Mississippi Security Guard License Requirements

Mississippi has no statewide license for unarmed security guards. If you want to carry a firearm on duty, though, you need a Security Guard Firearm Permit from the Mississippi Department of Public Safety (DPS), which requires you to be 21. Some cities add their own rules: Biloxi, for example, requires every security guard working within city limits to be licensed through the Biloxi Police Department. Casino security on the Gulf Coast and along the Mississippi River adds yet another layer through gaming regulation. This guide sorts out what applies where, the DPS permit, local licenses, and your legal authority.

What applies where

Situation	What you need
Unarmed guard, most of Mississippi	No state license; employer screening and training; check local ordinances
Armed guard, anywhere in Mississippi	DPS Security Guard Firearm Permit (age 21)
Any guard working in Biloxi city limits	Biloxi Police Department security guard license, plus the DPS permit if armed
Casino security	Employer requirements plus gaming work permit for casino employees

The DPS Security Guard Firearm Permit

Mississippi DPS issues a firearm permit specifically for security work. It is available to people who are actively working as a bank guard, company guard, watchman, railroad special agent, or an agent or employee of a patrol service, guard service or money and valuables transport company, and it is valid while you are actively performing those duties.

Requirements

• Be at least 21.
• Be eligible to possess firearms under state and federal law.
• Complete the application (SGP-APP-01) and a notarized affidavit and release (SGP-AFF-01), signed in front of the notary.
• List every residence for the past two years.
• Answer the qualifying questions and file supporting forms for any convictions, pending charges, pardons or expungements, and any misdemeanor domestic violence conviction.
• Provide a court order restoring capacity or a psychiatrist’s certificate if you were ever found incompetent or committed.

What can disqualify you

The application asks about prior permit denials or revocations, firearm eligibility, dishonorable discharge, physical conditions that prevent safe firearm handling, felony and other convictions and pending charges, mental incompetence or commitment, chronic drug abuse or recent substance treatment, controlled substance convictions within three years, and misdemeanor domestic violence convictions. A felony or domestic violence conviction generally makes you ineligible to possess firearms under federal law. Failing to disclose a conviction or pending charge is treated as a false statement and is grounds for denial or revocation on its own.

Fees

DPS fee	Amount
Security guard permit, new	$132
Security guard permit, renewal	$82
Renewal, retired law enforcement	$32
Duplicate (in person only)	$15

The security guard permit is separate from Mississippi’s personal firearm permit, which has its own fees. Your employer may also require firearms training and qualification before you carry, even though the DPS form does not list a general training requirement.

Biloxi security guard license

Under Chapter 12, Article VIII of the Biloxi Code of Ordinances, anyone employed as a security guard within Biloxi city limits must be licensed through the Biloxi Police Department. The application requires:

• A notarized application and a $25 non-refundable fee.
• Fingerprints and a background investigation, with your residences for the past 90 days, employment for the past 5 years and final convictions for the past 5 years.
• A copy of a liability insurance policy meeting city requirements.
• A recent photo or a copy of your ID.
• An employment verification letter on company letterhead, signed by your employer.
• For armed guards, a copy of your Mississippi security guard firearm permit; armed applications are rejected without it.

Applications are accepted at the Biloxi Police Department front desk during set hours. If you work in another Mississippi city, ask your employer or the city clerk whether a local license applies; Gulf Coast and larger cities are the most likely to have one.

Casino security

Mississippi’s casinos on the Gulf Coast and along the Mississippi River employ large security departments. Casino employees are regulated by the Mississippi Gaming Commission and generally need a gaming work permit, which involves its own background check. If you are hired directly by a casino, the casino will walk you through the work permit. If you are a contract guard at a casino, ask your employer which requirements apply.

Unarmed security work

Outside cities with local licenses, there is no state card for unarmed guards. Employers set the standards: usually age 18 or older, a background check, a drug screen and in-house training on post orders, patrol, report writing and emergency procedures. First aid, CPR and AED certification and de-escalation training make you more competitive.

Your authority in Mississippi

Security guards have no police powers. Under Mississippi Code §99-3-7, a private person may arrest someone for an indictable offense committed or a breach of the peace threatened or attempted in their presence, or when a felony has been committed and they have reasonable ground to suspect the person committed it. Mississippi law also protects merchants and their employees who detain a suspected shoplifter with probable cause, in a reasonable manner and for a reasonable time. Follow your post orders, which are often stricter.

How to get started, step by step

1. Decide on armed or unarmed work and find out which city your posts are in.
2. Get hired by a security company or in-house department.
3. For armed work, apply for the DPS Security Guard Firearm Permit with the notarized affidavit and $132 fee.
4. If you will work in Biloxi, apply for the city license with your employer letter and insurance proof.
5. For casino work, complete the gaming work permit process.
6. Complete your employer’s training and carry your credentials on duty.

Choosing an employer in Mississippi

Ask whether the company handles city licenses where required, pays the DPS permit fee for armed posts, and provides firearms training and qualification. Security jobs are concentrated in Jackson, the Gulf Coast (Biloxi, Gulfport), Tupelo, Hattiesburg and Southaven, with demand from casinos, hospitals, ports, shipbuilding, manufacturing and distribution. Gulf Coast posts mean heat, humidity and hurricane season; keep your gear and emergency plans ready.

Getting ready for your first post

With no state training, your employer’s orientation and your own preparation matter. Learn your post orders, emergency procedures and who to call. Practice clear reports with our incident report template, and learn the limits of your authority with our guide to detaining people.

Training beyond the minimum

Because Mississippi sets no state training for unarmed guards, the officers who get the better posts usually build their own training record:

• First aid, CPR and AED are the most requested credentials at hospitals, schools and events.
• De-escalation keeps incidents from turning physical. See our de-escalation guide.
• Firearms training and regular practice with a qualified instructor if you plan to apply for the DPS permit. The form may not list a training requirement, but employers and clients expect proficiency.
• Report writing. Clear, factual reports protect you and your employer.
• Casino-specific training on surveillance coordination, cash handling escorts and guest service if you want gaming work.

Hurricane season and emergency deployments

From June through November, Gulf Coast security officers may be called on to protect casinos, ports, shipyards, hospitals and storm-damaged properties before and after hurricanes. Emergency posts can mean long shifts, limited facilities and heat. Keep a go-bag with water, rain gear, spare batteries, a flashlight and personal medications, know your employer’s storm procedures, and make sure your credentials are current so you can be deployed quickly.

Keep a personal file with copies of your DPS permit, any city license, training certificates and evaluations. In a state without an unarmed license, that file is your proof of experience when you apply for supervisor, casino, healthcare or armed positions, and it saves time when an employer or client audits credentials.

Moving to Mississippi from another state

There is no Mississippi unarmed license to transfer into. For armed work you need the DPS security guard permit regardless of other states’ licenses, and in Biloxi you need the city license.

Common problems

• Carrying a firearm on duty without the DPS security guard permit.
• Working in Biloxi without a city license.
• An affidavit that was not signed in front of a notary.
• Undisclosed convictions or pending charges.
• Letting the permit expire and having to reapply.