Arkansas Security Guard License: Training, Exam, and Renewal

To get an Arkansas security guard license, you need a credential issued by the Arkansas State Police Private Security Section. Unarmed guards apply for a Private Security Officer (PSO) credential; armed guards apply for a Commissioned Security Officer (CSO) commission. Either path requires meeting personal eligibility rules, finishing a state-approved training course, passing a written exam with at least 70%, and clearing state and federal background checks.¹

Who Qualifies for a Credential

For an unarmed PSO credential, you must be at least 18 years old when you apply.² Non-citizens must show current, valid proof of authorization to work in the United States.³

You are disqualified if you were discharged from the military under dishonorable conditions, suffer from habitual drunkenness or narcotics dependence, have been adjudicated mentally incompetent or involuntarily committed, or are a registered sex offender.²

Criminal History That Blocks a License

The Arkansas State Police and the FBI run background checks that pull sealed and expunged records, so old convictions still count. You cannot hold a credential without a pardon if your history includes any felony, any Class A misdemeanor involving theft, sexual offenses, violence, dishonesty, or crimes against a person, or any attempted felony or solicitation or conspiracy to commit a felony classified as a Class A misdemeanor.²

Extra Rules for Armed Guards

A Commissioned Security Officer must be at least 21 and must meet every unarmed qualification plus two more disqualifiers: any crime involving the use of a firearm, and any crime involving alcohol while possessing a firearm. These apply even if the conviction has been sealed or expunged.⁴ You must also be legally eligible to possess a firearm under state and federal law. Federal law bars firearm possession for anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, which can block an armed commission even where it would not block an unarmed credential.

Required Training Hours

Every applicant starts with Phase I, a minimum of eight hours taught by a state-approved instructor. The course covers two subject areas: legal authority (crime classifications, when you can detain someone, use of force rules for deadly and non-deadly force, and the civil and criminal penalties attached to each) and report writing. You also receive site-specific legal training tailored to where you will be working, such as a hotel, college campus, or bar.⁵

If you want to carry a firearm, you add Phase II: a minimum of 16 additional hours covering weapons safety, legal limits on when a firearm may be used, and marksmanship. Phase II ends with a qualification shoot on a state-approved ALETA (Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy) firing range course, and you must qualify with the specific type of firearm you intend to carry on duty.

The Written Exam

After you finish the required training hours, your instructor administers a written exam. Passing is 70% or higher.⁶ If you fail, your training provider will walk you through the retake process.

Application, Fees, and the 14-Day Deadline

Once you have your training certificate, you submit a notarized application package to the Arkansas State Police Private Security Section.⁷ You need two current passport-style photographs and two classifiable fingerprint cards for the state and federal background checks.⁸

The initial PSO application totals $75.00:⁷

PSO registration fee: $40.00
State background check fee: $22.00
Federal background check fees: $13.00 (split across three line items)

Armed CSO commissions use a separate application with a different fee schedule; check the Private Security Section website for the current CSO form and totals before you apply.

Your completed application must reach the Arkansas State Police within 14 calendar days of your hire date.⁸ Don’t wait until day 14 to pull your paperwork together. If fingerprint cards come back as unclassifiable, you may need to submit replacement sets before a name-based FBI search becomes an option.⁹

Working While Your Application Is Pending

You can start work before your credential arrives, but only under direct supervision. A current licensee or credential holder has to watch and direct your activities while staying within line-of-sight proximity for your entire shift.⁸ Periodic check-ins do not meet the standard; the supervisor must be physically present and able to see you.

Keeping Your Credential: Renewal

Both PSO credentials and CSO commissions renew every two years, and the renewal training has to be completed within the 12 months before your credential expires.¹⁰ If your credential lapses, you cannot legally work until the renewal is processed.

PSO renewal requires a minimum of six hours covering the Phase I subjects.¹¹ CSO renewal requires a minimum of 12 hours that includes a review of Phase I and Phase II, a re-qualification shoot on an ALETA firing range course, and a safety course.¹² On top of the biennial renewal, CSOs also complete 12 hours of refresher training each year that includes firing range qualification and a safety course.¹³

Changing Employers

Your credential is tied to your employer. When you move to a new company, you submit a transfer application with a new background check and the transfer fee of $20.00.¹⁴ You do not repeat your initial training.

If Your Application Is Denied or Your Credential Is Suspended

The Director of the Arkansas State Police can deny an application, suspend a credential, or revoke it. Grounds include violating the licensing statute or its rules, no longer meeting the qualifications, or being arrested for an offense that would disqualify you on conviction. Fines of up to $1,000 per violation are also possible.¹⁵

In urgent cases involving public safety, the director can summarily suspend a credential for up to 60 days. A felony conviction or guilty plea, a Class A misdemeanor, a crime of violence, or a crime involving moral turpitude is enough on its own to support suspension.¹⁵ If any of these actions hit you, you have the right to appeal under Arkansas Code § 17-40-355.

Your Employer Needs Its Own License

An individual credential is only half the picture. The company employing you must hold a valid license from the Arkansas State Police under one of several classes (Class B, C, D, or G, depending on the services offered), and each company must designate a licensed manager and company officer. Before you accept a job, confirm the employer is properly licensed; working for an unlicensed company can put your credential at risk.¹

1
Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Private Investigators / Security Companies / Alarm Installation and Monitoring
2
Justia. Arkansas Code 17-40-306 – License or Credential – Applicant Qualifications
3
Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Arkansas Private Security Officer Application
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Justia. Arkansas Code 17-40-337 – Commission
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Code of Arkansas Rules. 17 CAR 350-1004 – Phase I
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Code of Arkansas Rules. 17 CAR 350-1017 – PSO, CSO, and CSSO Examination
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Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Arkansas Private Security Officer Application
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Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Arkansas Private Security Officer Application
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Legal Information Institute. Arkansas Code R 001 – Rules for Licensing and Regulation of Private Investigators, Private Security Agencies, Alarm Systems Companies, Polygraph Examiners, and Voice Stress Analysis Examiners
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Code of Arkansas Rules. 17 CAR 350-1010 – Renewal Training Requirements
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Code of Arkansas Rules. 17 CAR 350-1011 – Renewal Training Requirements for PSOs
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Code of Arkansas Rules. 17 CAR 350-1012 – Renewal Training Requirements for CSOs
13
Arkansas Department of Public Safety. Code of Arkansas Rules – Part 350
14
Code of Arkansas Rules. 17 CAR 350-206 – Transfer License, Credential, or Commission
15
Justia. Arkansas Code 17-40-350 – Grounds for Disciplinary Action