Do Self-Employed Guards Need an SIA Licence?
Yes, usually. A self-employed person needs their own Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence when the work is done under a contract for services and involves a licensable activity such as guarding or door supervision. Staff employed directly by the business that uses their services, known as in-house staff, usually do not, except for door supervision at licensed premises.
What does the SIA say about self-employed work?
The Security Industry Authority publishes guidance called find out if you need an SIA licence. A licence is needed when the work is done under a contract for services and involves a licensable activity. The guidance gives a self-employed close protection business as an example of someone who needs one.
Check the SIA guidance for what counts as a contract for services before you rely on any summary, including this one. If the work is security guarding or door supervision and you are unsure, ask the SIA before you start.
Who does not need a licence?
In-house staff are the main exception. These are people employed directly by the business that uses their services, for example a shop that employs its own guard on its own payroll. The guidance says they usually do not need a licence for guarding work.
Door supervision is different. In-house door supervisors at licensed premises still need a licence. If you are unsure which side of the line you fall on, ask the SIA before you start work.
Which activities are licensable?
Security guarding and door supervision are separate licences, and you can apply for both in one application.
The licence is for the person doing the work. A self-employed guard holds a personal licence rather than relying on a customer's or an agency's licence.
Does it differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
The SIA guidance describes one United Kingdom system. The vehicle immobilising licence applies in Northern Ireland only, and a certified sports ground exemption applies in England and Wales. For any other difference, the position varies, so check the SIA.
Do not assume a rule from one part of the country holds everywhere. The regulator's page is the place to confirm it for your situation.
How can you tell which category you are in?
Ask three practical questions. Am I hired to supply my work under a contract for services, or am I employed directly by the business that uses my services? Is the work security guarding or door supervision? Is the premises licensed? Your answers point towards the rule that applies.
None of these questions replaces the SIA guidance, which is the authority. Read the page called find out if you need an SIA licence and, if your situation is unusual, ask the SIA directly. Keep a record of the answer you receive.
When in doubt, treat the licence as necessary. The cost of applying is £204 for one licence from 1 April 2026. Check the SIA before you start work, and keep a record of the answer you are given. Our answer on how to get an SIA licence sets out the steps if you do need one.
What should you do next?
If you need a licence, follow the steps in our answer on how to get an SIA licence: be 18 or over, hold first aid, complete the licence-linked training, show your right to work, pass the criminal record checks, and apply online. The fee is £204 for one licence from 1 April 2026, and the licence lasts 3 years.
On XGuard, a professional can list only after we check the licence number with the SIA. XGuard is a marketplace and does not promise work or availability.
Related questions
Do in-house security guards need an SIA licence?
Usually not. Staff employed directly by the business that uses their services generally do not need one, except for door supervision at licensed premises.
What is a contract for services?
It is the wording the SIA guidance uses for the kind of arrangement that can require a licence. Check the SIA guidance on whether you need a licence for what counts.
What if I am unsure whether I need a licence?
Check the SIA guidance on whether you need a licence, or contact the SIA, before you start work.
Is there one SIA licence for guarding and door supervision?
No. They are separate licences, though you can apply for both in a single application.
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