South Dakota Security Guard License Requirements

South Dakota has no statewide license or training requirement for security guards. Like several Plains states, it leaves the question to cities and employers. The most important local rule is in Rapid City, which licenses security guards locally, with fingerprinting and a records check on a two-year cycle. In most other places, there is no license to get; your employer decides what screening and training you need. This guide explains Rapid City’s license, what employers typically require, armed work, and your legal authority in South Dakota.

Where you need a license in South Dakota

Where you work	License required?	Who issues it
Rapid City	Yes, city security guard license	City of Rapid City
Sioux Falls and other cities	Check with the city clerk; generally no	City (if any)
Rest of the state	No	—

Rapid City security guard license

Rapid City regulates security guards through a city ordinance. In 2013, the city changed the license term from one year to two years, with fingerprinting and a records check every other year and fees adjusted to match. Guidance on the license describes requirements such as being an adult with a high school diploma or equivalent, completing an approved security training program, passing a written exam, and submitting photos, proof of identity, a training certificate and fingerprints. Because the details are set by the city and can change, contact the City of Rapid City before you apply, and ask your employer whether it handles the application.

Rapid City’s tourism, events (including the large summer motorcycle rally season in the Black Hills), bars and hospitals mean steady demand for security staff, including bar security and door staff, who may fall under the city license.

What employers usually require

Outside Rapid City, employers set the rules. Expect:

• Minimum age of 18 (often 21 for armed or bar posts).
• A criminal background check and drug screen.
• A valid driver’s license for patrol positions.
• Employer orientation and site training before working alone.
• For hospitals, schools, government and industrial clients: additional training such as de-escalation, first aid, CPR and AED.

Because there is no state disqualification list, each employer (and Rapid City, for its license) decides how to treat criminal records.

Armed security work

South Dakota has no state armed-guard license. Since 2019, South Dakota has allowed permitless concealed carry for adults who may legally possess firearms, and it still issues concealed carry permits (including enhanced permits), which many employers prefer because they document a background check and, for the enhanced permit, training. Employers decide whether a post is armed and set training and qualification standards. Some locations restrict firearms regardless of permits. Get your employer’s firearm policy in writing.

Your authority in South Dakota

Security guards have the same arrest authority as any private person. Under SDCL 23A-3-3, a private person may arrest someone for a public offense, other than a petty offense, committed or attempted in their presence, or for a felony that has been committed when they have reasonable cause to believe the person committed it. The person must be taken before a magistrate or delivered to a law enforcement officer without unnecessary delay. South Dakota law also protects merchants and their employees who detain suspected shoplifters with reasonable cause, in a reasonable manner and for a reasonable time. Follow your post orders, which are often stricter, and write a report every time you act.

How to start working security in South Dakota

1. Find out where your posts will be. If any are in Rapid City, plan for the city license.
2. Get basic certifications on your own: first aid, CPR, AED and de-escalation.
3. Apply to security companies and in-house departments in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen, Brookings and elsewhere.
4. Complete the employer’s screening and training.
5. For armed posts, meet the employer’s firearms requirements and consider a concealed carry permit.

Costs

There is no state fee for security guards. Rapid City charges its own license and background check fees on a two-year cycle. Employers usually pay for background checks and drug screens. Optional certifications and, for armed work, firearms training are typically your main costs.

Standing out without a state license

• De-escalation training. See our de-escalation guide.
• First aid, CPR, AED and stop-the-bleed. Rural response times can be long.
• Report writing practice with our incident report template.
• Knowledge of your limits. Read our guide on whether security guards can detain people.
• A guard card from another state, if you have one, shows a training baseline.

Event and seasonal security

The Black Hills tourism season, the summer rally period, county fairs, hunting season, college athletics and concerts create seasonal demand for security staff. Event work is a good entry point, but expect long hours, crowds and alcohol. In Rapid City, event staff may need the city license, so start early. Focus on crowd management, ID checks and calm communication, and leave arrests to police whenever possible.

Choosing an employer

Ask what training you will receive before your first post, whether posts are observe-and-report, what the use-of-force and detention policies are, whether the company carries liability insurance, and who pays for certifications. Large employers in Sioux Falls and Rapid City include hospitals and health systems, financial services companies, universities, manufacturing and meat processing plants, and events.

Getting ready for your first post

Ask for your post orders in writing, learn the emergency procedures and walk the site with an experienced officer. South Dakota weather ranges from severe summer storms to blizzards; know where to shelter and dress for long outdoor shifts with help from our cold-weather gear guide.

Handling common situations within your limits

• Trespass: ask the person to leave on behalf of the owner. If they refuse, step back, keep observing and call police.
• Theft: observe and report. Leave detentions to the merchant’s employees and police unless your post orders clearly authorize them and the law supports it.
• Intoxicated or aggressive guests: keep a safe distance, speak calmly, involve a second staff member, and call police if anyone is at risk.
• Medical calls: call 911, give first aid within your training and guide responders to the scene.
• Severe weather: follow the site plan, move people to shelter and account for staff.

Write a report after every incident while the details are fresh. Without a state license, your reports are the best evidence of professional conduct.

Questions to ask an employer

• What training will I receive before working alone, and is it paid?
• Will any of my posts be in Rapid City, and will you handle the city license?
• Is the post observe-and-report, and what is your use-of-force policy?
• Do you carry liability insurance that covers officers?
• For armed posts: what firearms training and qualification do you require?

Career paths

Many South Dakota officers start in event, retail or bar security and move into hospital, campus, financial or industrial security, where pay and training are usually better. Others become supervisors, move into loss prevention, or use security experience as a step toward law enforcement or corrections. Keep a file of your certifications, evaluations and any city licenses; it is your professional record in a state without state licensing.

Bar and nightlife security

Bars and clubs in Sioux Falls, Rapid City and college towns hire door staff and floor security. The work centers on ID checks, managing intoxicated guests and preventing fights. Learn South Dakota’s rules on serving alcohol to minors and intoxicated people, since door staff help venues stay compliant. Avoid physical removal whenever possible; ask, then involve management, then call police. Positional restraint and chokeholds can be deadly, so never use them. Our guide to becoming a bouncer covers the skills that keep you and the venue out of trouble.

Rural and agricultural posts, such as grain elevators, ethanol plants, wind farms and remote construction sites, often mean working alone with long police and EMS response times. Confirm your radio or phone coverage, your check-in schedule and your emergency contacts before your first shift.

Moving to South Dakota from another state

There is no state license to transfer into. If you will work in Rapid City, apply for the city license. Your previous license, training and experience are your strongest selling points with employers.