How to get a Tennessee security guard license
Tennessee calls its security guard license a registration, issued by Private Protective Services (PPS) at the Department of Commerce and Insurance. Unarmed and armed are two separate registrations: you apply online, pass an IdentoGO background check and finish the state training.
At a glance
- License
- Unarmed security guard registration
- Training
- 4 hours unarmed; armed adds 8 classroom hours and 4 hours on the range
- Fees
- $95 unarmed, $130 armed
- Renewal
- Every 2 years: $70 unarmed, $85 armed
Last verified: October 21, 2026
Requirements change; confirm with PPS before applying.
Sources: PPS: armed security guard, PPS fees
Requirements
- Unarmed and armed are separate registrations. If you hold the armed registration, you don’t also need the unarmed one.
- Armed applicants must be at least 21 and a United States citizen or resident alien.
- Every applicant passes a background check through IdentoGO.
- A felony conviction, or a conviction for listed misdemeanors such as theft, assault or a drug offense, can disqualify you. Any sentence or probation must have ended at least 5 years before you apply.
Sources: PPS: unarmed security guard, PPS: armed security guard
Training hours
- Everyone takes the 4-hour general course: orientation, legal powers and limits, emergency procedures and general duties.
- Armed officers add 8 classroom hours on firearms and 4 hours of marksmanship, scoring at least 70 percent on an approved target course.
- Carrying a baton, stun gun or chemical spray takes 4 hours of training for each device. Working at a school takes 8 hours of active shooter training first.
- Recent law enforcement or corrections training may count toward these hours. Send the proof with your application.
Source: PPS: armed security guard
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Unarmed registration, new | $95 |
| Unarmed renewal, every 2 years | $70 |
| Armed registration, new | $130 |
| Armed renewal, every 2 years | $85 |
| Late renewal, each month of the 3-month late period | $20 |
| Duplicate registration | $25 |
Fees are nonrefundable and cannot be prorated.
Source: PPS fees
How to apply, step by step
- Apply online at core.tn.gov and pay the fee: $95 unarmed or $130 armed.
- Complete the IdentoGO background check.
- Finish the training for your registration.
- While a complete, paid application is processing, you may work unarmed if you carry a copy of it.
- For armed work, wait until your registration card arrives.
Sources: PPS: armed security guard, PPS: unarmed security guard
Armed security officer license
- Armed work takes the armed security guard registration, a separate registration from the unarmed one.
- You must wait for your registration card before working armed, even while you may work unarmed on your application.
- From January 1, 2026, carrying an approved shotgun or rifle on duty takes the enhanced registration.
- Switching between unarmed and armed takes a new application and its fees.
Source: PPS: armed security guard
Renewal and license lookup
- Registrations are renewed every 2 years, online through your CORE account, with a head and shoulders photo.
- Unarmed renewal needs 2 hours of refresher training. Armed renewal needs 4 hours and a firearms requalification at 70 percent or better.
- There is a 90-day grace period with a $20 late fee for each month. After that you reinstate with all the first-time documents, training and a new background check.
Look up or verify a license on the Tennessee Commerce and Insurance license search.
Source: PPS renewal
Security officer pay in Tennessee
What the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates Security Guards earn in Tennessee, May 2025:
- Mean hourly wage
- $18.51
- Median hourly wage
- $17.31
- Mean annual wage
- $38,500
- Median annual wage
- $36,000
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: Security Guards, May 2025
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a security guard license in Tennessee?
Apply online at core.tn.gov, pay the fee, pass an IdentoGO background check and finish the training. Tennessee calls it a registration: an unarmed one, or an armed one for armed work.
What are the Tennessee security guard license requirements?
A background check through IdentoGO, the 4-hour general course and the fee. Armed applicants must also be at least 21, be a United States citizen or resident alien, and finish the firearms training.
How long does it take to get a guard card in Tennessee?
PPS does not publish a processing time. While a complete, paid application is processing you may work unarmed if you carry a copy, but armed work waits for the card.
How much does a Tennessee security guard license cost?
The unarmed registration costs $95 and the armed registration $130. Renewal every 2 years is $70 unarmed or $85 armed. Fees are nonrefundable.
How do I get an armed security guard license in Tennessee?
Apply for the armed security guard registration ($130), pass the IdentoGO background check, and finish the 4-hour general course plus 8 classroom hours and 4 hours of marksmanship at 70 percent or better. You must be at least 21.
What’s the difference between unarmed and armed guard registration in Tennessee?
They are separate registrations. The armed one takes more training and costs more, and it also covers unarmed work, so you don’t need both. Switching between them takes a new application.
How do I look up or verify a Tennessee security guard license?
Use the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance license search, which checks the registrations of individuals and businesses.
How do I renew my Tennessee security guard license?
Renew every 2 years online through your CORE account with a photo and refresher training: 2 hours unarmed, or 4 hours and a firearms requalification armed. A 90-day grace period has a $20 monthly late fee.
Can I get a security guard license with a felony?
PPS says a felony conviction, or a conviction for listed misdemeanors such as theft or assault, can disqualify you, and any sentence or probation must have ended at least 5 years before you apply. Ask PPS about your own record.
How much do security guards make in Tennessee?
BLS estimates that Security Guards in Tennessee earned a median wage of $17.31 an hour ($36,000 a year) in May 2025. The mean wage was $18.51 an hour ($38,500 a year).
Find your next security job on Torio
Torio is the professional network for security officers and law enforcement. Add your license to your profile, and companies Torio has approved can invite you to jobs that fit your pay, place and hours.
License checks in Tennessee are coming.
Sources
More state guides
- Georgia security guard license requirements
- How to get a Virginia security guard license
- How to get an Ohio security guard license
- All state licensing guides
New to Torio? Read Torio for officers or get Help.