How to get your NJ SORA license

To work as a security guard in New Jersey, you need a SORA registration from the New Jersey State Police (NJSP). You apply online, then get fingerprinted and finish a 24-hour SORA class within 30 days. You cannot start work until NJSP approves your registration.

At a glance

License: Security Officer Registration (SORA)
Regulator: New Jersey State Police, Private Detective Unit
Minimum age: 18
Training: 24-hour SORA class within 30 days of applying
Fees: $75 to apply, plus $66.05 for fingerprints
Renewal: Every 2 years (armed: every year), with an 8-hour refresher class

Last verified: October 19, 2026

Requirements change; confirm with the New Jersey State Police before applying.

Sources: Security Officer Registration Act, N.J.S.A. 45:19A, N.J.A.C. 13:55A, Regulation of Security Officers, NJSP application fees, NJSP SORA questions and answers

Requirements

You need a SORA registration before you work as a security officer for a security company in New Jersey.
You must be at least 18 years old.
A conviction for a first, second, third or fourth degree crime, or for any offense involving a controlled dangerous substance, can disqualify you. Expunged or sealed records may be considered.
You are fingerprinted through the IdentoGO link at the end of your online application, and your record is checked with the New Jersey State Bureau of Identification and the FBI.
New Jersey does not accept security licenses from other states.

Sources: Security Officer Registration Act, N.J.S.A. 45:19A, NJSP SORA questions and answers, NJSP Security Officer Registration Act (SORA) page

Training hours

Before your registration is approved: a 24-hour SORA class taught by a state-certified security officer instructor, finished within 30 days of applying.
Before each renewal: an 8-hour refresher class with a certified instructor.
The rules call for classroom instruction. NJSP also publishes a checklist that instructors follow to teach the class virtually, so ask your instructor how the class is taught.

Sources: N.J.A.C. 13:55A, Regulation of Security Officers, Security Officer Registration Act, N.J.S.A. 45:19A

Fees

Fee	Amount
New registration	$75.00
Renewal	$60.00
Fingerprints, first time	$66.05
Fingerprint archive fee	$19.62

Fees are paid by Visa, Mastercard or Discover card and are not refundable.

An armed registration costs no more than an unarmed one.

Sources: NJSP application fees, NJSP SORA questions and answers, NJSP armed security officer questions and answers

How to apply, step by step

Open an application in the NJSP SORA Applicant Portal on a computer, using your personal email address.
Pay the $75 application fee.
Book your fingerprints through the IdentoGO link shown at the end of the application.
Choose a certified instructor from the list linked at the end of the application and finish the 24-hour class within 30 days.
Wait for approval. You cannot work as a security officer until the whole process is complete.

Sources: NJSP SORA Applicant Portal, NJSP application fees, NJSP SORA questions and answers, NJSP Security Officer Registration Act (SORA) page

Armed security officer license

An armed SORA registration needs the same class and background check, plus a New Jersey Permit to Carry or a Retired Police Officer permit, which you get separately.
A SORA registration alone does not allow you to carry a firearm.
Armed registrations are renewed every year, with an 8-hour class with a SORA instructor each year.

Sources: NJSP Security Officer Registration Act (SORA) page, NJSP armed security officer questions and answers

Renewal and license lookup

An unarmed registration lasts 2 years and an armed one lasts 1 year. NJSP emails reminders 90, 60 and 30 days before it expires.
Renew in the SORA Applicant Portal, pay the $60 renewal fee and finish the 8-hour refresher class before your registration expires.

Look up or verify a license on the NJSP officer validation page.

Source: NJSP SORA questions and answers

Security officer pay in New Jersey

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

Mean hourly wage: $20.92
Median hourly wage: $18.69
Mean annual wage: $43,520
Median annual wage: $38,880

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

Frequently asked questions

How much does an NJ SORA license cost?

A new SORA registration costs $75 and a renewal costs $60, paid to the New Jersey State Police by card. First-time fingerprints cost $66.05.

Can I take the SORA class online?

The rules call for 24 hours of classroom instruction from a state-certified instructor. NJSP also publishes a checklist for instructors who teach the class virtually, so ask your instructor how the class is taught.

How do I look up a SORA license?

Use the officer validation page on the New Jersey State Police website to check an officer or a security company.

How often do I renew my SORA license?

Every 2 years for an unarmed registration and every year for an armed one. Each renewal needs an 8-hour refresher class and the $60 renewal fee.

How do I get an armed SORA license?

You need the same SORA class and background check, plus a New Jersey Permit to Carry or a Retired Police Officer permit. Armed registrations are renewed every year.

How much do security guards make in New Jersey?

BLS estimates that Security Guards in New Jersey earned a median wage of $18.69 an hour ($38,880 a year) in May 2025. The mean wage was $20.92 an hour ($43,520 a year).

How long does it take to get a SORA license?

NJSP does not publish a processing time. You have 30 days after you apply to get fingerprinted and finish the 24-hour class, and you cannot work until NJSP approves your registration.

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