The Private Security Authority
 

Licensing Information

Licencsing Division can by contacted by email at licensing@psa.gov.ie 

 

To see details of the New Employee Licence Card click here

TYPES OF LICENCE

Two types of licence are issued by the Authority:

  • Contractor Licences are required by companies, partnerships and sole traders providing security services in the Republic of Ireland.
  • Individual Licences (Employee Licences) are required by all those working in the security sector within the state whether employed by a licensed contractor or directly by a business as in house security personnel.

Licences are issued for a period of two years.

 

Contractor Licences

The Authority currently licences contractors in the following sectors:

·         Door Supervisor (Licensed Premises)

·         Security Guard (Static)

·         Installer (Intruder Alarm)

·         Security Guard (Monitoring Centre)

·         Cash In Transit

Individual Licences

 

Licences are required by  individuals working in the Door Supervisor (Licensed Premises) and Security Guard (Static) sectors.

Licensing of other sectors is currently being developed and will be announced in due course.

APPLYING FOR A CONTRACTOR LICENCE

Applications for a contractor licence require the following:

·         Completed Application Form

·         Prescribed Licence Fee (see COST OF A CONTRACTOR LICENCE below)

·         Current Tax Clearance Certificate

·         Certificate of Incorporation (for companies)

·         Certificate of Business Name (where the trade/business name is different to the name of the beneficial owner of the business)

·         Garda Vetting Form for each of the principals (directors of companies, partners in partnerships, sole trader, shareholder with a holdi ng of 20% or gre ater)

·         Foreign Criminal Record Certificate for any director, partner or sole trader who has spent 6 months or more in a foreign jurisdiction

·         Evidence of attainment of the required standard (see STANDARDS REQUIRED FOR CONRACTORS LICENCE below)

Contractor Application Packs can be downloaded from the Forms Tab on the left side of this page.

Completed Applications together with the prescribed fee should be sent to: The Private Security Authority, Davis Street, Tipperary Town, Co. Tipperary.

The Authority does not accept incomplete applications and these will be returned to applicants.

COST OF A CONTRACTOR LICENCE

The licence fee consists of two components – an administration fee and a sectoral fee which is based on the turnover of the contractor for each sector . Thus a contractor operating in more than one sector will pay one administration fee and the appropriate sectoral fee for each area of activity.

The two year licence fee is chargeable on the annual turnover per sector, on the following basis:

Administration Fee €1,000

Turnover < €625,000              €1,250     Total   €2,250

Turnover < €1,250,000            €2,500     Total   €3,500

Turnover < €3,750,000           €5,000     Total   €6,000

Turnover < €10,000,000         €9,000     Total  €10,000

Turnover > €10,000,000       €19,000     Total  €20,000

STANDARDS REQUIRED FOR CONTRACTORS LICENCE

The table below sets out the standards which must be complied with for licensing purposes by the sectors currently subject to PSA licensing:

SECTOR

Relevant Quality Management Standard

Relevant Product or Technical Standard

Door Security, Security Guarding (Static)

I.S. 999:2004

N/A

Installers of Intruder Alarms

SR40

IS EN 50131-1 and IS EN 50131-7

Alarm Receiving Centres

SR41

IS 228

Cash-in-Transit

IS 998

PSA CIT1:2007

EXEMPTIONS FOR NEW ENTRANTS TO INSTALLER (INTRUDER ALARM) SECTOR

A new entrant to the Installer (Intruder Alarm) Sector cannot achieve the Standard(EN50131) and SR 40 unless he/she completes the installation of a number of alarms.

As the installation of alarms without a licence is an offence the contractor must apply for an exemption from the Private Security Authority to install alarms under Section 3(2) of the Private Security Services Act 2004.

The exemption must be applied for in conjunction with an application for a licence and in advance of any alarms being installed. All new applicants must request an exemption to install alarms.

Before an exemption letter can issue from the Authority the applicant must:

  • Lodge a completed application form
  • Pay the prescribed fee
  • Provide a valid Tax Clearance Certificate
  • Provide completed Garda Vetting Form(s)/Criminal Record Certificate(s)(if applicable)
  • Provide a Certificate of Incorporation
  • Provide a Certificate of Business Name
  • and provide the name of the certification body and evidence of having applied to the certification body for certification.

Please ensure that all necessary documentation is included with your application, as its non-inclusion may result in your application being rejected.

RENEWING A CONTRACTOR LICENCE

Contractor Licences are issued for a period of two years. To renew a licence the following items are required:

 

         -    Completed Application Form 

         -     Prescribed Licence Fee (See COST OF A CONTRACTOR LICENCE above)

         -     Garda Vetting Forms to be completed in full.(The is a Garda requirement)

         -     Current Tax Clearance Certificate

         -     Evidence of attainment of the required standard

         -     Recent auditors certificate of turnover for each sector or letter from

                accountant.

 

Foreign Criminal Record Certificates are not required, if previously supplied and provided no person who is required to be vetted has resided outside Ireland for 6 months or more during the term of the licence.

 

The Certificate of Incorporation and the Certificate of Business Name are not required if there has been no change in details since original application.

 

You can download the Contractors Application Pack which is used for both first time applicants and renewal applications.

OUR GUIDELINES ON CRIMINALITY

The Authority has developed guidelines on criminality. The guidelines apply to both contractor and individual applications.

The Authority will exercise its discretion when deciding whether to issue a licence to a person who has a criminal record.  Each application will be decided according to the Authority’s guidelines and a person with conviction(s) will not always be prohibited from holding a licence. 

In deciding whether to grant a licence the Authority will take the following into account:

  • nature and seriousness of the offence(s) involved
  • the length of time since completion of sentence
  • overall interests of the public good  
  • relationship of the crime to the purpose of requiring a licence 
  • age of person when offence was committed 
  • conduct of person before and after offence 
  • evidence of rehabilitation

A copy of the guidelines are available here

OBLIGATION TO ADVISE AUTHORITY OF CHANGE OF CIRCUMSTANCES

Licence Holders are obliged to inform the Authority if there has been any change in their circumstances. They can do so by emailing the Authority's Licensing Division at licensing@psa.gov.ie

A change of circumstances would include any one of the following:

For Contractors:

            - change of business address

            - change of directors/partners

            - conviction against any principal/director/partner

            - conviction against the business

            - change of legal status of business

            - appointment of liquidator/receiver

            - cessation of business

 

For Employees

            - change of address

            - criminal conviction

            - case pending against you in any court

            - arrest for any offence which carries a maximum sentence of 5 years or more.

APPLYING FOR AN INDIVIDUAL (EMPLOYEE) LICENCE

Applications for an individual licence require the following:

·         Completed Application Form

·         Prescribed Licence Fee (see COST OF AN EMPLOYEE LICENCE below)

·         Copy of Birth Certificate, Passport or Driving Licence

·         Completed Garda Vetting Form

·         Foreign Criminal Record Certificate if you have spent 6 months or more in a foreign jurisdiction

·         Evidence of attainment of the required training qualification (see TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR AN EMPLOYEE LICENCE below)

Employee Application Packs can be downloaded from the Forms Tab on the left side of this page.

Completed Applications tog ether with the prescribed fee should be sent to: The Private Security Authority, Davis Street, Tipperary Town, Co. Tipperary.

The Authority does not accept incomplete applications and these will be returned to applicants.

COST OF AN EMPLOYEE LICENCE

 Employee Licence Fees are as follows:

Door Supervisor (licensed premises) licence        €130                     

Security Guard (static) licence                             €80                     

Both Sectors (Applied for at the same time)         €190

 

TRAINING REQUIRED FOR AN EMPLOYEE LICENCE

The table below sets out the training requirements which are required for licensing purposes. Further information on training can be found in the Training & Standards Tab on the left of this page.

Category Of Licence

Minimum Training Requirement

Door Supervisor (licensed premises) Licence

Door Security Procedures FETAC Level 4 Minor Award (L12275 or C 10267) or equivalent.

 

Security Guard (static) Licence

Basic Guarding Skills FETAC Level 4 Minor Award (L12407 or C10266) or Security Industry Awareness FETAC Level 4 Minor award (C10164) or equivalent.

 

 

The Authority will accept the following as evidence of  having attained the relevant training qualification;

- A copy of your FETAC certificate or equivalent qualification

 

- A Notification of Completion of FETAC Award Form (Form TRF) from a FETAC accredited training provider. (A list of accredited providers is available on our Training & Standards Tab).

RENEWING AN EMPLOYEE LICENCE

Individual (Employee) Licences are issued for a period of two years. To renew a licence the following items are required:

           

             -  Completed Application Form

             -  Prescribed Licence Fee

             -  Completed Garda Vetting Form (Form GVR)

 

and if a licence holder has resided outside of the country since the 1st January 2007 and has not already provided us with a Criminal Record Certificate for this period,

 

             -  Foreign Criminal Record Certificate

 

The vetting form is different from the one completed by new applicants. Licence holders will be required to complete vetting form GVR and to provide all their addresses from the 1st January 2007.

 

Licence holders who wish to add a sector to their licence must includ e evidence (in the required format) of having completed the training with the renewal application.

 

The Licence Fee for renewals is the same as first time applicants at €130 for DSP, €80 for SGS and €190 for both sectors.

 

You can download the Employee Renewal Pack which provides all forms required to renew a licence.

IDENTITY BADGES

Since the 1st September 2009, all licensed individuals must wear an identity badge at all times while providing a security service. This is a legal reguirement and is set down in section 30 of the Private Security Services Act 2004. Failure to wear a badge may result in you being prosecuted and facing a fine of up to €3,000. 

The identity badge must be clearly visible at all times and displayed on the upper torso (above the stomach and below the neck). The following is not acceptable:

 

  • Hanging the badge from a belt around the waist.
  • Clipping the badge behind a neck tie.
  • Placing the badge in a shirt pocket or jacket pocket.
  • Placing the badge under a jumper or jacket.

Failure to wear the badge in the correct manner may result in your licence being revoked.

Guidelines on identity badges are available here

The Private Security Authority