North Carolina Unarmed Security Guards Licensing Requirements

State Security Licensing Authorities: North Carolina

North Carolina Unarmed Security Guard License Requirements

An applicant for registration shall:

• be at least 18 years of age;
• be a citizen of the United States or a resident alien;
• be of good moral character and temperate habits.
• not have been declared by any court of competent jurisdiction incompetent by reason of mental disease or defect; or not have been involuntarily committed to an institution for treatment of mental disease or defect by a district court judge.
• not have had a revocation of a registration.

Each employer shall submit and sign an application form for the registration of each employee to the Board.  This form shall be accompanied by:

• two sets of classifiable fingerprints on an applicant fingerprint card;
• two recent head and shoulders color photographs of the applicant of acceptable quality for identification, one inch by one inch in size;
• certified statement of the result of a criminal records search from the appropriate governmental authority housing criminal record information or clerk of superior court in each area where the applicant has resided within the immediate preceding 48 months;
• the applicant’s non-refundable registration fee; and
• actual cost charged to the Private Protective Services Board by the State Bureau of Investigation to cover the cost of criminal record checks performed by the State Bureau of Investigation, collected by the Private Protective Services Board.

Applicants for an unarmed security guard registration shall complete a basic training course for unarmed security guards within 30 days from the date of permanent hire.  The course shall consist of a minimum of 16 hours of classroom instruction including:

• The Security Officer in North Carolina — (minimum of one hour);
• Legal Issues for Security Officers — (minimum of three hours);
• Emergency Response — (minimum of three hours);
• Communications — (minimum of two hours);
• Patrol Procedures — (minimum of three hours);
• Note Taking and Report Writing — (minimum of three hours);
• Deportment — (minimum of one hour).
• A minimum of four hours of classroom instruction shall be completed within 20 calendar days of a probationary or regular security guard being placed on a duty station.

Fees for unarmed security guards are as follows:

• thirty dollar ($30.00) non‑refundable initial registration fee;
• thirty dollar ($30.00) annual renewal, or reissue fee;
• fifteen dollar ($15.00) transfer fee; and
• twenty-five dollars ($25.00) late renewal fee to be paid within 90 days from the date the registration expires and to be paid in addition to the renewal fee.

Fees shall be paid in the form of a check or money order made payable to the Private Protective Services Board.

State License Application

North Carolina Armed Security Guard License Requirements

Applicants for an armed security guard registration shall meet all the minimum requirements for the unarmed security guard.

Each armed security guard employer shall submit and sign an application form for the registration of each armed security guard applicant to the Board.  This form shall be accompanied by:

• two sets of classifiable fingerprints on an applicant fingerprint card;
• two head and shoulders color photographs of the applicant sufficient quality for identification, one inch by one inch in size;
• a certified statement of the result of a criminal records search from the clerk of superior court in each county where the applicant has resided within the immediate preceding 48 months.  If the applicant has resided out of state within the immediate preceding 48 months, the applicant shall provide a certified statement of the result of a criminal records search from the appropriate governmental authority housing criminal record information in each area where the applicant has resided within the immediate preceding 48 months;
• the applicant’s non-refundable registration fee
• a statement signed by a certified trainer that the applicant has successfully completed the training requirements of 12 NCAC 07D .0807
• a certification by the applicant that he or she is at least 21 years of age.

Applicants for an armed security guard firearm registration permit shall complete a basic training course for armed security guards which consists of at least 20 hours of classroom instruction including:

• legal limitations on the use of handguns and on the powers and authority of an armed security guard, including familiarity with rules and regulations relating to armed security guards (minimum of four hours);
• handgun safety, including range firing procedures (minimum of one hour);
• handgun operation and maintenance (minimum of three hours);
• handgun fundamentals (minimum of eight hours); and
• night firing (minimum of four hours).

Applicants for an armed security guard firearm registration permit shall attain a score of at least 80 percent accuracy on a firearms range qualification course adopted by the Board and the Attorney General, a copy of which is on file in the Director’s office.  Should a student fail to attain a score of 80 percent accuracy as referenced above, the student will be given an additional three attempts to qualify on the course of fire they did not pass.  Failure to meet the qualification after three attempts shall require the student to repeat the entire Basic Training Course for Armed Security Guards.  All additional attempts must take place within 20 days of the completion of the initial 20-hour course.

All armed security guard training required by 12 NCAC 07D shall be administered by a certified trainer and shall be successfully completed no more than 90 days prior to the date of issuance of the armed security guard firearm registration permit.

All applicants for an armed security guard firearm registration permit must obtain training under the provisions of this Section using their duty weapon and their duty ammunition or ballistic equivalent ammunition, to include lead-free ammunition that meets the same point of aim, point of impact, and felt recoil of the duty ammunition, for all weapons.

The armed security officer is required to qualify annually both day and night.  If the security officer fails to qualify on either course of fire, the security officer cannot carry a firearm until such time as they meet the qualification requirements.

Fees for armed security guard firearm registration permits are as follows:

• thirty dollars ($30.00) non‑refundable initial registration fee;
• thirty dollars ($30.00) annual renewal, or reissue fee; and
• fifteen dollar ($15.00) application fee.

Fees shall be paid in the form of a check or money order made payable to the Private Protective Services Board.

State License Application