How to get a security guard license in Texas: Level II, III and IV

To work as a security guard in Texas, you need an individual license from the Private Security Program of the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and you must be employed by a company that DPS licenses. An unarmed guard applies for a Non-Commissioned Security Officer license, which needs the Level II training course. An armed guard needs a security officer commission, which adds Level III training. You apply online through TOPS, submit your fingerprints electronically and pay $37 for a non-commissioned license.

This guide walks through each license, the training, the fingerprints, the fees and the renewal. Every rule below comes from the DPS Private Security pages linked in each section, the DPS fee schedule and the Texas Private Security Statutes and Rules that DPS publishes, checked on November 11, 2026.

Key points#

• Texas has three licenses for security officers: Non-Commissioned Security Officer (unarmed), Commissioned Security Officer (armed) and Personal Protection Officer.
• The "Level II security license" is the Non-Commissioned Security Officer license: its applicants must submit a Level II training certificate.
• A commissioned officer also needs the Level III course (minimum 45 hours), and a personal protection officer also needs Level IV (minimum 15 hours).
• You apply in Texas Online Private Security (TOPS) and submit fingerprints electronically with IdentoGO.
• A new license expires 2 years from the date of issuance, and you can renew online 180 days before the expiration date.

Who needs a security license in Texas?#

Under Texas Occupations Code Section 1702.222, you act as a security officer if you are employed by a security services contractor or the security department of a private business, to perform the duties of an alarm systems response runner who responds to the first signal of entry, a security guard, security watchman, security patrolman, armored car guard, or courier guard. Section 1702.221 says a noncommissioned security officer must obtain the proper individual license and be employed by a company license holder.

DPS repeats this on its types of individual licenses page: individuals must be licensed and affiliated with a company or entity licensed by the Department. The only exceptions are Level III and IV instructors.

If you work in California instead, the rules are different: see how to get a guard card in California.

The three security officer licenses: Level II, III and IV#

Texas names its licenses after the job and its training courses after levels. The DPS training page and the individual license FAQ set out what each license needs:

• Level II is required of all non-commissioned security officers, commissioned security officers and personal protection officers. It can be given by a licensed Level III or Level IV training school and taught by a licensed Level III or Level IV instructor, or given by a licensed guard company and taught by a representative or employee of the company.
• Level III (minimum 45 hours) and its test, including a course of fire, are required for all commissioned security officers and personal protection officers. It must be given by a licensed Level III training school and taught by a licensed Level III instructor, and the demonstration of firearm proficiency must be completed within 90 days of the application date.
• Level IV (minimum 15 hours) and its test are required for all personal protection officers.

Certain peace officers may be exempt from parts of this training under Texas Administrative Code (TAC) 35.141(b).

Step 1: Check that you are eligible#

DPS points applicants to the eligibility criteria in Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1702 and TAC 35.4, both in the Statutes and Rules. For an armed license:

• Section 1702.113 says an applicant for a security officer commission must be at least 18 years of age and must not be charged with a disqualifying Class A or Class B misdemeanor or felony at the time of application, have been found incompetent by reason of a mental defect or disease and not restored, have been dishonorably discharged from the U.S. armed services, or be required to register as a sex offender.
• Section 1702.204 says an applicant for a personal protection officer license must be at least 21 years of age.
• Commissioned and personal protection officer applicants also submit the Declaration of Psychological and Emotional Health (form PSP-13), and applicants for armed licenses who were born outside the US must submit evidence of lawful presence.

If you have ever been arrested for a felony, Class A or Class B misdemeanor, DPS says on its eligibility FAQ that you must submit the court documents with an original application.

Step 2: Complete your training#

Take the courses your license needs (see the table above) and keep the certificates: security and personal protection officer applicants must submit their training certificates as part of the application. DPS lists licensed training schools in the TOPS licensee search.

Step 3: Apply online through TOPS#

All applications, original, renewal and change, are submitted online in Texas Online Private Security (TOPS). DPS publishes step-by-step application instructions. Once you submit a paid application, you receive a checklist of the items still needed to complete it, and you can follow its status in your TOPS profile.

Your employer can pay for your application if you choose "employer pay". You can also apply without naming an employer: DPS processes the application as normal, but you will not receive a pocket card until you are affiliated with a business, and a license not affiliated with a licensed company within 2 years cannot be renewed. A paper application may take 4-8 weeks to process, and DPS highly recommends applying online. These rules are on the TOPS FAQ.

Each license total is the license fee plus a $5 pocket card fee and a $2 subscription fee. DPS notes that fees are not refundable or transferable, and its TOPS individual application instructions say your military status determines the application fees.

Step 4: Get fingerprinted with IdentoGO#

DPS runs a fingerprint-based FBI criminal history check for new and renewal applications. According to the fingerprinting instructions, you submit your application and payment in TOPS first. Within 1 hour you receive an email from IdentoGO with a link and your UE ID number, which you use to choose an enrollment center and an appointment. Bring your identification documents to the appointment.

Anyone who lives in Texas must submit fingerprints electronically. The alternative fingerprint process with a mailed packet is only for certain license types held by people who live outside Texas, and security officers are not among them.

Can you work before the license arrives?#

Partly. DPS's page on working prior to licensure says that once 48 hours have passed since you submitted a substantially complete application, including fees and electronic fingerprints, you may be employed in an unarmed capacity if your employer runs a background check that includes the DPS Criminal History and Sex Offender databases and keeps a record of it. These provisions do not allow commissioned security and personal protection officers to work armed before they are licensed.

Step 5: Renew every two years#

A new applicant's license expires 2 years from the date of issuance, and the date is printed on the pocket card. You can renew online 180 days before the expiration date and up to one year after it, with late fees once it has expired. After more than one year, you must submit an original application again.

• Non-commissioned security officers are exempt from the continuing education requirements under TAC 35.161(b).
• Commissioned security officers and personal protection officers must complete six hours of continuing education. A commissioned officer must also submit a firearm proficiency certificate that is no more than 90 days old.

DPS uses the fingerprints it has on file when it can for the renewal background check, which costs $28.25.

What employers should keep on file#

Texas puts some of the record keeping on the guard company. Proof of each officer's continuing education must be kept by the employer in the license holder's personnel file, and an employer who puts an applicant to work before licensure must keep a record of the background check. For each officer, keep the license type and expiry date, the Level II, III or IV certificates, the firearm proficiency certificate for armed officers, and the continuing education records.

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 on record.

Frequently asked questions#

What is a Level II security license in Texas?#

It is the common name for the Non-Commissioned Security Officer license, the license for unarmed security officers. Applicants for it must submit a Level II training certificate, and the Level II course is also required for commissioned and personal protection officers.

How much does a Texas security license cost?#

The DPS fee schedule lists $37 for an original or renewal Non-Commissioned Security Officer license and $57 for a Commissioned Security Officer or Personal Protection Officer license. The FBI fingerprint check is $28.25, and training schools set their own course fees.

How many training hours does a Texas commissioned security officer need?#

A commissioned security officer needs the Level II course and the Level III course, which is a minimum of 45 hours and includes a course of fire. To renew, a commissioned officer completes six hours of continuing education and submits a firearm proficiency certificate.

How long is a Texas security license valid?#

A new applicant's license expires 2 years from the date of issuance. You can renew online in TOPS from 180 days before the expiration date until one year after it, with late fees once it has expired.

Can I get a Texas security license without a job?#

You can apply in TOPS without naming an employer, and the application is processed as normal. DPS will not issue the pocket card until you are affiliated with a licensed business, and a license not affiliated within 2 years cannot be renewed.