Door Supervisor or Security Guard Licence?
They are two separate Security Industry Authority (SIA) licences. Security Guarding training is 30 hours over 4 days with self-study or 38 hours over 5 days without; Door Supervision is 44 hours over 6 days or 52 hours over 7 days. You can apply for both in one application, at £204 for the first and £102 for the second.
What is the difference between the two licences?
The Security Industry Authority issues a licence for each type of licensable front line work. Security guarding and door supervision are separate licences.
The Security Industry Authority, usually shortened to the SIA, is the United Kingdom regulator and is sponsored by the Home Office. The names tell you the broad split, but the SIA guidance on whether you need a licence is the place to confirm whether a specific job counts as one or the other.
How do the training requirements compare?
Both licences need first aid first: Emergency First Aid at Work or an equivalent qualification. After that you complete the licence-linked qualification for your licence.
Security Guarding is 30 hours over 4 days with self-study, or 38 hours over 5 days without self-study. Door Supervision is 44 hours over 6 days, or 52 hours over 7 days. Door Supervision is therefore the longer course either way.
- Security Guarding: 30 hours over 4 days with self-study, or 38 hours over 5 days without.
- Door Supervision: 44 hours over 6 days, or 52 hours over 7 days.
Can you apply for both together?
Yes. You can apply for both licences in a single application. The fee is £204 for one licence, in force from 1 April 2026, and £102 for each extra licence in the same application, so both together cost £306.
The fee is non-refundable, and each licence lasts 3 years.
Does being employed in-house change which you need?
It can. Staff employed directly by the business that uses their services, known as in-house staff, usually do not need a guarding licence. The exception is door supervision at licensed premises, where a licence is still required even for in-house staff.
A self-employed person hired under a contract for services needs their own licence for licensable work. Our answer on self-employed guards sets out that rule in more detail.
How should you choose between them?
The SIA guidance sets what counts as licensable, so read its description of each activity before you book a course. Do not choose on the name alone, because the licence you hold decides the work you may lawfully do.
Door Supervision is the longer qualification in both formats: 44 hours over 6 days or 52 hours over 7 days, against 30 hours over 4 days or 38 hours over 5 days for Security Guarding. Compare that with the time you can give to training before you commit.
Think about the work you expect to take. Door supervision at licensed premises needs a licence even for in-house staff, while in-house guarding staff usually do not need one. You can apply for both in one application, and the fees for that are set out in our answer on what an SIA licence costs. The fee is non-refundable, so be sure which licence or licences you want before you submit.
Which should you start with?
Start with the work you can realistically get and are comfortable doing. If you may do both, applying for both at once is cheaper than applying separately. Remember that a licence is permission to work, not a promise of work.
XGuard is a marketplace and does not promise work or availability. A professional can list only after we check the licence number with the SIA, and the listing should match the licence you hold.
Related questions
Is a door supervisor licence the same as a security guard licence?
No. They are separate Security Industry Authority licences with different training, though you can apply for both in one application.
Which SIA course is longer?
Door Supervision: 44 hours over 6 days or 52 hours over 7 days, against 30 hours over 4 days or 38 hours over 5 days for Security Guarding.
How much do both licences cost together?
£306 in one application: £204 for the first licence and £102 for the second, under the fees in force from 1 April 2026.
Do in-house door supervisors need a licence?
Yes, at licensed premises. In-house guarding staff usually do not, but door supervision at licensed premises is the exception.
Last reviewed