North Dakota Security Guard License Requirements

North Dakota has one of the most structured security officer systems in the country. Security officers are registered and licensed by the North Dakota Private Investigative and Security Board (PISB) under the rules in Article 93-02 of the North Dakota Administrative Code, and the system works like a career ladder: you start as an apprentice security officer, progress to security officer after experience and classroom hours, and can become a commissioned security officer. Armed work requires a separate armed private security certificate and the same firearms training as North Dakota peace officers. This guide explains each rank, training, the criminal history rules, fees and armed requirements.

The North Dakota security officer ladder

Rank	Requirements	Supervision
Apprentice security officer	Age 18, diploma or equivalent, registration through employer, 12 hours of training within 30 days	Direct, onsite supervision by a security officer or commissioned officer until training is complete
Security officer	1,000 hours as a registered apprentice + 32 classroom hours	Registered employees must be supervised by a licensed individual
Commissioned security officer	1,000 apprentice hours + 3,000 hours as a security officer + 80 classroom hours + Board exam within 12 months	Can supervise others and qualifies for an individual security provider license

Active-duty or honorably discharged members of the U.S. armed forces (and certain reserve and Guard members) are treated as having met the 1,000-hour apprentice requirement, which speeds veterans up the ladder.

Who can register

• At least 18 years old.
• A high school graduate or equivalent.
• Registered by your employing agency, which must obtain registration for its employees and contractors.
• Fingerprints for state (BCI) and FBI checks. Fingerprint cards must be mailed, not submitted electronically.
• A background free of disqualifying convictions (see below).

Criminal history

Disqualifying convictions or adjudications (including juvenile adjudications for similar conduct) include any felony; certain class A or B misdemeanors involving violence, intimidation or controlled substances; theft offenses, including shoplifting; and offenses reportable to the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation. However, the Board may still approve you if the offense has no direct bearing on the work and you are sufficiently rehabilitated, or if you received a full pardon. Once registered, you must notify the Board within 14 days of any qualifying conviction or adjudication.

Training

Classroom instruction for apprentices and security officers must be given by Board-certified trainers, who must hold commissioned security officer rank and meet additional qualifications. Apprentices complete 12 hours of classroom or field training within 30 days of registration. Security officers complete 32 classroom hours, and commissioned officers 80 classroom hours. If a temporary registration expires before you complete the apprentice training, a registration cannot be issued until you prove completion.

Armed security work

Carrying a firearm while providing security services is unlawful unless you:

• Comply with all state and federal weapons laws, including any required licensing.
• Complete the same firearms training required of North Dakota peace officers, taught by a Board-certified weapons instructor.
• Hold at least security officer rank and an armed private security certificate.

The Board’s FAQ is clear that a concealed carry permit or North Dakota’s constitutional carry law does not allow you to carry a weapon while providing security services. If you fail the written test or shooting course twice, you must wait 30 days to retake it; after a third failure, the wait is one year.

Fees

Fee (per the Board’s FAQ)	Amount
Agency employee registration	$71.25
Individual security provider: application and testing	$100
Criminal records search (BCI and FBI)	$40
Individual license (one year)	$150
Optional study guide	$40

Employers usually handle and often pay employee registration. Individual security provider licenses (for people running their own security business) expire September 30 each year. Confirm current fees with the Board.

Working while your registration is pending

Agencies can obtain a provisional registration card for a new employee after submitting a clear North Dakota BCI record with the application, fingerprints and fees; it is replaced with a permanent card once state and federal checks are complete. Apprentices may only work under direct, onsite supervision until they finish the required training, and registered employees must be supervised by a licensed individual.

Your authority in North Dakota

A PISB registration does not give you police powers. North Dakota law (N.D.C.C. §29-06-20) allows a private person to arrest for a public offense committed or attempted in their presence, or when a felony has been committed and they have reasonable cause to believe the person committed it, and the person must be taken to a magistrate or peace officer without unnecessary delay. North Dakota also protects merchants and their employees who detain suspected shoplifters with probable cause, for a reasonable time. Follow your post orders and document everything.

How to get started, step by step

1. Get hired by a PISB-licensed security agency.
2. Your employer registers you as an apprentice, with fingerprints and fees. A provisional card may be issued with a clear BCI record.
3. Complete 12 hours of training within 30 days, working under direct onsite supervision until done.
4. Log your hours. After 1,000 hours (or with qualifying military service) and 32 classroom hours, move up to security officer.
5. For armed work, complete peace-officer-level firearms training and obtain the armed certificate.
6. Consider commissioned rank after 3,000 more hours, 80 classroom hours and the Board exam.

Choosing an employer

Since your rank depends on supervised hours, choose an employer that tracks your hours accurately, provides Board-certified training, and supports advancement. Ask who pays registration and training, how supervision works for apprentices, and whether armed posts are available. Jobs are concentrated in Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks and Minot, and in the oil and energy region around Williston and Dickinson, plus hospitals, universities and events.

Getting ready for your first post

As an apprentice, learn everything you can from your supervising officer: post orders, patrol routes, emergency procedures and report writing (our incident report template helps). North Dakota winters are extreme; outdoor and oilfield posts need serious cold-weather gear (see our cold-weather gear guide).

Making the most of your apprentice period

North Dakota’s ladder rewards officers who treat the apprentice period as real training rather than waiting out the hours:

• Keep your own hour log alongside your employer’s records, with dates, sites and supervisors. It protects you if records are questioned when you move up.
• Ask your supervising officer questions. You are required to work under direct, onsite supervision, so use it to learn post orders, report writing and how to handle difficult people.
• Collect certificates. Your 12-hour, 32-hour and later 80-hour classroom records all matter for advancement.
• Add first aid, CPR and AED. Rural posts can mean long EMS response times.
• Plan for armed work early if you want it. You need at least security officer rank and peace-officer-level firearms training, so talk to your employer about the timeline.

Oilfield and energy security

Western North Dakota’s oil and energy industry employs security officers at well sites, man camps, pipelines, rail terminals and equipment yards. These posts often involve long shifts, vehicle patrols over wide areas, extreme weather and lone work. Employers may add safety training (such as hydrogen sulfide awareness), drug testing and vehicle requirements. The pay can be higher, but make sure your employer has solid check-in procedures and emergency plans before you accept a remote post.

Commissioned rank opens the door to supervising others, training apprentices (with additional Board certification) and, with the right business registration and insurance, running your own security business under an individual security provider license. If that is your long-term goal, keep meticulous records from day one.

Moving to North Dakota from another state

North Dakota does not accept other states’ guard licenses as a registration. You start through an employer, but qualifying military service can count toward the apprentice hours, and the Board may consider prior experience for some requirements. Ask the Board before you assume you must start from zero.