How Do I Get a Security Licence in Queensland?

The Office of Fair Trading, part of the Queensland Government, regulates the security industry. Australia has no national licence, so each state or territory licenses security work separately. A Queensland licence does not automatically let you work in another state.

Unarmed work needs a security provider Class 1 licence. Armed work needs further approvals that vary by state and is not covered here.

You must be 18 or over, complete the required training, and supply 100 points of identification. The Office of Fair Trading lists the steps on its page for working as an unarmed security officer.

The application also involves a criminal history check and fingerprinting, which carry their own fees.

• Be 18 or over.
• Complete the required training.
• Supply 100 points of identification.
• Pay the licence fee, a criminal history check fee and a fingerprinting fee.

The fees listed on the Queensland Government page, updated 1 July 2026, are in Australian dollars. A single-function unrestricted licence costs AUD 376.20 for 1 year or AUD 744.60 for 3 years. A criminal history check costs AUD 47.35 and fingerprinting costs AUD 113.30.

Adding those up for a 3-year licence gives AUD 905.25 before training, which is AUD 744.60 plus AUD 47.35 plus AUD 113.30. Training costs are set by the provider and vary.

A 6-month restricted licence lets you work under supervision while you complete training. It costs AUD 213.80.

Work out whether the restricted licence suits you. It is a way into the industry, not a replacement for the unrestricted licence.

The application needs the following. Complete the required training, gather 100 points of identification, and apply to the Office of Fair Trading. The criminal history check and fingerprinting are part of the process and carry the fees listed above.

A 6-month restricted licence lets you work under supervision while you train.

Choose between the 1-year and 3-year licence by thinking about how long you expect to work in the industry. The 3-year licence at AUD 744.60 costs less per year than the 1-year licence at AUD 376.20, but you pay more at the start.

Keep the costs in view as a whole. For the 3-year route, the licence at AUD 744.60 plus the criminal history check at AUD 47.35 and fingerprinting at AUD 113.30 come to AUD 905.25 before training. For the 1-year route the same checks add AUD 160.65 to the AUD 376.20 licence, which is AUD 536.85. These sums use only the fees on the Queensland Government page.

If you are comparing states, remember that Queensland requires a security provider Class 1 licence for unarmed work, and that a licence from another state does not automatically allow you to work here. Plan on a full Queensland application.

The Queensland Government provides a check a security licence service. XGuard checks the licence against the state register before a professional can list, and it does not promise work or availability.

How long an application takes is not published on the pages checked, so check with the Office of Fair Trading.