Florida Class D and Class G Security License Requirements

To work as a security officer in Florida you need a Class D Security Officer License from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), Division of Licensing. To carry a firearm on duty you also need a Class G Statewide Firearm License. The Class G does not replace the Class D. Armed guards hold both. This guide covers the training, the state exam, the fees, the criminal history rules and how to renew, with every figure checked against Chapter 493 of the Florida Statutes and the FDACS rules.

Class D vs. Class G

	Class D Security Officer	Class G Statewide Firearm
What it allows	Unarmed security officer work	Carrying a firearm while on duty as a licensed security officer (or other qualifying license)
Training	40 hours, in person or live online	28 hours: up to 20 hours live online, at least 8 hours in person on the range
Exam	170 questions, 128 correct to pass, given by the school	Firearms qualification with each type and caliber you will carry
License fee	$45	$112
Term	2 years	2 years, with annual requalification
Stands alone?	Yes	No. Held alongside a Class D or another qualifying license

Who can get a Florida security license

Section 493.6106 sets the basic qualifications. You must:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Be a U.S. citizen, a permanent legal resident alien, or have federal authorization to work in the United States. Non-citizens must upload their immigration documents.
• Not have a disqualifying criminal record (see below). A pending criminal charge can hold your application until the case is resolved.
• Not have a history of drug use or alcohol abuse that the statute treats as disqualifying, and not have been found mentally incompetent without later restoration.
• For Class G only: not be barred from possessing a firearm under state or federal law.

The statute sets 18 as the minimum for both licenses. In practice, many armed employers and insurers want armed officers to be 21. Chapter 493 also only lets a Class D officer carry a concealed firearm on duty if they are 21 or older and hold a Class G.

Criminal history

Florida is strict on felonies. Under §493.6118, FDACS must deny an application from anyone convicted of a felony unless both of these are true: your civil rights have been restored, and at least 10 years have passed since your final release from supervision. A withheld adjudication still counts for crimes directly related to the licensed work. Misdemeanors involving violence, dishonesty or weapons can also lead to denial. Disclose everything on the application. An undisclosed record is grounds for denial on its own.

The Class D course and exam

The Class D course is 40 hours, taught at a school holding a Class DS license by an instructor holding a Class DI license. FDACS rule 5N-1.140 lets schools teach and test either in a classroom or by live online instruction. Self-paced video courses do not qualify. Online classes must be taught in real time from a location in Florida, with identity checks during the class.

The course follows the state curriculum: legal issues and the limits of a security officer’s authority, emergency procedures, patrol and observation, access control, report writing, interviewing, terrorism awareness, and professional conduct. Good report writing matters here and later on the job. Our incident report template follows the same who, what, when, where and how structure the course teaches.

The exam is given by the school, during or after the course. It has 170 questions, no more than half of them true/false, and runs at least two hours. You pass with 128 correct answers, about 75 percent. The school then issues your Certificate of Security Officer Training (form FDACS-16103) within three business days. You upload it with your application.

The Class G firearms license

Class G training is 28 hours of range and classroom instruction, taught by a Class K firearms instructor. Up to 20 hours may be live online. At least 8 hours must be in person on the range and include safe handling and storage. You qualify with each type and caliber of firearm you will carry on duty. The instructor reports your results directly to the Division of Licensing.

Once licensed, you must complete 4 hours of firearms requalification every year of your two-year license. If you miss it, FDACS suspends your Class G until you complete it. Current law enforcement and correctional officers, and people who completed equivalent training within the past 12 months, may qualify for a training waiver.

FDACS can issue a temporary Class G license case by case while your full application is processed. It costs a $15 processing fee on top of the license fee and requires a criminal history check. If your full Class G is denied, the temporary license is void and you must stop armed work immediately.

How to apply, step by step

1. Take the 40-hour Class D course at a licensed school and pass the 170-question exam.
2. Get fingerprinted electronically through an FDACS-approved Livescan provider, using the Division of Licensing ORI number. Apply within 90 days of your fingerprint scan.
3. Apply online through the FDACS licensing portal. Upload your training certificate, a color photo, and immigration documents if you are not a U.S. citizen. Pay the license and fingerprint fees.
4. Start work if hired. Once a complete application is filed, a Class D applicant may work for a licensed agency while FDACS processes it (§493.6105(8)). If the application is denied, the job must end immediately.
5. Add Class G by completing the 28-hour firearms course and filing a separate Class G application.
6. Check your status on the FDACS license lookup. Carry your license on duty.

What it costs

State fees under FDACS rule 5N-1.116. There is no separate application fee for Class D or Class G. Training tuition is separate and set by each school.

Fee	Class D	Class G
License fee (2 years)	$45	$112
Fingerprint processing (new applicants)	$42	$42 (waived if you paid it under Chapter 493 in the past 6 months and hold a valid license)
Fingerprint retention (new)	$10.75	$10.75
Typical first-time state total	$97.75	$164.75 if filed separately
Temporary Class G processing	—	$15
Renewal	$45 + $16.75 retention	$112 + $16.75 retention

FDACS waives the initial license fee for qualifying veterans who apply within 24 months of discharge and submit their DD-214. All FDACS fees are non-refundable.

Renewing your license

• Term: Class D and Class G licenses are valid for two years and renew biennially.
• Class D: renew online and pay the fees. No exam.
• Class G: show your annual 4-hour requalification for each year of the term.
• Late renewal: you can renew within 3 months after expiration with a late fee equal to the license fee. After 3 months, no license can be renewed and you must apply as a new applicant.
• No work on an expired license: you cannot perform regulated work between expiration and renewal.

Common reasons Florida applications stall

• Taking a self-paced online course that is not live instruction. The certificate will not be accepted.
• Letting more than 90 days pass between the fingerprint scan and the application.
• Uploading a blurry training certificate or photo.
• Missing immigration documents for non-citizen applicants.
• Leaving an old arrest or a withheld adjudication off the application.
• Filing a Class G without an active or pending Class D or other qualifying license.

Most delays come from paperwork, not from the background check. Scan your documents cleanly, keep copies, and check the license lookup weekly so you can respond fast if FDACS asks for more.

Who you can work for

A Class D lets you work for a security agency licensed by FDACS (a Class B agency) or a branch of one. Your license belongs to you, not your employer, so you keep it if you change jobs within Florida. Armed posts also require the Class G and a firearm that matches the type and caliber you qualified with.

Moving to Florida from another state

Florida does not accept other states’ guard cards. You need a Florida Class D before you work here. Certain law enforcement, correctional and military training can count toward the Class G training requirement, but the Class D course is required for nearly everyone. A Florida concealed weapon license is not a Class G and does not let you carry on duty.