State Requirements for Guard Card
and Security Officers

STATE LICENSING FORM - CLICK TO DOWNLOAD ARMED PDF

In the state of New York like many other states there is a required amount of training hours in a certified training facility. This training that is required in New York is 8 hours general training, 16 hours of job related training and 47 hours to carry a firearm. The New York Division of Criminal Justice Services, Office of Public Safety, sets these requirements for armed security training.

Licensing is overseen by the New York State Department of State, Division of Licensing Services. The occupational codes for the armed and unarmed security guard in the state of New York is 33-9032 and penal code 400.00.The requirements to be a licensed security guard in this state are:

• The applicant must be 18 years of age
• No serious criminal offense convictions
• The applicant must complete the amount of requested training hours
• The applicant must successfully complete 47 hours of firearm training
• Fingerprints will be required
• An FBI style background check
• Hold a New York state pistol license

The state of New York requires that there will be an eight-hour in-service annual training course taken yearly in order to hold the New York armed security guard license. The sixteen hour on the job training required must be done within a sixty-day time limit. The only applicants that are exempt from training are police officers, which are active duty and certain other officials. The armed security guard license is valid for two years after receiving the permanent license, as long as the required eight hour per year training course is completed. This is required as long as the applicant holds a New York armed security guard license.

Applicants in the state, which completed their training at a certified facility including training in firearms and deadly physical force prior to being hired as an armed security guard are required to take the eight-hour training course a second time. This must be done prior to applying for their New York state licensing. This also includes the required background check and fingerprinting in order to be issued a permanent state security license.

Training at a certified facility will include materials and training to prepare the applicant to perform the duties of an armed security guard in many industries. This training includes:

• Legal issues
• Crowd control
• Emergency medical including CPR
• Emergency fire training
• Firearms training, target and marksmanship
• Homeland security and counter terrorism training
• Training in the use of deadly force

There are many employment opportunities for the licensed armed security guard in the state of New York and some are:

• Security in banks and finance offices
• Providing security for government offices
• Airports
• Train stations
• Bus stations
• Museums
• Art galleries
• Jewelry and other retail stores
• Schools and colleges
• Armored banking vehicles
• Malls
• Stock and bond offices

There are other employment opportunities in the state of New York for the licensed armed security guard that will also provide the required sixteen hours of on the job training needed. All these employment opportunities will still require the annual eight hours of training to keep the armed security guard license current, along with renewal every two years.

STATE LICENSING FORM - CLICK TO DOWNLOAD ARMED PDF