How to get a guard card in California: requirements, training and fees

To get a guard card in California, you apply to the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) for a security guard registration. You must be at least 18, pass a fingerprint background check through Live Scan, and finish the 8-hour Power to Arrest training. You apply online through BreEZe and pay a $60 application fee.

This guide walks through each step, the training you owe after you start work, and what an employer should keep on file. Every rule below comes from the BSIS security guard fact sheet and the BSIS fee schedule, checked on November 11, 2026.

Key points#

• A California guard card is the BSIS security guard registration.
• You need to be 18 or older, pass a DOJ and FBI background check, and complete Power to Arrest training before BSIS issues the card.
• Within six months you must finish 32 hours of security officer skills training, then 8 hours every year.
• The application fee is $60 and the renewal fee is $44, for applications submitted on or after October 1, 2025.
• BSIS says to allow about 4 to 6 weeks for processing.

Who needs a guard card in California?#

Anyone who works as a security guard for a licensed Private Patrol Operator, or for a private employer that keeps its own security staff, needs a BSIS security guard registration. Security guards protect people or property or prevent theft, as defined in Business and Professions Code Section 7582.1.

You must carry the card while on duty. A newly approved guard can start work before the card arrives in the mail by carrying a printout of the BSIS approval and a valid picture ID.

Step 1: Check that you qualify#

BSIS lists three requirements to apply:

1. Be at least 18 years old.
2. Undergo a criminal history background check through the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI.
3. Complete the Power to Arrest training.

Step 2: Get fingerprinted through Live Scan#

Go to a Live Scan site with the BSIS form called Security Guard Request for Live Scan Service, which you can download from the BSIS website. BSIS warns that using the wrong form delays the application. You pay the Live Scan, DOJ and FBI fees at the time of fingerprinting. The California Attorney General lists Live Scan locations.

Out-of-state applicants without a Live Scan site nearby can submit fingerprint hard cards instead.

Step 3: Complete the Power to Arrest training#

The 8-hour course, 3 hours of Power to Arrest and 5 hours of Appropriate Use of Force with an exam, must be finished before BSIS issues the registration. It can be taught by a Private Patrol Operator, a BSIS-certified training facility or a BSIS-approved course provider.

If a guard cannot show the employer a Power to Arrest certificate, the guard must complete the training within six months of the employment date.

Step 4: Apply online through BreEZe#

BSIS recommends applying online through BreEZe: you create an account, pay the fee by card and submit the application. BSIS says applying online can cut processing by up to two weeks compared with a paper application.

You can also mail the paper application and fee to BSIS, P.O. Box 989002, West Sacramento, CA 95798-9002.

Allow about 4 to 6 weeks for processing. Once BSIS issues the registration, it appears on the BSIS Verify a License page, and the card arrives by mail about 3 weeks later.

Step 5: Finish the 32 hours of skills training#

After registration, a guard must complete 32 hours of security officer skills training within the first six months. If the guard cannot show the employer certificates for that training, the guard must complete 16 hours within 30 days of the employment date and the other 16 within six months.

After that, every guard must complete 8 hours of continuing training each year. Guards must keep their training certificates until the registration expires or is canceled, and employers must keep the records for as long as the guard works for them.

These hours are set to change: California's SB 1203 raises the required training from 32 to 42 hours and the yearly training from 8 to 12 hours starting in 2029. Read what changes and when.

Where to take guard card training in California#

The same BSIS rules apply in every California city, whether you train in Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles or Bakersfield. The 8-hour course before registration is made up of 3 hours of Power to Arrest and 5 hours of Appropriate Use of Force, with an exam. It counts only when it comes from one of these:

• a BSIS-licensed Private Patrol Operator, often the guard company that is hiring you;
• a BSIS-certified training facility;
• a BSIS-approved Power to Arrest and Appropriate Use of Force trainer.

Before you pay for a course, look the provider up on the BSIS Verify a License page, which also lists Bureau-approved training facilities. The provider must give you a certificate with a unique serial number. Keep it: your employer will ask for it, and so will BSIS if your training is checked. BSIS lists more on its training facilities and instructors page.

What employers should keep on file#

For each officer, a guard company should be able to show the registration number and expiry date, the Power to Arrest certificate, the 32-hour training certificates, and each year's 8 hours of continuing training. Missing one of these is a common audit finding.

In Guardix, each officer's licenses and certificates sit on the Documents tab of their employee record with issue and expiry dates and a Valid, Expiring Soon or Expired status, so the office sees renewals coming. See documents and certifications in Guardix, and training and quizzes for keeping the yearly hours on record.

Frequently asked questions#

How long does it take to get a guard card in California?#

BSIS says to allow about 4 to 6 weeks for an application to be processed, and longer if the DOJ and FBI responses take time. Applying online through BreEZe can be up to two weeks faster than mailing a paper application.

How much does a California guard card cost?#

The BSIS application fee is $60 for applications submitted on or after October 1, 2025. You also pay the Live Scan, DOJ and FBI fingerprinting fees, and the training course fees set by the training provider.

Can I work before my guard card arrives?#

Yes, once BSIS has approved your registration. You must carry a printout of the BSIS approval from its website and a valid picture ID until the card arrives by mail.

How many training hours does a California security guard need?#

The 8-hour Power to Arrest training before registration, 32 hours of security officer skills training within the first six months, and 8 hours of continuing training every year. From 2029 the totals rise to 42 hours and 12 hours a year.

Where can I take guard card training in California?#

From a BSIS-licensed Private Patrol Operator, a BSIS-certified training facility or a BSIS-approved trainer, in any city. Check the provider on the BSIS Verify a License page before you pay, and keep the certificate with its serial number.