁴
No conviction of a crime that reflects unfavorably on fitness to act as a guard unless annulled or expunged; applicants answering yes must submit court records, a statement and letters of recommendation.¹

Also required

Not presently suffering from a psychiatric or psychological disorder directly related and detrimental to performance as a guard (letters from treating practitioners required if yes).¹

Also required

Apply within 30 days of fingerprinting or you may need new fingerprints.⁴

How much a Guard Employee Registration (GDE) costs

Some lines are combined figures, or parts of one; do not add the lines up.

The board's pages we cite do not list the exam fee.

How to apply

1. Take the Board-approved 8-hour initial guard course (with written test) from a Board-approved instructor and get the certificate.¹ Form (PDF, cca.hawaii.gov)¹²
2. Get fingerprinted electronically at Fieldprint (code HI-DCCA-PDSG) and pay Fieldprint directly; apply within 30 days.⁴
3. Apply online in MyPVL (or on paper form PDG-30) with the fee ($151/$116/$81 depending on the triennium year), the training certificate and high school attestation or proof.⁴
4. Wait for registration before acting as a guard.¹

Apply online

pvl.ehawaii.gov¹³

Processing time

Deficiencies (often from unreported convictions) add about 4 weeks; online applications through MyPVL are faster. The application is abandoned if registration is not completed within one year.¹³

Renewal and continuing education

How often

Every 3 years¹

When it expires

All guard registrations renew by June 30 every three years (2027, 2030, 2033), whatever the issue date; next renewal window May 3-June 30, 2027.¹²

Renewal fee

$105¹²

Continuing education

At least 4 hours each renewal period¹

Required topics

4-hour Board-approved continuing competency course each triennium, including a professional image and aloha refresher; keep the certificate (submit only if audited).¹

Approved courses

Board-approved course and instructor.¹⁰

Exemptions

Registered within one year before the renewal date: no CE for the first renewal.¹

Late renewal

Fee: $120¹²

If it expires

Not renewed by June 30 = forfeited; restore within one year with renewal fee, penalty and CE, otherwise apply as new.¹

Moving to Hawaii with a license from another state

These are the routes the Board of Private Detective and Guards publishes for the Guard Employee Registration (GDE). The other security guard licenses have their own routes in their sections below.

Guard license (GD)

Individual license to run a guard business as a sole proprietor, or to serve as the principal guard responsible for a licensed guard agency and its employees.³

Requirements

Experience

At least 4 years³
Experience reasonably equivalent to 4 years of full-time guard work: under a licensed guard, as a guard for a private employer, as a police officer, or as a government guard, verified on notarized form PDG-20.³

Exam

Hawaii Private Detective and Guard board examination (guard)¹⁴
Given by: PSI Services, LLC¹⁴
Passing score: 75%³
Laws, rules, knowledge, experience and skills for a guard license holder³
Retakes: After two consecutive failures, wait 90 days; pass and get licensed within one year of applying or reapply.¹⁴

Surety bond

$5,000⁵

Also required

Board interview after passing the exam; Board usually meets in January, March, May, July, September and November.⁵

Also required

Definite place of business in Hawaii (no P.O. box).⁵

Fees

Some lines are combined figures, or parts of one; do not add the lines up.

How to apply

1. File form PDG-02 with photo, $50 application fee, $50 exam fee, high school proof, notarized experience verification (4 years) and out-of-state license verifications, at least 30 days before a Board meeting.⁵
2. Fingerprint at Fieldprint (code HI-DCCA-PDSG).⁵
3. After the Board approves you, register with PSI and pass the exam (75%).¹⁴
4. Attend the Board interview; then file the $5,000 bond and pay the license fee.⁵

Processing time

Complete application due at least 30 days before a Board meeting; Board approval, PSI exam, then Board interview; license must be completed within one year.⁵

Renewal

Renewal fee

$344¹²

Late renewal

Fee: $419¹²

If it expires

Not renewed by June 30 = forfeited; restore within one year or apply as new.⁵

From another state

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1, group 2, group 3, group 4 and group 6 under Applies to every license level.

Security Guard Training Instructor (Board approval)

Requirements

Experience

At least 4 years⁶
One of: principal guard license held at least 2 years; CPP or PSP (ASIS) or CSC (IAPSC) certification; or 4 years as a guard plus 2 years supervising/training guards, or 4 years as a guard plus a criminal justice bachelor's degree, or 4 years in law enforcement.⁶

Background check

Background check required⁶

Residency or citizenship

U.S. citizen, national or alien authorized to work.⁶

Fees

How to apply

1. File the Guard Instructor application with the $50 fee and proof of one qualifying route (license, certification or notarized experience form PDG-28).⁶

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1, group 2 and group 5 under Applies to every license level.

Guard Agency license (GDA)

License for a corporation, partnership, LLC or other firm providing guard services; it must employ a licensed principal guard responsible for the agency and its employees.⁷

Requirements

Also required

Semi-annual employee registration reports (PDG-16a) by July 31 and January 31.⁵

Fees

Some lines are combined figures, or parts of one; do not add the lines up.

How to apply

1. File the agency application (PDG-03) with the $50 fee, employment records, fingerprints for each officer/member and license verifications from other states, and have the principal guard licensed.⁸
2. After approval, file the bond and pay the license fee.¹⁵

Processing time

Complete application due at least 30 days before a Board meeting (usually January, March, May, July, September, November).⁸

Renewal

When it expires

Renew by June 30 of every even-numbered year.¹²

Renewal fee

$408¹²

Late renewal

Fee: $508¹²

From another state

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1, group 3 and group 6 under Applies to every license level.

City and county rules

Guard Agency license (GDA)Statewide registration with the Hawaii Board of Private Detectives and Guards; county police authorize any weapons.³

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• HRS § 463-7 (guard and guard agencies; license required)
• HRS § 463-10.5 (guards; registration, instruction, training, testing and continuing education)
• HRS § 463-13 (exemptions)
• HAR Title 16 Chapter 97 (Private Detectives and Guards)
• HAR § 16-53-34

Rule changes since January 2024

• March 2026: Guard employee registration application form revised (PDG-29 0326).⁴

Common questions

Security guard licenses in other states

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