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How to get an Unarmed Security Guard Registration in North Carolina

North Carolina licenses security guards statewide through the Private Protective Services Board (PPS).1 For the Unarmed Security Guard Registration you need at least 16 clock hours2 of education and a criminal background check2. The board lists $30 for the application2. You renew every year1.

Last checked · 10 official sources

Who issues it

Private Protective Services Board (PPS)

Training and experience

Training: at least 16 clock hours2

Exam

Not required3

Fees the board lists

Application fee: $302
Fingerprint and state background check: $382

Renewal

Every year1

From another state

No reciprocity route4

On this page
  1. North Carolina security guard licenses
  2. Applies to every license level
  3. Who needs an Unarmed Security Guard Registration
  4. Requirements for an Unarmed Security Guard Registration
  5. How much an Unarmed Security Guard Registration costs
  6. How to apply
  7. Renewal and continuing education
  8. Moving to North Carolina with a license from another state
  9. Armed Security Guard Firearm Registration Permit
  10. Security Guard and Patrol License
  11. Check a license or report a problem
  12. Laws and rules
  13. Common questions
  14. Security guard licenses in other states

North Carolina security guard licenses

North Carolina issues 3 security guard credentials. Each has its own section below; the table shows what each one covers and its headline requirements.

LicenseWhat it coversTraining or experienceExamApplication or license fee
Armed Security Guard Firearm Registration PermitRequired for any guard who carries a firearm on duty, whether employed by a contract security company or a proprietary (in-house) security organization; the permit names the employer.1Training 16 clock hours3Yes2$452
Security Guard and Patrol LicenseIndividual license (sole proprietor or manager acting as qualifying agent) for a firm that provides guards on a contract basis; a firm also needs a company business license.2Experience 3 years5No5–
Unarmed Security Guard RegistrationA registration (ID card) for an unarmed guard employed by a licensed security guard and patrol (contract security) company. The company, not the guard, submits the registration.3Training 16 clock hours2No3$302

Applies to every license level

These rules are the same for several of the North Carolina 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 3)

Requirements

Minimum age
18 years old21
Residency or citizenship
U.S. citizen or resident alien.25

How to apply

Renewal

2. Every license level except Security Guard and Patrol License

Requirements

Background check
Background check required2
Fingerprints required2
Board reviews a 60-month CRC.com criminal record check plus SBI fingerprint check. Convictions within the last 5 years for firearm, drug/alcohol, felonious assault/violence, breaking and entering, burglary or larceny offenses, or a history of addiction, are prima facie evidence of lack of good moral character.3
Social Security number
Social security number is required on the online application.2
Insurance
Registered guards do not need their own liability insurance; the employing licensee carries it.1

Fees

FeeAmountPaid to
Fingerprint and state background check$3823PPS

Renewal

How often
Every year1

From another state

Military service members, veterans and spouses: Military members in good standing who get a tax-filing extension under G.S. 105-249.2 get the same extension to pay the registration renewal fee (send a copy of the orders or the IRS/NCDOR extension).2

3. Every license level except Armed Security Guard Firearm Registration Permit

Requirements

Exam
Not required35

Who needs an Unarmed Security Guard Registration

A registration (ID card) for an unarmed guard employed by a licensed security guard and patrol (contract security) company. The company, not the guard, submits the registration.3

Work that does not need this license:

  • In-house (proprietary) guards who work regularly and exclusively for one employer are outside the Act unless armed; armed in-house guards still need a firearm registration permit.8

Other rules on who may do this work:

  • Probationary period: a licensed company may use an unarmed guard for 20 consecutive calendar days before registering, then must register within 30 days; probationary guards are reported monthly.3

Requirements for an Unarmed Security Guard Registration

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

Education or training
At least 16 clock hours2
16-hour basic unarmed security guard course from a Board-certified unarmed trainer: Security Officer in NC (1 h), Legal Issues (3 h), Emergency Response (3 h), Communications (2 h), Patrol Procedures (3 h), Note Taking and Report Writing (3 h), Professional Conduct (1 h). The first 4 hours (topics 1 and 2) must be done before any duty post; the full 16 hours within 30 days of permanent employment.2
Who may teach it: Board-certified unarmed security guard trainer, using the Board lesson plan; in-person, remote-classroom, live online or hybrid formats allowed.2
Alternative: The training certificate submitted must be less than one year old unless valid training is already on file with the Board.3
Business requirements
Must be employed by a licensed security guard and patrol company, which files the application.1
Also required
Good moral character and temperate habits; not judicially declared incompetent or involuntarily committed (unless restored); no prior registration revocation.2
Also required
Carry the registration ID card on duty and show it to police or Board staff on request.2

How much an Unarmed Security Guard Registration costs

FeeAmountPaid toNotes
Application fee$302PPSNew unarmed registration. Not refundable
A new unarmed security guard registration application costs$684PPS–
Application fee (transfer only)$153PPSTransfer to another licensed company ($45 if transfer and renew)

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

How to apply

  1. Get hired by a PPSB-licensed security guard and patrol company (it may first use you as a probationary guard for up to 20 days).3
  2. Complete the 16-hour unarmed course with a Board-certified trainer (first 4 hours before any duty post).2
  3. Order a 60-month criminal record check from CRC.com, sign the Registration Affidavit and Public Notice Statement and the SBI release form, and get an FD-258 fingerprint card done.3
  4. Your employer submits the online Permitium registration with your photo, training certificate and the $30 + $38 fees; mail the fingerprint card to the Board.3 ppsapplication.permitium.com6
  5. Carry your copies of the application, affidavit and training certificate as a temporary card until the ID card arrives.2
Temporary or provisional license
Copies of the submitted application, affidavit and training certificate serve as a temporary registration card.2
Processing time
Most registrations processed within 45 days; ID cards mailed within 60 days (longer for new registrations awaiting the SBI fingerprint check).4

Renewal and continuing education

When it expires
Expires one year after issue; renew online up to 90 days before expiry with a 12-month CRC check, photo and affidavit.3
Renewal fee
$303
Late renewal
Late renewal fee: $253 (renewed 1-90 days after expiry)
If it expires
Renewal allowed up to 90 days late with the $25 late fee; after that a new application is required.4

Renewal planner

Enter the expiration date printed on your North Carolina Unarmed Security Guard Registration. The count is worked out on your device from today's date; nothing is sent anywhere.

Moving to North Carolina with a license from another state

These are the routes PPS publishes for the Unarmed Security Guard Registration. The other security guard licenses have their own routes in their sections below.

Route
No reciprocity
What the board says
No reciprocity: out-of-state guard credentials are not valid in North Carolina, so you must register here through an NC-licensed employer. A licensed NC company may use a guard registered or licensed in another state for up to 10 days a month with the Director's prior approval.4

Armed Security Guard Firearm Registration Permit

Required for any guard who carries a firearm on duty, whether employed by a contract security company or a proprietary (in-house) security organization; the permit names the employer.1

Requirements

Education or training
At least 16 clock hours3
16-hour basic unarmed course first (Rule.0707).2
Education or training
At least 20 clock hours2
20-hour basic armed course from a certified trainer: legal limits (4 h), handgun safety (1 h), operation and maintenance (3 h), fundamentals (8 h), night firing (4 h), all within 14 consecutive days and no more than 90 days before applying. Shotgun (+6 h) and rifle (+16 h) authorizations are extra.3
Who may teach it: Board-certified firearms trainer, using the guard's duty weapon and duty (or ballistic-equivalent) ammunition.2
Exam
Firearms range qualification course (day and night)2
Given by: Administered by a Board-certified firearms trainer (no testing vendor).2
Passing score: 80% accuracy, once in three consecutive attempts2
Retakes: If you fail, a second series of three attempts on the course you failed; failing again means repeating the 20-hour course. All attempts within 20 days of finishing the course.2
Business requirements
Employer (licensee or proprietary security organization) must register the armed guard within 30 days of employment; firearms must be owned or leased by the employer.1
Also required
A valid concealed carry permit is needed only if the guard works carrying a concealed firearm.3

Fees

FeeAmountPaid toNotes
Application fee$452PPSNew armed registration
A new armed security guard registration costs$834PPS–
Application fee (Dual)$403PPSRegistering with a second company ("dual"); $45 for Dual 1-Year

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. Complete the 16-hour unarmed course (if not on file) and the 20-hour armed course with range qualification at 80%.2
  2. Order a 60-month CRC.com criminal record check, sign the affidavit and SBI release, and complete an FD-258 card.3
  3. Your employer files the online Permitium application within 90 days of finishing the armed course and pays $45 + $38; mail the fingerprint card.3 ppsapplication.permitium.com6
  4. Carry the application copy and firearms course proof as a temporary card until the permit arrives (not valid without the course proof).2
Temporary or provisional license
The application copy plus proof of the approved firearms course serves as a temporary registration card.2
Processing time
Most registrations processed within 45 days; ID cards mailed within 60 days.4

Renewal

When it expires
Annual; renew up to 90 days before expiry with the 4-hour recertification course (valid 180 days) and day and night requalification. No late renewal.3
Renewal fee
$453
Required topics
4-hour armed recertification course each year plus day and night range qualification.2
If it expires
An expired armed registration cannot be renewed; reapply with the 20-hour course and fingerprints.4

From another state

Route
No reciprocity
What the board says
No reciprocity: out-of-state guard credentials are not valid in North Carolina, so you must register here through an NC employer. The 10-days-a-month allowance in G.S. 74C-11(e) applies only to unarmed guards registered or licensed in another state (with the Director's prior approval); carrying a firearm on duty requires an NC firearm registration permit, apart from the disaster/state-of-emergency deployment below.4
Route
Temporary license or permit
What the board says
Only during a Governor-declared disaster or state of emergency may an NC company deploy an armed guard licensed in another state, after the 4-hour NC course and qualification with an NC-certified firearms instructor.1

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

Security Guard and Patrol License

Individual license (sole proprietor or manager acting as qualifying agent) for a firm that provides guards on a contract basis; a firm also needs a company business license.2

Requirements

High school diploma or GED
Required5
Experience
At least 3 years5
Three years as a manager, supervisor or administrator with a contract security company, proprietary security organization or law enforcement agency performing guard and patrol functions; or a military occupational specialty with two years in the past five years in such a role.2
Supervision: One year of experience = 1,000 hours; experience gained while unlicensed does not count.2
Substitute: Formal related classroom training: half an hour of credit per hour, maximum 200 hours.2
Background check
Background check required6
Fingerprints required6
5-year CRC.com record check, five character references (not family), Equifax credit check within 30 days, SBI fingerprints and a Board investigation.6
Insurance
Liability insurance: $50,000 bodily injury/death of one person, $100,000 two or more persons, $20,000 property damage; must stay on file or the license is automatically suspended.1
Business requirements
Firms (other than sole proprietors) also file a Company Business License application naming the qualifying agent; out-of-state corporations need an NC certificate of authority.2
Business requirements
A firm must always employ at least one license holder designated as qualifying agent.9
Also required
Good moral character and temperate habits.5

Fees

FeeAmountPaid toNotes
Fifty dollars$502PPSEach additional license type, per year
Fifty dollars$502PPSEach branch office, per year
Duplicate or replacement license$252PPS–
Temporary license or permit$1002PPS–

Each line is a separate charge as the board lists it. The board does not publish a combined total, so none is shown here.

How to apply

  1. Check you meet the age, education, character and 3-year supervisory experience requirements.5
  2. Gather a 5-year CRC.com record check with five non-family character references, a headshot, notarized PPSB Release of Records, SBI fingerprint release, proof of high school graduation and (for firms) the Company Business License application.6
  3. Apply online in Permitium and pay the $188 application fee.6 ppsapplication.permitium.com6
  4. Meet personally with a Board investigator or representative to review G.S. 74C and the rules.2
  5. After Board approval, file the liability insurance certificate and pay the $550 license fee within 60 days.4

Renewal

How often
Every 2 years1
When it expires
Renew via the licensee dashboard at least 30 days before expiry with a 24-month CRC check (within 90 days), photo, insurance certificate and 12 hours of CE.7
Renewal fee
$5007
Continuing education
At least 12 hours each renewal period10
Approved courses
Board-approved courses, Board meetings (2 h each, max 8), Board industry training (4 h), approved organizations' events, Director-approved events, or qualifying college classes; at most 6 hours online on-demand.10
Exemptions
CE cannot be waived or deferred (military tax-extension holders get the same extension).10
Late renewal
Late renewal fee: $1004 (renewed within 90 days after expiry)

From another state

Route
License by endorsement
What the board says
The Board may, at its discretion, license a nonresident holding the same type of license in a state that offers NC residents the same, if that state's standards are substantially equivalent; the applicant still files the full application, insurance and fees. The PPSB FAQ says a license cannot be obtained by reciprocity in practice (limited agreements cover only PIs and polygraph examiners).4
Conditions
Out-of-state experience is documented with Letters of Good Standing.4
Route
Military service members and spouses
What the board says
Spouse of an active-duty service member: license from another jurisdiction with substantially equivalent requirements plus two years of supervisory guard and patrol experience in the past five years.2

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

Check a license or report a problem

Before you hire a security guard in North Carolina, you can confirm the license is current on the board's own search. Every board we cover in North Carolina is on the North Carolina license lookup page.

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

Common questions

How long does it take to get an Unarmed Security Guard Registration in North Carolina?

The rules set at least 16 clock hours2 before you can be licensed. On processing, the board says: Most registrations processed within 45 days; ID cards mailed within 60 days (longer for new registrations awaiting the SBI fingerprint check).4

Can I transfer my security guard license to North Carolina?

No reciprocity: out-of-state guard credentials are not valid in North Carolina, so you must register here through an NC-licensed employer. A licensed NC company may use a guard registered or licensed in another state for up to 10 days a month with the Director's prior approval.4 Conditions and forms.

How often do you renew an Unarmed Security Guard Registration in North Carolina?

Every year1. The renewal fee is $303.

Security guard licenses in other states

Sources

Every number and rule above links to one of these official pages. Select a footnote number to read the board's own words.

  1. N.C.G.S. Chapter 74C, Private Protective ServicesNorth Carolina General AssemblyChecked November 7, 2026
  2. 14B NCAC 16 (Private Protective Services Board) full chapterNorth Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings, Rules DivisionChecked November 7, 2026
  3. Security Employee RegistrationNorth Carolina Department of Public Safety, Private Protective Services BoardChecked November 7, 2026
  4. Frequently Asked QuestionsNorth Carolina Department of Public Safety, Private Protective Services BoardChecked November 7, 2026
  5. License Types & RequirementsNorth Carolina Department of Public Safety, Private Protective Services BoardChecked November 7, 2026
  6. Apply for a LicenseNorth Carolina Department of Public Safety, Private Protective Services BoardChecked November 7, 2026
  7. License RenewalNorth Carolina Department of Public Safety, Private Protective Services BoardChecked November 7, 2026
  8. PPS Registration ProceduresNorth Carolina Department of Public Safety, Private Protective Services BoardChecked November 7, 2026
  9. LicensesNorth Carolina Department of Public Safety, Private Protective Services BoardChecked November 7, 2026
  10. Continuing EducationNorth Carolina Department of Public Safety, Private Protective Services BoardChecked November 7, 2026