Texas Security Guard License Requirements

To work as a security officer in Texas you need a license from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Private Security Program. Unarmed officers hold a non-commissioned security officer license. Armed officers hold a commissioned security officer license, often called a “Level III” or “commission.” Bodyguards hold a Personal Protection Officer (PPO) license on top of the commission. The Level II, III and IV labels you see in job ads are training courses, not license types. This guide explains which license you need, what each course covers, what the state charges, and the background rules that stop most applications.

Texas license types at a glance

Texas uses three license types for people who guard property or people. Each one has a training level attached to it.

License	What it allows	Training required	Minimum age
Non-commissioned security officer	Unarmed security work for a licensed company	Level II	18
Commissioned security officer	Armed security work (carrying a firearm on duty)	Level II + Level III (45+ hours) + MMPI	18
Personal Protection Officer (PPO)	Armed protection of a person (bodyguard work)	Level II + Level III + Level IV (15+ hours) + psychological approval	21

If you only want to work unarmed posts, such as access control, retail, patrol or front desk, the non-commissioned license is all you need. Many Texas employers pay more for commissioned officers, because they can fill both armed and unarmed posts.

Who can get a Texas security license

Texas Occupations Code §1702.113 sets the basic rules. You must be at least 18 years old. You cannot hold a license if any of the following is true:

• You are currently charged with a felony or a Class A or Class B misdemeanor that DPS lists as disqualifying.
• A court has found you incompetent because of a mental defect or disease and you have not been restored to competency.
• You were dishonorably discharged from the U.S. armed forces, or discharged under other conditions DPS treats as disqualifying.
• You are required to register as a sex offender in Texas or any other state.

An armed commission adds more rules under §1702.163. You cannot get one if state or federal law bars you from owning a firearm, if you are a fugitive from justice, if you are under a protective order, or if you are “chemically dependent.” The law defines that as two or more convictions in the past 10 years for a Class B misdemeanor or higher involving alcohol or drugs. Two DWIs in ten years will end an armed application.

Criminal history: how long a conviction counts

DPS publishes a list of disqualifying offenses in 37 Texas Administrative Code §35.4. For offenses on that list, a conviction disqualifies you for a set time counted from the conviction date:

• Felony: 10 years
• Class A misdemeanor: 5 years
• Class B misdemeanor: 2 years
• Certain serious offenses, including some sexual and violent crimes, are permanent bars

DPS also weighs your fitness case by case, so a record outside those windows can still be questioned. A pending charge for a listed offense can get an existing license summarily suspended. If your record is not clean, read the rule itself and contact DPS before you pay for training.

The training levels explained

All training must come from a school licensed by DPS and be taught by an instructor licensed for that level. Texas updated its curriculum in 2024, and DPS only accepts certificates issued under the current curriculum.

Level II: the base course for everyone

Level II is the classroom course and written test required for every security officer, armed or not. It covers the role of a security officer, legal limits, observation and reporting, emergencies and professional conduct. DPS does not publish a minimum hour count for Level II. Most schools run it in a single day, in person or online. When you finish, the school reports your completion and gives you a certificate.

Level III: the armed course

Level III is the course for commissioned (armed) officers. It must be at least 45 hours, including a written test and a course of fire. The classroom part covers the law on use of deadly force, arrest and search, liability, and firearm safety. The range part ends with the state Handgun Proficiency Examination. You must pass the shooting qualification within 90 days of your application date.

Your commission lists the type of weapon you qualified with. Qualifying with a semi-automatic handgun allows any handgun. Qualifying with a revolver limits you to non-semi-automatic handguns. Shotgun qualification is separate.

The MMPI psychological test

Every commission applicant must complete the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). A licensed psychologist or psychiatrist must review the results and sign the DPS form, which you then upload with your application. Some Level III schools arrange the MMPI for you. Others leave it to you. Ask before you enroll.

Level IV: Personal Protection Officer

Level IV is the bodyguard course. It runs at least 15 hours and must be taught in person by a licensed Level IV instructor. You need an active commission before you can hold a PPO license, and you must be 21. A PPO license cannot outlast the commission it is based on.

How to get your Texas license, step by step

1. Get hired or sponsored by a licensed security company. Texas ties every individual license to a company that DPS has licensed. Your pocket card is only issued after your license is affiliated with that company.
2. Complete Level II (and Level III, the MMPI and the shooting qualification if you are going armed) at a DPS-licensed school.
3. Create a TOPS account and apply. Pay the state fee online. Once paid, TOPS generates a checklist of documents to upload, such as training certificates and, for armed applicants, the MMPI form.
4. Get fingerprinted through the DPS-approved fingerprint vendor. You pay the $28.25 FBI check fee, and the vendor may add its own service charge.
5. Answer any deficiency notice. If DPS asks for more documents, you have 90 days to respond.
6. Receive approval and your pocket card. Check your status in TOPS. Carry the card on duty.

What it costs

State fees from the DPS fee schedule (current schedule revised September 3, 2019). Training school tuition is separate and set by each school.

Fee	Non-commissioned (unarmed)	Commissioned or PPO (armed)
License, original or renewal	$37	$57
FBI fingerprint check	$28.25	$28.25
Late renewal, up to 90 days	$52	$82
Late renewal, more than 90 days	$67	$107

Expect to pay about $65 in state and fingerprint fees for an unarmed license and about $85 for an armed one, before tuition. Level III courses usually cost several hundred dollars once range fees and ammunition are added. The MMPI is a separate cost. DPS also publishes a separate fee schedule with exemptions for qualifying military members, veterans and military spouses.

Can you work while your application is pending?

Unarmed: yes, with limits. Under §1702.282, an unarmed applicant can start work for a licensed company while the application is processed, but DPS must approve the application within 120 days of the start date.

Armed: no. A commissioned officer must be approved by DPS before starting armed work. You cannot carry a firearm on duty on a pending application, and no employer may hire you to do so.

Renewing your license

• Term: licenses run for two years.
• Unarmed officers: no continuing education is required. Renew in TOPS and pay $37.
• Armed officers and PPOs: complete 6 hours of continuing education through a Level III school, and requalify on the range. The proficiency certificate must be dated within 90 days of your renewal application.
• Late renewal: you can renew up to one year after expiration by paying the late fee. After that, you must apply as a new applicant.
• Affiliation: a license that has not been affiliated with a licensed company for two years cannot be renewed.

File a complete renewal before your expiration date. If you do, your current license stays in effect while DPS processes it.

Moving to Texas from another state

Texas has no general reciprocity for security officer licenses. A guard card from another state does not let you work here. You will need Texas training and a Texas license. Certain current and retired Texas peace officers can skip parts of the training. A handgun license (LTC) is not a security commission, and it does not let you carry a gun on duty as a guard.

Common reasons Texas applications stall

• Uploading a Level II or III certificate from the old (pre-2024) curriculum.
• Missing the 90-day window for the shooting qualification.
• An MMPI form not signed by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist.
• Fingerprints taken but the application fee not paid, or the reverse.
• Not responding to a deficiency notice within 90 days.
• A disqualifying charge or conviction the applicant did not disclose.