LICENSING

To ensure the safety of all Victorians, there are minimum standards that all licence applicants are required to meet before they are eligible to perform work within the private security. These requirements are outlined in the relevant form.

To be eligible for a private security licence in the State of Victoria, you must:

  • Be 18 years or over
  • Be a resident of Australia or be the holder of a current visa (with relevant work rights)
  • Be subject to a National Police Check which requires the taking of your fingerprints
  • Provide certified copies of International Police Checks from any other country resided in for a period of more than 12 months over the previous 10 years since turning 16 years of age
  • Not be a prohibited person
  • Be a fit and proper person. This includes not having any medical condition or history with police that would hinder your employment within the industry
  • Demonstrate competency for working in the security industry by way of completing training relevant to the private security activity or activities you wish to be licensed for
  • Provide 2 written references outlining your suitability for employment within the private security industry

2017-2018 Private security licence, registration and permit fee schedule

Applying for an Individual Private Security licence

  1. Enrol and Complete the CPP20212 Security Operations Course through a registered training organisation.
  2. Whilst completing the course contact Fingerprints department at Licensing and Regulations Division to book in your fingerprint appointment as it may take days/ weeks to get an appointment and then another month to receive the results which are required to complete your application for license. Contact: 1300 881 596. Make an appointment time that suits you. It costs $179.00 and they only accept Credit/ Debit cards and Bank Cheques. No cash. On the day.
  3. Upon Successful completion of the course you will receive a Certificate and Statement of Results. You will need this for your application.

Go online to https://eservices.police.vic.gov.au/eServices/login.htm and register for an online account. You will need your full name, Date of Birth, Place of birth, Citizenship information and to create a username and password.

  1. Once registered for eServices you can log into the eServices Licensing portal and choose the application form you are going to complete. In this case it will be Individual Private Security Licence application. Follow the prompts and answer the questions until you have completed all sections.
  2. Print the completed application and attach the following supporting documents:
    • 2x Suitability References (They must be someone from the list provided on attached suitability form page 2)
    • Certified copy of your fingerprints results
    • Certified copy of your Statement of Results (Qualification)
    • Certified copy of Identification (100 points of ID, Drivers licence, Medicare Card, Passport, Birth Certificate etc…)
    • If born in another country or here on a VISA must also have certified supporting documents including VISA, Passport etc…
  3. Once you have all items above attached to your printed application send it all to: Licensing and Regulation Division GPO Box 2807 Melbourne Vic 3001 (I recommend sending via registered or Express post to enable tracking or receipt of delivery)
  4. Allow 28 days for licensing to process your application before receiving your payment slip
  5. Pay the nominated amount of $468.10 (for Security and Crowd control) or $410.70 (for just security OR Crowd control) $500.00 (if Security, Crowd control and a third category such as bodyguard or Control room operator). Payment must be made at Westpac branch
  6. Once payment made go to the nominated photo location and have photo taken along with receipt slip from paid licence and sign in front of photo operator.
  7. Wait approx. 10 days to receive licence in the mail.

If you already have a security licence and want to add a sub category or an additional category

  1. Enrol and Complete the required course through a registered training organisation.
  2. Upon Successful completion of the course you will receive a Certificate and Statement of Results. You will need this for your application.
  3. Complete a Manual Form- Application to Vary a licence/ Registration to Include Additional security Form (VP Form 1151). You will need to note your licence number, and check the boxes of the categories you currently have on your licence and check the boxes for the categories you wish to add.
  4. Attach a certified copy of the supporting qualification/ Statement of Attainment to support the category you wish to add (e.g. Control Room operator certificate)
  5. The form will have instruction pages included which lists any additional documentation required to add the category requested.
  6. Post the forms and supporting certified documentation to Licencing and Regulations Division GPO Box 2807 Melbourne Vic 3001.
  7. You will receive a payment notice of approx. $119.00 which you will need to pay.
  8. Once paid. Wait approx. 7-10 days to receive new and amended licence in the mail.

Applying for a Business Licence or Registration information

A Private Security Business is a business that employs others to carry on one or more activities of the following security activities:

  • acting as an investigator; or
  • acting as a bodyguard; or
  • acting as a crowd controller; or
  • acting as a security guard; or
  • acting as a private security trainer.

Applications for new licences must be made via the eServices Portal

  1. All Licences and Registration activities in the Private Security Industry in Victoria, must meet probity requirements.
  2. You require either Certificate IV in Security & Risk Management or membership to an Approved Security Industry Organisations- (Victorian Security Institute).
  3. If you are currently or have previously been insolvent or under administration (in relation to a business); or have been declared bankrupt within the preceding 5 years as per Section 26 (2) (g) and (h) of the Private Security Act 2004, the Chief Commissioner must refuse to grant a Private Security Business Licence
  4. A newspaper advertisement must be placed in a daily circulating Victorian newspaper within seven days of lodging an application for a Private Security Business licence with Victoria Police’s Licensing & Regulation Division.

The advertisement must:

  • state the intention to apply for a business licence;
  • be forwarded to Victoria Police’s Licensing & Regulation Division within 14 days of the advertisement appearing in newspaper; and
  • be worded as follows:
“[Insert your Business Name] of [Insert your Business Address] has made an application to the Licensing & Regulation Division for a Private Security Business Licence to provide the services of [Insert activities applied for ie security guard, crowd controller, investigator, bodyguard]. Any person wishing to object to the granting of the licence has 14 days from the date of this advertisement to lodge an objection in writing to Licensing & Regulation Division, GPO Box 2807, Melbourne VIC 3001.”

You will also need to supply a Business Plan and Standard Operating Procedures.

  • Ensure you are personally licenced and qualified to have your business licenced in the field you want to include on your Business licence. E.g. Security, Crowd control, Investigations, Bodyguard, Armed guard etc… (Have them on your licences and have certified your obtained required certificates for your application)
  • If you haven’t already Go online to https://eservices.police.vic.gov.au/eServices/login.htm and register for an online account. You will need your full name, Date of Birth, Place of birth, Citizenship information and to create a username and password.
  • Once registered for eServices you can log into the eServices Licensing portal and choose the application form you are going to complete. In this case it will be the Victorian Private Security Business Licence Application or Victorian Private Security Business Registration Application. Follow the prompts and answer the questions until you have completed all sections.
  • Print the completed application and attach the supporting documents it requests you to have dependant on the fields you have completed.
  • Once you have all supporting documentation required, the printed application and evidence of your Certificate IV in Security Risk management or evidence of your membership to an approved Security Industry Organisation (In this case VSI- Victorian Security Institute) Post all documents to: Licencing and Regulations Division GPO Box 2807 Melbourne Vic 3001.
  • Upon successful acceptance of application you will receive your payment slip which you will need to pay at a Westpac Branch. Depending on whether the application was a Business licence application for Sole Trader or Body corporate, or a Business Registration application for a sole trader or Body corporate will depend on the amount you will need to pay. The breakdown is listed in the attached payment document.
  • A photo will need to be taken from a nominated accepted photo location
  • Wait to receive licence in the mail

Private Security Registration information

A Registration with Victoria Police is required by any person who installs security equipment, provides advice regarding security equipment; or by any business offering the services of others to undertake these services

Eligibility for a private security Registration

To ensure the safety of all Victorians, there are minimum standards that all applicants for a Registration are required to meet before they are eligible to perform work within the private security.

To be eligible for Registration in the State of Victoria, you must:

  • Be 18 years or over
  • Be a resident of Australia or be the holder of a current visa
  • Provide certified copies of International Police Checks from any other country resided in for a period of more than 12 months over the previous 10 years since turning 16 years of age
  • Not be a prohibited person
  • Be a fit and proper person. This includes not having any medical condition or history with police that would hinder your employment within the industry
  • Provide 2 written references outlining your suitability for employment within the private security industry

Note: There is no requirement for applicants for a Private Security Registration to be fingerprinted

What is a security adviser?

A Security Adviser is a person who is employed or retained to provide advice in relation to security equipment or security methods or principles. A security adviser is not authorised to perform private security licence activities such as security guard, crowd controller, investigator, bodyguard or private security trainer without the relevant private security individual operator licence authorising such activities. A security adviser must not provide the services of others to perform these activities without a private security business licence that authorises the providing of such activities.

A security adviser may not install private security equipment unless they are also the holder of a security equipment installer registration.

Who can provide the functions of a security adviser?

In Victoria, only the holder of a private security individual operator registration endorsed with the activity of security adviser can legally provide the functions of security adviser as outlined above.

Any person that provides the services of another to perform the function of security adviser needs to be the holder of a private security business registration endorsed with the activity of security adviser.

Additional Information

All Licence and Registration categories in the Private Security Industry in Victoria must meet probity requirements.

The holder of a private security registration cannot carry out the activity of monitoring center operator unless they are also the holder of an appropriately endorsed private security licence.

What is a security equipment installer?

In Victoria, a security equipment installer is a person who is employed or retained to install, repair, service or maintain security equipment.

What is security equipment?

Under section 6 of the Private Security Regulations 2016, the following equipment is considered security equipment:

  • security camera systems;
  • security audio systems;
  • security audio or visual recording systems;
  • security alarms;
  • security alarm monitoring systems;
  • safes;
  • vaults;
  • security intrusion detectors including motion, infrared, microwave or contact detectors;
  • electric, electro-mechanical, magnetic, or biometric access control devices, but not including stock, inventory or product loss prevention monitoring devices.

Who can install security equipment?

In Victoria, only the holder of a private security individual operator registration endorsed with the activity of security equipment installer can legally install security equipment.

Any person that provides the services of another to perform the function of security equipment installer needs to be the holder of a private security business operator registration endorsed with the activity of security equipment installer.

Do I need a registration to sell private security equipment?

No. It is not a private security activity to sell security only to install it.

Any person who offers installation of the security equipment they sell needs to be the holder of a private security business registration to do so.

Additional Information

All Licence and Registration categories in the Private Security Industry in Victoria must meet probity requirements.

The holder of a private security registration cannot carry out the activity of monitoring centre operator unless they are also the holder of an appropriately endorsed private security licence.