How to get a NY security guard license

In New York, a security guard needs a Security Guard registration from the Department of State (DOS), with training set by the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). You take an 8-hour course, get fingerprinted and apply to DOS, then finish 16 hours of on-the-job training within 90 days of being hired.

At a glance

License: Security Guard registration
Regulator: New York Department of State, Division of Licensing Services
Minimum age: 18
Training: 8 hours before you apply, 16 hours within 90 days of being hired, then 8 hours a year
Fees: $36 to apply, plus the fingerprint fee
Renewal: Every 2 years, $25

Last verified: October 19, 2026

Requirements change; confirm with the NY Department of State before applying.

Sources: DOS: become a security guard, DOS security guard training requirements, DOS: renew or update a security guard license

Requirements

Everyone who works as a security officer in New York must be registered with the Department of State.
You must be at least 18, have no conviction for a serious offense, and have a current New York photo driver’s license or non-driver ID card.
You are fingerprinted electronically by IdentoGO at a site in New York. Keep the receipts: you send them with your application.
The fingerprint fee is paid to IdentoGO. Its amount changes each January and July, so check the DOS fingerprinting page for today’s fee.

Sources: DOS security guard training requirements, DOS: become a security guard, DOS electronic fingerprinting

Training hours

Before you apply: the 8-hour Pre-Assignment Training course. You send its certificate with your application.
After you are hired: 16 hours of On-the-Job Training within 90 days of starting work.
Every year: the 8-hour Annual In-Service Training course, so 16 hours in each 2-year registration.
Only DCJS-approved training schools may give the required training. Schools set their own prices.

Sources: DOS security guard training requirements, DCJS security guard training

Fees

Fee	Amount
Security Guard registration, new	$36
Renewal, every 2 years	$25
Change from unarmed to armed	$25
Duplicate registration card	$25

Sources: DOS: become a security guard, DOS change of status form (DOS-1619)

How to apply, step by step

Take the 8-hour Pre-Assignment course at a DCJS-approved school.
Get fingerprinted at an IdentoGO site in New York and keep the receipts.
Fill in the Employee Statement and Security Guard Application (DOS-1206). If you start work when it is filed, your employer completes the notice of employment.
Mail the application, the $36 fee, your fingerprint receipt and your training certificate to the Department of State, Division of Licensing Services.
Finish the 16-hour On-the-Job Training within 90 days of being hired.

Sources: DOS security guard training requirements, DOS electronic fingerprinting, DOS security guard questions

Armed security officer license

To work armed you take the 47-hour Firearms Training course. You must already hold a valid New York pistol license and a Security Guard registration to enroll.
Send the course certificate with the change of status form (DOS-1619) and the $25 fee.
Armed officers also take an 8-hour Annual Firearms course every year.

Sources: DOS security guard training requirements, DOS change of status form (DOS-1619)

Renewal and license lookup

A registration lasts 2 years. DOS mails your renewal form about 90 days before it expires, and renewal costs $25.
Your annual in-service training must be on file: your school reports it to DCJS, which sends it to DOS.

Look up or verify a license on the DOS licensee search.

Source: DOS: renew or update a security guard license

Security officer pay in New York

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

Mean hourly wage: $22.33
Median hourly wage: $21.27
Mean annual wage: $46,450
Median annual wage: $44,240

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

Frequently asked questions

How much does a NY security guard license cost?

The Department of State charges $36 to apply and $25 to renew every 2 years. You also pay the fingerprint fee to IdentoGO and your training school’s own price.

Can I take the 8-hour security guard course online?

DOS does not say. Only DCJS-approved schools may give the course, and DCJS lists some approved schools that offer virtual training, so ask the school.

How do I look up a NY security guard license?

Use the Department of State licensee search. It shows active licenses only.

How often do I renew a NY security guard license?

Every 2 years, for $25. You need your 8-hour annual in-service training on file for each year.

How do I become an armed security guard in New York?

You need a New York pistol license and a Security Guard registration, then the 47-hour Firearms Training course. Upgrade your registration with form DOS-1619 and a $25 fee, and take an 8-hour firearms course every year.

How much do security guards make in New York?

BLS estimates that Security Guards in New York earned a median wage of $21.27 an hour ($44,240 a year) in May 2025. The mean wage was $22.33 an hour ($46,450 a year).

How long does it take to get a NY security guard license?

DOS does not publish a current processing time. The training alone is 8 hours before you apply and 16 hours within 90 days of being hired.

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