The regulator and the law
Private security in Victoria is regulated by the Licensing and Regulation Division (LRD) of Victoria Police under the Private Security Act 2004.
The Private Security and County Court Amendment Act 2024 changed the system. Most changes took effect on 19 June 2025. Since then, all private security activities are licensed activities. The old registrations, and the old class A and class B activities, are being replaced.
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 19 June 2025 | Most changes start. All private security activities become licensed. |
| 19 December 2025 | Sole traders and contractors with a relevant ABN must hold both an Individual Operator and a Business licence (not private investigators). |
| 19 June 2026 | Registration holders without a licence application lodged no longer have a valid authority. |
| 5 October 2026 | New training requirements apply to Individual Operator licence renewals. |
Licences and activities
There are two kinds of licence: the Private Security Individual Operator licence for people who do the work, and the Private Security Business licence for businesses. Each licence is endorsed with one or more activities: investigator, bodyguard, crowd controller, security guard, private security trainer, security equipment installer and security adviser.
Security guard sub-activities
| Sub-activity | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Unarmed guard | Guarding property while unarmed |
| Armed guard | Guarding property while armed with a firearm |
| Cash-in-transit guard | Moving cash or valuables while armed with a firearm |
| Control room operator | Monitoring by CCTV or similar, and may respond in person or patrol |
| Monitoring centre operator | Monitoring intruder alarms only, without patrolling or routinely responding |
| Guard with a dog | Patrolling with a dog only, not other activities such as crowd control |
Crowd controller
Crowd controllers maintain order in public places. This includes screening entry, monitoring or controlling behaviour and removing people from premises.
Eligibility and training
- Be 18 or over.
- Be an Australian resident or hold a current visa with working rights.
- Have your fingerprints taken.
- Provide 100 points of certified identification.
- Not be a prohibited person under section 13 of the Act, and be a fit and proper person.
- Provide certified police checks from any country where you lived for more than 12 months in the previous 10 years (since age 16).
You must also show competency, usually through training with an approved RTO completed within 12 months before your application is received.
| Activity | Training |
|---|---|
| Unarmed guard, crowd controller, control room operator | CPP20218 Certificate II in Security Operations (130 hours) and HLTAID011 first aid |
| Armed guard or cash-in-transit guard | CPP31318 Certificate III in Security Operations, plus a firearms licence |
| Guard with a dog | CPP31318 Certificate III with dog handling units |
| Bodyguard | CPP31418 Certificate III in Close Protection Operations and HLTAID014 advanced first aid |
| Monitoring centre operator, installer, adviser | No training qualification required |
Renewals and firearms
- Individual Operators must complete an approved first aid course before renewing. Some must also complete Victoria Police refresher training.
- If you have applied to renew, you can keep working while it is processed. Carry your expired licence with your receipted payment notice.
- Licence cards issued from August 2025 may use short activity names, such as "Crowd Ctrl".
- Businesses must tell clients and get their consent before using a subcontractor.
Armed and cash-in-transit guards
You need a firearms licence as well as your security licence, with a mandatory 28-day waiting period. You must re-qualify with firearms once each financial year (common expiry 30 June) and send the certificate to the LRD within seven days. Missing it can lead to immediate suspension of your firearms licence.
Applying and study tips
You apply to Victoria Police for a new licence, a renewal or a variation. Processing times are only a guide, and applications with suitability concerns take longer.
- Give a full set of fingerprints. Fingerprinting does not produce a National Police Check certificate, and you do not need to attach one.
- Since 19 June 2025, Individual Operator and Business applicants no longer need suitability references.
- If you apply for both an Individual Operator and a Business licence, the same fingerprints can be used if they were taken within six months.
Study tips
- Learn the seven activities and the six security guard sub-activities.
- Know the key dates of the 2025 changes and what replaced registrations.
- Remember that the LRD of Victoria Police is the regulator and the Private Security Act 2004 is the law.
- Study the national guide for legal powers, use of force, conflict, emergencies, WHS and reports.