How to get a security guard license in Pennsylvania: Act 235 and local rules

Pennsylvania does not have a statewide license for unarmed security guards. The state rule that applies to guards is the Lethal Weapons Training Act, known as Act 235. It requires privately employed agents who carry a lethal weapon on the job, such as an armed guard, to be trained and certified through the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP). Guard companies themselves are licensed by the county court under the Private Detective Act of 1953. In Philadelphia, a city law now also sets minimum training for many security officers.

This guide explains Act 235 step by step, its fees and renewal, and the Philadelphia rule. The facts come from the Lethal Weapons Training Act, the PSP pages to apply for Act 235 certification and the Act 235 FAQ, the PSP rules in 37 Pa. Code Chapter 21, the Private Detective Act of 1953 and Philadelphia Code Chapter 9-6800, checked on November 13, 2026. We could not load the state and city sites directly that day, so some facts below are quoted from those pages as search results show them. Check with PSP or the city before you pay.

Key points#

• Pennsylvania has no statewide license for unarmed security guards.
• Act 235 certification from the PSP is required for privately employed agents who carry a lethal weapon, such as a firearm, as part of their job.
• You must be at least 18 and pass a physical, a hearing test and a psychological exam at your own expense.
• According to PSP, the fees are a $50 application fee, a $24.95 fingerprint fee and a $30 certification fee after training.
• Certification lasts five years, and it is not a license to carry a firearm.
• Philadelphia's Chapter 9-6800 sets 12 hours of training within 90 days of hire and 8 hours a year for many security officers, but the city has postponed enforcement.

Who needs a license or certification in Pennsylvania?#

Unarmed guards. No state agency issues a license to an individual unarmed guard. Your employer may still have its own hiring checks and training. If you work in Philadelphia, read the section on the city rule below.

Armed guards. The Lethal Weapons Training Act covers "privately employed agents", which it defines as any person employed to provide watch guard, protective patrol, detective or criminal investigative services, either for another for a fee or for his employer. Government employees are not included. According to the PSP FAQ, the Act applies to these agents regardless of where they live or where their employer is located, if they carry a lethal weapon in Pennsylvania as part of their job. PSP rules say lethal weapons include, but are not limited to, firearms and other weapons calculated to produce death or serious bodily harm. PSP says it is a misdemeanor for a privately employed person to carry a firearm in the course of employment without the required training or waiver and certificate.

Guard companies. The Private Detective Act of 1953 says no one may engage in the business of a watch, guard or patrol agency without a license. Applications go to the court of common pleas in the county, and the Act says no such license shall be issued to a person under 25. If you plan to start a company, see how to start a security guard company.

Other states license every guard. Compare California, Texas, Florida and New York.

Step 1: Check that you qualify for Act 235#

The PSP rules in 37 Pa. Code Chapter 21 and the PSP application page set these requirements:

• You must be at least 18.
• A physician licensed in Pennsylvania must examine you and find you fit to handle a lethal weapon. The rules set vision standards.
• You must be able to hear a normal whisper at 15 feet, tested one ear at a time. A hearing aid is allowed.
• A licensed psychologist must give you a psychological exam and interview.
• Your criminal history must not disqualify you. PSP lists disqualifiers that include a conviction for a first-degree misdemeanor or higher, a crime of violence, an active protection from abuse order and a past involuntary mental health commitment, and it refers to 18 Pa.C.S. Section 6105.

You pay for the physical, vision, hearing and psychological exams yourself.

Step 2: Apply in TACS and pay the application fee#

According to PSP, you apply online in its TACS system. You log in as a new user with your last name, full date of birth and full Social Security number, choose Act 235 and then the Basic Training Application. The application fee is $50, paid by credit card.

Step 3: Get fingerprinted with IdentoGO#

After you submit the application, you receive an email from IdentoGO to schedule your fingerprints at an approved IdentoGO location. PSP's apply page lists the fingerprint fee as $24.95. An older PSP page showed a lower amount, so check the current fee when you book.

Step 4: Take the training at a certified school#

Once PSP approves you for training, you receive an approval letter. It is up to you to schedule the course at an Act 235 certified school, which PSP lists on its certified schools page.

The PSP rules say you must attend every instructional hour, with no excused absences. Missed hours must be made up before you can be certified. To pass, you need at least 70% on the academic module and, if you are certified for firearms, 75% on the firearms module. We could not verify the total number of hours in the basic course from an official source, so ask the school or PSP.

PSP says military experience and armed security certification from another state do not earn a waiver. Applicants with prior law enforcement training can apply for a waiver in the application.

Step 5: Pay the certification fee#

After you finish the training, you log in to TACS again and pay the $30 certification fee by credit card.

The school sets its own course fee, and the physical and psychological exams are extra.

Act 235 is not a license to carry#

The PSP rules say a certification card does not give an agent the right to carry, possess or control a firearm contrary to the Uniform Firearms Act. PSP's FAQ adds that in August 2017 the Pennsylvania Superior Court ruled in Commonwealth v. Anderson that Act 235 certification is not a substitute for a license to carry. PSP says it may be prudent for agents to get a license to carry for off-duty carry, including travel to and from work, or when they must conceal a firearm on duty.

Step 6: Renew every five years#

Act 235 certification lasts five years, and the expiration date is printed on the card. According to PSP:

• You can file a renewal no earlier than six months before the expiration date.
• A certification cannot be renewed after it expires. You must apply for initial certification again.
• Agents certified for firearms complete 8 hours of classroom and range training. Agents certified only for other lethal weapons complete a 3-hour program.
• You repeat the physical and psychological exams at your own expense.

Philadelphia: minimum training for security officers#

Philadelphia City Council passed Bill No. 250646-A in December 2025. It is now Chapter 9-6800 of the Philadelphia Code, Minimum Training for Security Officers. The city says the law took effect on March 1, 2026. The main rules:

• A security employer may not employ a security employee at a covered property unless the employee has the required training from a Recognized Security Training Program.
• New hires need at least 12 hours of training within 90 days of hire, then at least 8 hours in each 12-month period. People who were police officers in the past three years and can document it are exempt from the new-hire hours.
• Security officers at colleges, universities and hospitals need at least 12 more hours within 90 days of hire.
• The employer pays for the training and pays the employee's regular hourly rate for training time.
• The definition of security employee leaves out certain law enforcement officers and people licensed and trained in firearms for private security. So are "covered establishments" as defined in the city's bouncer law. Bouncers there fall under the city's separate bouncer certification in Chapter 9-3700.

The Office of Worker Protections runs the law. In February 2026 the city postponed implementation and enforcement, because it cannot enforce the law until it designates at least one Recognized Security Training Program. The city said it would announce compliance dates later. We found no compliance date as of November 13, 2026, so check with the city before you plan training.

What employers should keep on file#

The state rule only covers armed officers, so check each certification before anyone carries a weapon on duty. For each armed officer, keep the Act 235 card with its expiration date, the type of certification (firearms or other lethal weapons), the renewal training and, if they carry concealed or off duty, their license to carry. In Philadelphia, also keep each officer's training hours from a recognized program and the hire date, so you can show the 90-day and yearly requirements once the city enforces them.

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 training hours on record. For what guards do on post, see security guard duties and responsibilities.

Frequently asked questions#

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

Not for unarmed work at the state level. Pennsylvania has no statewide license for unarmed guards. If you carry a lethal weapon such as a firearm on the job, you need Act 235 certification from the Pennsylvania State Police.

What is Act 235 certification?#

It is the certification required by the Lethal Weapons Training Act for privately employed agents who carry a lethal weapon at work. You pass a physical, a psychological exam and a background check, take training at a certified school, and the PSP certifies you for five years.

How much does Act 235 certification cost?#

According to the PSP apply page, the fees are $50 to apply, $24.95 for fingerprints and $30 for the certification, a total of $104.95. The training school and the medical and psychological exams cost extra.

Is Act 235 the same as a license to carry?#

No. PSP rules say the certification card does not give the right to carry a firearm contrary to the Uniform Firearms Act, and the Superior Court ruled in 2017 that it is not a substitute for a license to carry.

Does Philadelphia require security guard training?#

Yes, Chapter 9-6800 of the Philadelphia Code requires 12 hours within 90 days of hire and 8 hours each year for many security officers. The city has postponed enforcement until it designates recognized training programs, and it will announce compliance dates later.