South Carolina Security Officer Registration Certificate Information (Guard Card)
Sections
- Requirements to Become a Security Guard
- Security Guard License (Unarmed Security Officer)
- Security Weapons Permit (Armed Security Officer)
- Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements
- Fingerprinting/Background Check
Requirements to Become a Security Guard
The applicant must:
- be employed by a licensed security business;
- be at least eighteen years of age;
- ve a citizen of the United States;
- have not been convicted of a felony or crime involving moral turpitude;
- be of good moral character;
- not unlawfully use drugs;
- not use alcohol to such a degree as to affect adversely his ability to perform competently the duties of a security company licensee, has not been adjudicated an incapacitated person without being restored to legal competency, and who has no physical or mental impairment which would prevent him from competently performing the duties of a security company licensee;
- have passed a SLED-approved pre-employment drug test;
- have not been discharged from the military service with other than honorable conditions; and
- have not been refused a license under this chapter for any reason other than minimum experience requirements and has not had a license under this chapter revoked or suspended.
Security Guard License (Unarmed Security Officer)
Persons performing the duties of security officers must obtain a valid security officer registration certificate.
Pending issuance of a registration certificate, a security officer may perform the duties of a security officer for up to thirty days after receipt by SLED of his application for registration; however, a person authorized to perform duties under this section has no arrest authority and must not carry a firearm until SLED issues a registration certificate. If SLED does not issue a registration certificate within thirty days of receipt of the application, a security officer must cease performing all security-related activities.
Licenses and registrations issued by SLED are valid for one year from date of issue.
Each candidate for registration as a private security officer must qualify by successfully completing a 4-hours basic training course approved by SLED.
The security officer must complete an additional minimum 2-hours of orientation and training by a certified company training officer.
- NOTE: The actual license is issued by the State of South Carolina, not the trainer.
Security Weapons Permit (Armed Security Officer)
A private security officer who will be authorized to carry a firearm must, before being issued, authorized or permitted to carry a firearm on duty, successfully complete a course approved by SLED, consisting of a minimum of 4-hours of training by a private security company certified training officer or law enforcement firearms instructor currently certified by the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, in the safe and proper use of the specific type(s) of firearm(s) to be issued or carried.
SLED may grant a Security Weapons Permit to carry a particular type of firearm to a person who is at least twenty-one years of age, is eligible to possess firearms, and is licensed or registered as a security officer.
No person may be issued a Security Weapons Permit and no permit may be renewed until the applicant or registered person has presented to SLED proof of proficiency, as determined by SLED, in the use of the type of firearm issued or authorized by his employer.
A person issued a Security Weapons Permit may only carry a firearm in an open and fully-exposed manner while in uniform and performing security duties or while in a vehicle enroute directly to or from a security post or place of assignment.
SLED in its discretion may issue a Security Concealed Weapons Permit to a registered security officer to carry, whether concealed or not, a firearm about his person, even though he is not in uniform or on duty if SLED determines that the additional permit would enable the permittee to better perform his assigned duties.
- NOTE: A Concealable Weapons Permit (CWP) permit does not qualify a security guard to carry armed.
Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements
Application for renewal of licenses and registrations must be received by SLED at least 30-days, but not more than 60-days, prior to the date of expiration.
Fingerprinting/Background Check
Federal guidelines now require that all security guards be fingerprinted for a national background check.
