How to get an Illinois PERC card

An Illinois security guard needs a Permanent Employee Registration Card (PERC) from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). You get fingerprinted by a licensed vendor, apply online and pay $55, and take the 20-hour basic training. Armed officers also need a Firearm Control Card.

At a glance

License: Permanent Employee Registration Card (PERC)
Regulator: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR)
Minimum age: 18 for an unarmed PERC
Training: 20-hour basic training
Fees: $55 to apply, plus the fingerprint vendor’s fee
Renewal: Every 3 years, on May 31

Last verified: October 19, 2026

Requirements change; confirm with IDFPR before applying.

Sources: IDFPR PERC application packet, IDFPR training certificate (form f0468)

Requirements

You cannot work for a licensed security agency until your PERC application has an "Eligible" fingerprint result or you hold an active PERC. Your employer checks this on the IDFPR website.
You must be at least 18 for an unarmed PERC.
No conviction automatically bars a PERC. IDFPR reviews each one case by case.
You are fingerprinted by a fingerprint vendor licensed by IDFPR within 60 days before you apply, and enter the number from your receipt on the application.
The application asks about unpaid child support and defaulted student loans or taxes. A person is issued only one PERC; if you had one before, you cannot apply for another.

Sources: IDFPR fingerprint results, IDFPR PERC application packet, IDFPR PERC criminal conviction questions

Training hours

Security officers of a security contractor agency complete the 20-hour basic training, recorded on IDFPR’s training certificate.
To renew, your employer certifies that you finished your basic and refresher training in the 3 years before.

Sources: IDFPR training certificate (form f0468), IDFPR PERC renewal form (f2538)

Fees

Fee	Amount
PERC application	$55
PERC renewal	$45
Firearm Control Card	$75

Fingerprint vendors set their own prices.

Sources: IDFPR PERC application packet, IDFPR PERC renewal form (f2538), IDFPR Firearm Control Card application (f1314)

How to apply, step by step

Get fingerprinted by an IDFPR-licensed fingerprint vendor and keep the receipt with its 16-character number.
Fill in the online PERC application linked from the IDFPR security page, with your fingerprint number, and pay $55.
Before you start work, your employer confirms your fingerprint result shows "Eligible".
Complete the 20-hour basic training.

Sources: IDFPR PERC application packet, IDFPR private security page, IDFPR fingerprint results, IDFPR training certificate (form f0468)

Armed security officer license

Armed officers need a Firearm Control Card. You mail the application with a copy of your FOID card and the $75 fee, and your employer completes part of the form.
The firearm training course has 20 hours of classroom or online instruction plus 8 hours of practice firing on the range.
IDFPR asks you to allow 8 business weeks before you ask about your application.

Sources: IDFPR Firearm Control Card application (f1314), IDFPR firearm training course requirements

Renewal and license lookup

Every PERC expires on the same date, May 31, every 3 years. IDFPR emails a renewal notice about 90 days before.
Renew online; it takes 2 to 4 business days for the new status to show.

Look up or verify a license on the IDFPR license lookup.

Sources: IDFPR PERC application packet, IDFPR private security page

Security officer pay in Illinois

What the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates Security Guards earn in Illinois, May 2025:

Mean hourly wage: $21.27
Median hourly wage: $18.98
Mean annual wage: $44,240
Median annual wage: $39,490

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: Security Guards, May 2025

Frequently asked questions

How much does an Illinois PERC card cost?

The IDFPR application fee is $55, and renewal costs $45. Fingerprint vendors set their own prices.

Can I take PERC training online?

IDFPR does not say whether the 20-hour basic training can be taken online. The firearm course for armed officers allows 20 hours of classroom or online instruction, plus range time.

How do I look up a PERC card?

Use IDFPR’s license lookup. Employers also check fingerprint results on the IDFPR website before someone starts work.

How often do I renew a PERC card?

Every 3 years, on a fixed cycle. IDFPR emails a notice about 90 days before, and renewal costs $45.

How do I get an armed guard license in Illinois?

Hold a PERC, finish the firearm training course with range firing, and apply for a Firearm Control Card with a copy of your FOID card and the $75 fee.

How much do security guards make in Illinois?

BLS estimates that Security Guards in Illinois earned a median wage of $18.98 an hour ($39,490 a year) in May 2025. The mean wage was $21.27 an hour ($44,240 a year).

How long does it take to get a PERC card?

IDFPR does not publish a processing time for a new PERC. You can start work once your fingerprint result shows "Eligible" and your employer has checked it.

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