AZ DPS Licensing: Eligibility, Training, and Renewals

The Arizona Department of Public Safety handles four kinds of credentials through its Licensing Unit: concealed weapons permits, security guard registrations, private investigator licenses, and fingerprint clearance cards. Arizona DPS licensing uses a separate application, fee, and renewal cycle for each one, and the eligibility rules are not interchangeable. The guide below walks through what each credential covers, who qualifies, what you’ll pay, how to apply, and when to renew.

What Each Credential Covers

Four different sections of Arizona law govern the Licensing Unit’s work, and the credential you need depends on what you’re trying to do.

Concealed weapons permit (CCW). Issued under ARS 13-3112, this permit lets you carry a concealed firearm. Arizona does not require it for concealed carry inside the state, but it carries real benefits across state lines and in certain venues.¹
Security guard registration. Title 32, Chapter 26 governs both unarmed and armed security guard registration certificates. Guards register through DPS rather than receive a traditional license, though the vetting is similar.²
Private investigator license. Title 32, Chapter 24 sets up two tiers: an agency license for firms and an employee registration certificate for individuals working under a licensed agency.³
Fingerprint clearance card. ARS 41-1758.03 requires these cards for workers in healthcare, education, child welfare, and similar sensitive fields. DPS checks fingerprint results against a list of precluding offenses before issuing the card.⁴

Does Arizona’s Permitless Carry Law Mean You Can Skip the CCW Permit?

Arizona has been a constitutional carry state since 2010. If you are 21 or older and can legally possess a firearm under state and federal law, you can carry a concealed handgun in Arizona without any permit at all. That’s the single most common source of confusion for people researching DPS licensing.

The permit still buys you two things worth having. First, Arizona’s CCW is recognized in roughly 37 other states through reciprocity, so carrying across state lines legally almost always requires the permit.⁵ Second, Arizona law requires a valid permit from any state to carry a concealed weapon into an establishment that serves alcohol for on-premises consumption. If you travel or go to restaurants that serve drinks, the permit is effectively necessary.

Who Qualifies

Eligibility rules differ by credential, and because every DPS licensing fee is nonrefundable, a disqualification you didn’t catch costs real money.⁶

Age and Residency

Unarmed and armed security guard applicants and private investigator employees must be at least 18.² CCW permit applicants must be at least 21, though applicants who are 19 or older can qualify with proof of current military service or an honorable discharge.¹

Security guard and PI applicants must be a U.S. citizen or a legal resident authorized to work in the country. CCW applicants must be an Arizona resident or a U.S. citizen and must not be unlawfully present.¹

Criminal History

All four credentials bar applicants with felony convictions, but the specifics vary. Security guard registration under ARS 32-2622 is barred for anyone convicted of or currently under indictment for a felony.² For private investigator employees, ARS 32-2441 adds a five-year lookback for misdemeanor convictions involving personal violence, weapons misconduct, dishonesty, fraud, arson, theft, domestic violence, or sexual misconduct.⁶

CCW applicants are disqualified by any felony conviction unless the conviction has been expunged, set aside, or rights restored. You also cannot currently be a prohibited possessor under state or federal law and cannot have been adjudicated mentally incompetent or committed to a mental institution.¹

Fingerprint clearance cards use two tiers of precluding offenses. One tier is an absolute bar, covering offenses like sexual assault, murder, and child abuse. The second tier also blocks issuance but allows a petition to the Board of Fingerprinting for a good cause exception under ARS 41-619.55. The second tier includes offenses like manslaughter, assault, theft, forgery, and drug crimes.⁴

Training You’ll Need Before Applying

Unarmed security guards must complete an 8-hour pre-assignment training course before submitting an application. The syllabus is set by DPS, and the instructor must be DPS-certified.⁷ Armed guards must additionally complete firearms safety and proficiency training through a DPS-certified facility. Certificates from uncertified instructors will be rejected.

CCW applicants must have demonstrated competence with a firearm at least once. Arizona accepts a wide range of proof, including a current or expired Arizona CCW permit, a certificate from a firearms safety course, a hunter education course, an NRA firearms course, military service records showing basic training completion, or a concealed carry license from another state. Arizona asks only that you have “ever” demonstrated competence; a fresh course is not required for each application.¹

What It Costs

Current DPS fees, all nonrefundable:

New concealed weapons permit: $60⁵
CCW permit renewal: $43⁵
Private investigator agency license, new or renewal: $250⁶
Fingerprint processing fee, required with most applications: $22⁶

Security guard registration fees include the application fee plus fingerprint processing. DPS accepts cash, cashier’s check, certified check, credit card, or money order payable to the Arizona Department of Public Safety.⁶

How to Apply

Each credential has its own application form. The DPS Licensing Forms page lists every available form by category.⁸ The concealed weapons permit uses a separate application packet through the CCW page.⁵

Across every category, your packet will generally need:

A fully completed application form. Incomplete applications are rejected, and your fee doesn’t come back.
A completed FD-258 fingerprint card, the standard federal format. Use a trained fingerprint technician so the prints are legible enough for automated scanning.⁹
Training certificates. Security guards need proof from a DPS-certified instructor or facility; CCW applicants need documentation of firearm competence.
Government-issued identification such as a driver’s license.
The applicable fee.

The CCW application is prescribed by DPS and requires you to attest under penalty of perjury that your statements are true. It does not ask you to disclose the type of firearm you plan to carry.¹

Mail completed packets to:

Arizona Department of Public Safety
Licensing Unit
PO Box 6328, Mail Drop 3140
Phoenix, AZ 85005⁶

You can also apply in person at the Public Services Center, 2222 W Encanto Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85009 (Window 2), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.⁶

After submission, DPS runs your fingerprints against state and federal criminal history databases. Processing times vary with application volume and can run from a few weeks to several months. The DPS website hosts an online portal where you can check status and see any requests for additional information. Your physical credential arrives by mail at the address on your application.

When to Renew

Every DPS credential expires, and a lapse can mean starting over.

Concealed Weapons Permits

A CCW permit is valid for five years from the date of issuance. DPS sends a renewal reminder and application form at least 60 days before expiration. Renewal requires a fresh criminal history check but no new fingerprints. The fee is $43. Active-duty military members deployed overseas get an automatic extension until 90 days after their deployment ends.¹

Security Guard and Private Investigator Credentials

Security guard registrations and PI licenses issued on or after September 26, 2025 are valid for four years. DPS recommends submitting renewal applications within 180 days before expiration; packets sent more than 180 days early will be returned. PI employee registration certificates expire on the same date as the employing agency’s license, so employees and agencies should coordinate renewal timing.⁶

Where Your Arizona CCW Permit Is Honored

Arizona has formal written reciprocity agreements with six states: Idaho, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, and West Virginia. Approximately 31 additional states recognize Arizona’s permit without a formal agreement.⁵ States like California, New York, Illinois, and Hawaii generally do not recognize out-of-state permits regardless of issuer.

Some states honor only resident permits, so if you hold an Arizona non-resident permit, check the destination state’s rules before you travel. Reciprocity changes periodically, and the current list lives on the DPS website.

Security guard registrations and PI licenses do not transfer across state lines. There is no national reciprocity for either credential. If you relocate or take a job in another state, you’ll apply under that state’s own licensing system.

If Your Application Is Denied

You have options after a denial, but the deadlines start running right away.

For most license denials, you can request an administrative hearing through the Arizona Office of Administrative Hearings. An Administrative Law Judge reviews the evidence and recommends a decision to DPS, which then issues a final decision. To challenge that final decision, you can file a motion for rehearing within 30 days of being served (35 days if served by mail), or file a complaint for judicial review in Arizona Superior Court within 35 days of the final administrative decision (40 days if served by mail).¹⁰

Fingerprint clearance card denials follow a different track. If your denial falls under the second tier of precluding offenses, you can petition the Board of Fingerprinting for a good cause exception under ARS 41-619.55. If the Board grants it, DPS must issue the card. Denials based on absolute-bar offenses such as sexual assault or murder cannot be appealed through this process.⁴

Contacting the Licensing Unit

The DPS Licensing Unit answers at (602) 223-2361 and licensing@azdps.gov. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding state and federal holidays. Forms, fee schedules, and status-check tools live at azdps.gov.⁶

1
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 13-3112 – Concealed Weapons Qualification Application Permit to Carry
2
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 32-2622 – Qualifications of Applicant for Associate, Security Guard or Armed Security Guard Registration Certificate
3
Arizona Revised Statutes. Arizona Code 32-2401 – Definitions
4
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 41-1758.03 – Fingerprint Clearance Cards Issuance Immunity
5
Arizona Department of Public Safety. Concealed Weapons and Permits
6
Arizona Department of Public Safety. Security Guard and Private Investigator Licensing
7
Arizona Department of Public Safety. Unarmed Security Guard 8-Hour Training Syllabus
8
Arizona Department of Public Safety. Licensing Forms
9
Federal Bureau of Investigation. Applicant Fingerprint Form FD-258
10
Arizona Office of Administrative Hearings. Rehearing and Appeal of Final Administrative Actions