How to become a security guard in Hawaii
Here's exactly what Hawaii requires, and the official portal to apply. Finish it and you can start getting booked on XGuard.
Hawaii Guard Employee Registration
HTML requirements page for the principal guard licence (sole-proprietor route).
- 1Complete the 8-hour training courseTake a Board-approved guard course from an approved guard instructor.
- 2Confirm your high school educationProvide (or attest to) a high school diploma or equivalent.
- 3Get registered through your employerA licensed guard agency or sole-proprietor guard employer files your registration with the Board of Private Detectives and Guards.
Hawaii Permit to Acquire Firearms (County Police)
General county-administered firearm-acquisition permit (§134-2), not a security-specific armed credential — Hawaii has no separate armed-guard license; armed guards still go through this same process.
- 1Complete a safety courseGet a Handgun Safety Training Course Affidavit (or hunter-ed/NRA course for long guns) within 4 years of applying.
- 2Apply at your county police departmentFile in person for fingerprinting and photographing (Honolulu, Hawaii, Maui, or Kauai PD).
- 3Wait the mandatory periodPermits cannot issue earlier than 14 days after application.
Hawaii Principal Guard License (Sole-Proprietor Route)
Board of Private Detectives & Guards HTML hub.
- 1Meet the 4-year experience requirementDocument 4 years of full-time guard or investigational work (supervised guard, private employer guard, or law-enforcement/government investigator).
- 2File the Guard/Principal application (PDG-00)Sole proprietors and the principal of an LLC/corp file this individual license application.
- 3Get bondedSecure a $5,000 surety bond, notarized by both applicant and surety.
- 4Pass fingerprinting and pay feesFBI/state criminal history check via Fieldprint, plus $50 application + $50 exam fee.
Once you're licensed
Create your free XGuard profile now — upload your license the moment you have it, and we'll verify it and start matching you to paid security work near you.
Start your XGuard profileXGuard guides you to the official process; the state issues your license. Figures are sourced from official regulators and verified before publishing, but requirements can change — always confirm on the official portal linked above.