Pennsylvania security guard license: what you need

Pennsylvania has no statewide license for unarmed security guards. If you carry a firearm or another lethal weapon on the job, you need Act 235 certification from the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), which means exams, a background check and training at a certified school.

At a glance

License: No statewide unarmed license; armed officers need Act 235 certification
Regulator: Pennsylvania State Police, Lethal Weapons Training Program
Minimum age: 18 for Act 235 certification
Training: Act 235 course at a certified school (armed officers only)
Fees: $104.95 for Act 235 in all
Renewal: Act 235: about every 5 years, $30

Last verified: October 19, 2026

Requirements change; confirm with the Pennsylvania State Police before applying.

Sources: PSP: apply for Act 235 certification, PSP Act 235 certification renewal

Requirements

Pennsylvania does not license unarmed security officers one by one. The state licenses the security companies themselves under the Private Detective Act.
Those licensed companies must take a signed statement and fingerprints from each employee, and may not hire people with certain convictions.
Anyone privately employed who carries a lethal weapon on the job in Pennsylvania, such as a firearm, needs Act 235 certification, wherever they live or their employer is based.
For Act 235 you must be at least 18, pass a physical exam (including vision and hearing) and a psychological exam by a licensed psychologist.
A conviction for a first-degree misdemeanor or higher or a crime of violence, an active protection from abuse order, or a past involuntary mental health commitment disqualifies you.
You are fingerprinted at an IdentoGO location, and the results go straight to PSP.

Sources: Private Detective Act of 1953, 37 Pa. Code section 21.2, who must be certified, PSP: apply for Act 235 certification

Training hours

After PSP approves your Act 235 application, you finish training at an Act 235 certified school within 6 months.
To pass, you need at least 70% in the academic module and 75% in the firearms module.
Each renewal needs 8 hours of classroom and range training for a firearm, or 3 hours for another lethal weapon.
Military service or an armed license from another state does not replace the training.

Sources: PSP Act 235 certification renewal, 37 Pa. Code section 21.19, passing scores, 37 Pa. Code section 21.24, renewal training, PSP Act 235 questions

Fees

Fee	Amount
Act 235 application	$50.00
Fingerprints	$24.95
Certification, after training	$30.00
Renewal certification	$30.00

You pay PSP by credit card in TACS; checks and money orders are no longer accepted. Exams and the school’s course are paid separately.

Sources: PSP: apply for Act 235 certification, PSP Act 235 certification renewal

How to apply, step by step

Log in to TACS with your Keystone Login, choose Act 235 and start the Basic Training Application.
Pay the $50 application fee by credit card.
Watch for the email from IdentoGO and get fingerprinted at an approved location.
Have your physical, vision and psychological exams done; the doctors send the forms to PSP.
Once approved, finish the course at an Act 235 certified school within 6 months.
Log in to TACS and pay the $30 certification fee.

Sources: PSP: apply for Act 235 certification, PSP Act 235 certification renewal

Armed security officer license

The PSP Lethal Weapons Training Program trains and certifies privately employed security officers, detectives and investigators who carry lethal weapons at work.
Act 235 is the armed certification. Carrying a firearm for work in Pennsylvania without it is a chargeable offense.
Act 235 is not a license to carry. PSP suggests also getting a License to Carry Firearms for carrying off duty.

Sources: PSP Lethal Weapons Training Program, PSP Act 235 questions

Renewal and license lookup

Act 235 certification is usually valid for 5 years; the date is on your card.
Apply to renew no earlier than 6 months before it expires, then finish renewal training within 6 months of approval. An expired certification cannot be renewed; you apply again from the start.

Look up or verify a license on the TACS certification check.

Source: PSP Act 235 certification renewal

Security officer pay in Pennsylvania

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

Mean hourly wage: $19.32
Median hourly wage: $17.81
Mean annual wage: $40,180
Median annual wage: $37,050

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

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a license to be a security guard in Pennsylvania?

Not to work unarmed: Pennsylvania has no statewide license for unarmed security officers, and it licenses the security companies instead. To carry a firearm or another lethal weapon on the job, you need Act 235 certification from the Pennsylvania State Police.

How much does Act 235 certification cost?

The Pennsylvania State Police charge $50 to apply, $24.95 for fingerprints and $30 for certification, $104.95 in all. Exams and the school’s course are paid separately.

Can I take Act 235 training online?

The Pennsylvania State Police do not say it can be. Training is given at Act 235 certified schools, and the firearms module includes range training.

How do I check an Act 235 certification?

Use the certification check in TACS, the Pennsylvania State Police training system.

How often do I renew Act 235?

Certification is usually valid for 5 years. Apply up to 6 months before it expires, take 8 hours of renewal training for a firearm, and pay $30.

How much do security guards make in Pennsylvania?

BLS estimates that Security Guards in Pennsylvania earned a median wage of $17.81 an hour ($37,050 a year) in May 2025. The mean wage was $19.32 an hour ($40,180 a year).

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