A regulated industry
Homeowners and landlords who arrange a patrol, a key-holding service or monitored CCTV are often hiring people in a licensed trade without realising it. This article summarises GOV.UK guidance published by the Security Industry Authority (SIA), including “Find out if you need an SIA licence”, which was published on 14 October 2020 and last updated on 29 January 2026, the SIA’s “About us” page and the GOV.UK page on checking security staff. The SIA describes itself as the regulator of the UK’s private security industry, established under the Private Security Industry Act 2001, and says the Act covers England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Some details differ by nation and are noted below. This article is general information, not legal advice.
The regulated activities (UK-wide)
The SIA lists the activities covered by the Act as cash and valuables in transit, close protection, door supervision, public space surveillance (CCTV), security guarding and key holding, plus vehicle immobilisation in Northern Ireland only. The GOV.UK licensing guidance describes those relevant to homes and small sites as follows:
- Security guarding: guarding premises or property against damage, theft, unauthorised access or disorderly behaviour.
- Key holding: keeping, or controlling access to, any key or device for operating a lock.
- Public space surveillance (CCTV): identifying people or monitoring activities to guard premises against disorder or damage, or to protect people from assault or injury from unlawful conduct.
Contract for services versus in-house (UK-wide)
The guidance says a front line licence is needed when the work forms part of a “contract for services” and involves a licensable activity. It illustrates this with an employer that places a guard in a shop and charges the shop a fee, and with a self-employed business contracted to provide close protection. A person employed directly by the company that uses the services, such as a supermarket chain’s own guard, does not usually need a licence. Two activities require a licence even for in-house staff: door supervision at licensed premises, and vehicle immobilising, which applies only in Northern Ireland.
Directors and managers (UK-wide)
A director, partner, manager or supervisor of a business that supplies security operatives under contracts for services needs either a front line or a non-front line licence. Anyone who personally performs a licensable activity needs a front line licence whatever their job title.
CCTV and licensing (UK-wide)
An SIA response to a freedom of information request, published on GOV.UK, says a CCTV licence is needed when guarding premises, property or people by using CCTV to watch members of the public or identify particular people, or to guard against disorder or protect people from assault. It says licensable activity is not determined by the type of camera, such as pan-tilt-zoom equipment. A door supervisor, close protection or security guarding licence also covers using CCTV to identify a trespasser or protect property, but a CCTV licence is still needed where the work involves guarding against disorder or protecting people from assault.
Who does not need a licence (UK-wide)
The guidance lists people who do not need a licence. They include volunteers with an agreement that they will receive no payment or reward, people checking that visitors have paid or have an invitation (unless they then refuse entry or make people leave), stewards directing people to seats or facilities, and people responding to a sudden or unexpected event, such as a receptionist helping to evacuate a building when a fire alarm sounds. Certain airport staff are also exempt, as are in-house staff at a certified sports ground in England or Wales.
Checking a licence before hiring (UK-wide)
GOV.UK’s page on checking security staff says a person must check that someone has the correct licence before hiring them for private security work. The SIA’s public register of licence holders can be searched by the 16-digit licence number, or by surname with details such as date of birth and security role. It says a person could be fined or sent to prison for paying someone to work in security without the right SIA licence.
Approved contractors (UK-wide)
The SIA launched its Approved Contractor Scheme, which is voluntary, in 2006. The Register of Approved Contractors lists the organisations that have met its requirements. It can be filtered by licensable activity, including key holding, security guard and public space surveillance, and by region.
Alarms are a separate matter
Installing and monitoring intruder alarms do not appear among the SIA’s regulated activities. Certification of alarm installers by industry bodies is covered separately in this site’s article on NSI and SSAIB accreditation, and the standards that apply to monitored CCTV are explained in the article on BS 8418 and the police URN.
Common questions
Does an in-house employee need an SIA licence? Not usually, except for door supervision at licensed premises and, in Northern Ireland, vehicle immobilising.
Is the Approved Contractor Scheme compulsory? The SIA describes it as voluntary.
The bottom line
Under the Private Security Industry Act 2001, people who guard property, hold keys or watch CCTV for others under a contract for services generally need an SIA licence, and anyone hiring them is expected to check the register first. In-house employees are mostly exempt, alarm installation and monitoring are outside the licensing list, and the voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme offers a further check on companies.
Sources
- GOV.UK, “Find out if you need an SIA licence”
- Security Industry Authority (freedom of information response), GOV.UK, “Licensing requirements for the use of CCTV”
- GOV.UK, “Check security staff have a licence to work”
- Security Industry Authority, GOV.UK, “About us”
- Security Industry Authority, “Register of Approved Contractors”