Pennsylvania Security Guard License Requirements

Pennsylvania is one of the states where the answer surprises people: there is no statewide license for unarmed security guards. If you want to work an unarmed post, the state does not issue you a card. The company that hires you is the one that needs a license, and it handles your background screening. Armed work is different. Anyone privately employed to carry a firearm or other lethal weapon on duty needs Act 235 certification from the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), Lethal Weapons Training Program. This guide explains both paths, the Act 235 training and exams, the fees, the criminal history rules (including a 2026 court ruling), and renewal.

Two paths: unarmed vs. armed

	Unarmed guard	Armed guard (Act 235)
State license or card	None	Act 235 certification card
Issued by	—	Pennsylvania State Police, Lethal Weapons Certification Unit
Training required by the state	None (employers often require their own)	40-hour basic course
Background check	By the employer	PSP fingerprint check + physical and psychological exams
Minimum age	Set by employer (usually 18)	18

Unarmed security work in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania regulates private security mainly through the Private Detective Act of 1953. Companies that provide guards for hire must be licensed under that Act through the Court of Common Pleas in their county. Individual unarmed guards do not get a state card. Instead, the licensed company screens you, takes your fingerprints for a background check, and keeps your employee statement on file.

Many employers add their own training, often a short orientation on report writing, patrol, customer service and site rules. Hospitals, universities, casinos and government contractors usually require more. If you work for a company’s own in-house security department (a proprietary guard), the company’s policies set the requirements instead.

Because there is no state card, the best things you can bring to an interview are a clean background, any training certificates, first aid and CPR, and good references. Pennsylvania casino security has its own rules: casino employees need a license or permit from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

Criminal records and the 2026 Philadelphia ruling

The Private Detective Act has long barred licensed agencies from employing people with certain criminal convictions, with no time limit. In early 2026, the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas held that this lifetime ban is unconstitutional as applied to private unarmed security guards and can no longer be enforced. Reporting on the ruling says employers in Philadelphia can no longer refuse unarmed guard applicants based on that ban alone. How far the ruling reaches outside Philadelphia, and whether it will be appealed, is not settled. If you have a record, ask a Pennsylvania attorney or a legal aid group such as Community Legal Services before you give up on security work. Employers can still make their own hiring decisions within the law.

Armed work: Act 235 certification

Act 235, the Lethal Weapons Training Act, applies to anyone privately employed as a watch guard, protective patrolman, detective or criminal investigator who carries a lethal weapon on duty. “Lethal weapon” is defined broadly: firearms, and any device, instrument or substance capable of causing great bodily harm or death. In practice, this is the certification armed guards, armored car guards and armed alarm-response officers need.

Who qualifies for Act 235

• At least 18 years old.
• Pass a physical exam by a Pennsylvania-licensed physician, including vision (uncorrected at least 20/70 in one eye and 20/200 in the other; corrected at least 20/20 in one eye and 20/40 in the other), color and depth perception, and hearing (hearing aids allowed).
• Pass a psychological exam by a licensed psychologist.
• No conviction for an offense that bars firearm possession under 18 Pa.C.S. §6105.
• No conviction for a first-degree misdemeanor or higher, and no conviction for a crime of violence.
• No active protection-from-abuse order and no prior involuntary mental health commitment.

The Act 235 criminal history rules are separate from the Private Detective Act ban discussed above. The 2026 ruling concerned unarmed guards, so do not assume it changes Act 235 eligibility.

The 40-hour basic course

The basic course is 40 hours: a 26-hour academic module and a 14-hour firearms module. The academic part covers the law of arrest, search and seizure, use of force and deadly force, civil and criminal liability, and handling evidence and incidents. The firearms part covers safe handling, marksmanship and a live-fire qualification. Agents who will carry a non-firearm lethal weapon, such as a baton, may take only the academic module. You must take the course at an Act 235 certified school after PSP approves your application.

How to get Act 235 certification, step by step

1. Create a Keystone Login and apply for the Act 235 Basic Training Application in the PSP TACS system. Pay the $50 application fee by credit card. If you have law enforcement training, request waivers and upload your documents here.
2. Get fingerprinted. You will receive an email to schedule fingerprints at an IdentoGO location. The fee is $24.95. Results go straight to PSP.
3. Complete the physical, vision and psychological exams. PSP sends the forms. You pay the providers directly, and the physician or psychologist submits the signed forms to PSP electronically.
4. Wait for approval. PSP emails you an approval or denial.
5. Take the 40-hour course at a certified school. Expect tuition of a few hundred dollars plus ammunition.
6. Pay the $30 certification fee in TACS after you complete training. PSP then issues your certification card.

What it costs

Fee	Amount
Act 235 application (TACS)	$50.00
Fingerprinting (IdentoGO)	$24.95
Certification fee	$30.00
Total state fees	$104.95
Physical, vision and psychological exams	Set by your providers
40-hour course tuition	Set by the school (often $300–$450)

Act 235 is not a License to Carry

Act 235 certification does not, by itself, give you the right to carry, possess or own a firearm. The PSP points to the 2017 Superior Court decision in Commonwealth v. Anderson and advises agents to consider a Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms, especially for commuting, off-duty carry and loaded guns in vehicles. A License to Carry is issued by your county sheriff (or the Philadelphia Police Department) and requires you to be 21. Ask your employer what it expects before you start armed work.

Renewing Act 235 certification

• Term: typically five years. The expiration date is printed on your card.
• When to apply: no earlier than six months before expiration.
• Training: after approval you have six months to complete the renewal course (commonly 8 hours: 3 academic and 5 firearms) at a certified school.
• Fee: $30.
• Expired cards cannot be renewed. If you miss the deadline, you start over with an initial application and the full course.

Getting hired as an unarmed guard

Without a state card, Pennsylvania employers judge you on what they can verify. These steps make an application stand out:

1. Apply to licensed agencies and in-house departments. Large contract firms hire year-round in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Harrisburg. Hospitals, universities and warehouses often hire their own officers and pay more.
2. Expect fingerprints and a background check. The employer pays for this in most cases. Answer the criminal history questions honestly; a mismatch with the record is a common reason for rejection.
3. Bring proof of training. First aid, CPR and AED certification, a de-escalation course, or a guard card from another state all show you can do the job, even though Pennsylvania does not require them.
4. Ask about Act 235 sponsorship. Some employers pay for Act 235 training once you have proven yourself on unarmed posts. Armed posts usually pay more per hour.

Unarmed officers in Pennsylvania still have no more legal authority than any private citizen. Learn the limits on detaining people and using force before your first shift. Our guides on detaining people and de-escalation cover the basics.

Moving to Pennsylvania from another state

For unarmed work, there is no state card to transfer. Your new employer will run its own screening. For armed work, an armed license from another state does not count. You need Act 235 certification. Law enforcement and some military training can earn waivers for part of the course, requested in your TACS application.

Common reasons Act 235 applications stall

• Physical or psychological forms not submitted electronically by the provider.
• Waiver documents mailed or faxed instead of uploaded in TACS. PSP does not attach mailed documents.
• Missing photos for out-of-state applicants or those without a PA driver’s license.
• Taking the course before PSP approves the application.
• Letting a certification expire and losing the renewal option.