California Guard Card Training: What Every Security Officer Must Complete
California security guards must hold a BSIS guard registration, often called a guard card, and complete 40 hours of required training plus 8 hours of continuing training every year. Buyers should confirm that every guard on their property is registered, trained and carrying the right permits for any weapon they use.
Key takeaways
The Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) registers security guards; applicants must be at least 18 and pass a DOJ and FBI background check.
Guards complete Power to Arrest training before registration, then 32 hours of security officer skills training within six months, for 40 hours total.
Every registered guard needs 8 hours of continuing training each year.
Batons, tear gas and firearms each require separate training and permits.
You can verify a guard's registration and a company's Private Patrol Operator license on the California DCA license search.
What is a guard card in California?
A guard card is the BSIS security guard registration that California requires before a person can work as a security guard for a licensed Private Patrol Operator or a private security employer. To qualify, the applicant must be at least 18, pass a criminal history check through the California DOJ and the FBI, and complete Power to Arrest training.
According to the BSIS Security Guard Registration Fact Sheet, guards must carry a valid registration card while on duty. A newly approved guard may work with a printout of the Bureau's approval from its website and a valid photo ID until the card arrives in the mail.
How many hours of training do California security guards need?
California security guards need 40 hours of initial training: the Power to Arrest and Appropriate Use of Force course before registration, then 32 hours of security officer skills training. Of those 32 hours, 16 must be completed within 30 days of employment and the remaining 16 within six months. After that, guards need 8 hours of continuing training every year.
| Training | When it is due | Source | |---|---|---| | Power to Arrest and Appropriate Use of Force | Before registration is issued | BSIS fact sheet; BPC 7583.6 | | 16 hours of security officer skills | Within 30 days of employment | BSIS fact sheet | | 16 more hours of skills training | Within six months of employment | BSIS fact sheet | | 8 hours of continuing training | Every year | BPC 7583.6; 16 CCR 643 |
Training can be given by a Private Patrol Operator, a Bureau-certified training facility or a Bureau-approved course provider. Guards must keep their certificates, and employers must keep training records for as long as the guard works for them.
What permits do guards need to carry a baton, tear gas or a firearm?
Guards need separate BSIS-recognized training to carry a baton, tear gas or a firearm on duty. Under Business and Professions Code section 7583.33, a baton requires a course from a Bureau-approved baton training facility. Section 7583.35 requires tear gas training. An exposed firearm requires a BSIS firearms permit with its own training and range qualification.
If a company quotes armed coverage for your property, ask to see each assigned guard's firearms permit, not just the guard card. Our guide to armed vs. unarmed security guards explains when armed coverage makes sense. Most commercial and residential posts are well served by unarmed security officers with solid training and clear post orders.
Why should property owners care about guard training?
Property owners should care about guard training because untrained guards make more mistakes: unlawful detentions, poor reports, missed hazards and confrontations that escalate. Training in powers to arrest, observation, reporting and communication helps guards protect your property while keeping your organization out of avoidable disputes.
Training also shows up in daily work. A trained guard writes reports you can use with police and insurers, follows post orders, and knows when to call for help instead of acting alone. See what security guards can legally do in California for the limits that training covers.
How do I check a security guard's license in California?
You check a security guard's license by searching the guard's name or registration number on the California Department of Consumer Affairs license search at search.dca.ca.gov, then confirming the registration is current. Do the same for the company's Private Patrol Operator license, and check any firearm permit for armed guards.
Steps:
Ask the company for the names and registration numbers of guards assigned to your site.
Search each one on the California DCA license search.
Confirm the company's PPO license is active.
For armed posts, confirm each firearm permit.
Ask how the company tracks annual continuing training.
BSIS notes that a guard registration not renewed within 60 days after it expires is canceled and cannot be renewed (BPC 7583.20), so expiration dates matter.
What should La Verne businesses ask a security company about training?
La Verne businesses should ask a security company who delivers its training, how it tracks each guard's 32 skills hours and annual 8 hours, whether guards get site-specific training for their property, and how it handles refresher training after incidents. A good company answers with records, not general promises.
Ask for a sample training record with personal details removed and a copy of the post orders your guards will follow. For local coverage, see our page on security services in La Verne.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get a guard card?
BSIS says to allow about four to six weeks for processing, and longer if background check responses take more time.
Can someone work as a guard before the card arrives?
Yes, if BSIS has approved the registration and the guard carries a printout of the approval and a valid photo ID.
Does a guard card expire?
Yes. Registrations must be renewed, and BSIS cancels a registration that is not renewed within 60 days after it expires.
Is the guard card the same as a firearm permit?
No. A firearm permit is a separate BSIS permit with its own training and qualification requirements.
Who keeps guard training records?
Guards keep their certificates, and employers must keep training records for as long as the guard is employed.
About the author
Samantha Stephens leads SGV Patrol, a security company serving the San Gabriel Valley since 2012. SGV Patrol is Licensed, BSIS PPO #17353. You can verify our license on the California DCA license search.
Talk to a licensed security company
Need trained, registered guards for a property in La Verne or nearby? Call SGV Patrol at (626) 727-1592 for a security assessment and a staffing plan for your site. Calls are answered 24/7.
Sources: California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, Security Guard Registration Fact Sheet (revised January 2022); BSIS Powers to Arrest and Appropriate Use of Force Training Manual; California Business and Professions Code sections 7583.3, 7583.6, 7583.20, 7583.33 and 7583.35; California Code of Regulations, Title 16, section 643.
Cover photo: "La Verne Fairplex station" by Los Angeles Metro, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
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