How to get an Ohio security guard license

In Ohio, a security guard is registered by the licensed security company that hires them, with Private Investigator Security Guard Services (PISGS), part of Ohio Homeland Security. You get fingerprinted for a background check, your employer files the registration, and armed officers add a firearm-bearer endorsement.

At a glance

License: Security guard registration (filed by your employer)
Regulator: Ohio Homeland Security, Private Investigator Security Guard Services (PISGS)
Training: No state hours for unarmed officers; armed: a 20-hour firearm course
Fees: $40 to register, paid through your employer
Renewal: Every year, $25

Last verified: October 19, 2026

Requirements change; confirm with PISGS before applying.

Sources: PISGS firearm-bearer endorsement, PISGS fees

Requirements

Licensed security companies must register their security officers with PISGS. You cannot register yourself.
A conviction for a disqualifying offense in the last 3 years, such as felony theft, burglary or forgery, or a crime of moral turpitude, bars registration.
Every registration needs a BCI fingerprint background check through Ohio WebCheck, sent straight to PISGS. Armed officers also need an FBI check. Results older than 30 days are not accepted.
WebCheck locations set their own fingerprint fees.
Registered officers are watched by the state’s Rapback system, which tells PISGS if they are arrested.

Sources: PISGS overview, Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4749 and rules (Ohio DPS copy), PISGS fingerprinting information

Training hours

Ohio’s law sets firearm training for armed officers. The PISGS pages list no state training hours for unarmed officers; your employer may require its own.
PISGS offers free, optional online courses for security officers, about 45 minutes each.

Sources: PISGS firearm-bearer endorsement, PISGS online training

Fees

Fee	Amount
Registration, new	$40
Renewal, every year	$25
Firearm-bearer endorsement	$15
Transfer to a new employer	$5
Replacement card	$5
Rapback enrollment, from October 1, 2026	$8

Sources: PISGS fees, PISGS news, fee change October 2026

How to apply, step by step

Get hired by a security company licensed by PISGS. The company files your registration, not you.
Get fingerprinted at an Ohio WebCheck location, with the results sent straight to PISGS (add the FBI check if you will be armed).
Your employer files your registration online no sooner than 3 days and no later than 7 days after you are hired.
PISGS issues your registration card. Until then, you may work unarmed only if the client signs the PISGS waiver form.

Sources: Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4749 and rules (Ohio DPS copy), PISGS fingerprinting information, PISGS client waiver form (PSU0060)

Armed security officer license

Armed officers need a firearm-bearer endorsement on their registration card. Your employer applies for it.
You finish a 20-hour private security firearm course at a training facility approved by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission (OPOTC), and pass an FBI background check.
The first firearm course is good for 18 months, and each yearly requalification is good for 12 months.
A concealed carry permit does not allow you to carry a firearm while working as a security officer.

Source: PISGS firearm-bearer endorsement

Renewal and license lookup

A registration expires every year on the date it was first issued.
To renew, you certify that you had no disqualifying conviction in the past year, and the $25 renewal fee is paid.

Look up or verify a license on the PISGS registrant search.

Source: Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4749 and rules (Ohio DPS copy)

Security officer pay in Ohio

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

Mean hourly wage: $19.21
Median hourly wage: $17.20
Mean annual wage: $39,950
Median annual wage: $35,770

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

Frequently asked questions

How much does an Ohio security guard license cost?

PISGS charges $40 to register and $25 to renew each year. An armed firearm-bearer endorsement adds $15, and WebCheck fingerprint locations set their own fees.

Can I take Ohio security guard training online?

PISGS offers free, optional online courses for security officers. The 20-hour firearm course for armed officers is taken at an OPOTC-approved training facility.

How do I look up an Ohio security guard registration?

Use the PISGS registrant search on the Ohio Homeland Security website. You can search by name, company or registration number.

How often do I renew an Ohio security guard license?

Every year, on the date it was first issued. You certify you had no disqualifying conviction that year, and the $25 fee is paid.

How do I become an armed security guard in Ohio?

Finish the 20-hour private security firearm course at an OPOTC-approved facility, pass an FBI background check, and have your employer apply for a firearm-bearer endorsement. Requalify every year.

How much do security guards make in Ohio?

BLS estimates that Security Guards in Ohio earned a median wage of $17.20 an hour ($35,770 a year) in May 2025. The mean wage was $19.21 an hour ($39,950 a year).

How long does it take to get registered in Ohio?

PISGS does not publish a processing time. Your employer must file within 7 days of hiring you, and you may work unarmed before the card comes only if the client signs a waiver.

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