To renew your Texas Level 3 security license, complete six hours of continuing education at a licensed Level III training school, qualify on the range with a handgun of at least 9mm within 90 days of filing, upload both certificates through the TOPS portal, and pay the $57 fee before your commission’s two-year expiration date.1Texas Department of Public Safety. Continuing Education Requirements by Individual Private Security License Type Miss the date and you cannot legally work armed until DPS processes a late renewal; let the license sit expired for more than a year and you lose the right to renew at all.
When to Start and the 90-Day Rule
You can file a renewal application up to 90 days before your commission expires. The same 90-day window governs your firearms proficiency certificate: it must be dated within 90 days of the day you submit, so your range qualification needs to be scheduled with the filing date in mind, not just the expiration date.2Department of Public Safety. Training and Continuing Education
A certificate from four months ago will be rejected no matter how well you shot. This is the most common paperwork problem that holds renewals up. Set a reminder roughly 90 days out and book the range for the same week you plan to file.
Continuing Education and Firearms Proficiency
The classroom requirement is six hours of continuing education delivered by a licensed Level III training school and taught by a licensed Level III instructor.2Department of Public Safety. Training and Continuing Education The content covers the renewal portions of Level III or Level IV training, including defensive tactics and firearms handling.1Texas Department of Public Safety. Continuing Education Requirements by Individual Private Security License Type
The firearms qualification is a separate requirement from those hours. You shoot on a state-approved range with a handgun of at least 9mm caliber, and the resulting certificate must sit inside the 90-day window described above.2Department of Public Safety. Training and Continuing Education
Both certificates need to show the instructor’s license number, your full legal name, the date of completion, and the type of weapon used. The name on each document must match what DPS has on file exactly. Even a middle-name discrepancy can cause the system to reject the credits, so check before you leave the training school. Keep clean digital copies ready to upload.
Filing Through the TOPS Portal
All renewals go through the Texas Online Private Security (TOPS) portal.3Department of Public Safety. Getting Started with TOPS Log into your individual account, select the renewal option for your commission, and work through the prompts.
If you have changed employers since your last renewal, update your employer affiliation in TOPS before you start the renewal application itself. This is a separate step that catches people off guard, because your commission is tied to a specific licensed security company.4Department of Public Safety. Individual License Questions
The portal will ask you to upload the continuing education certificate and the firearms proficiency certificate. Attach each one to the correct field. Uploading the wrong document to the wrong slot sends your application back for corrections and can add weeks.
You finish by paying with a credit or debit card. Either you or your employer can pay the fees, which allows companies to cover renewals for their officers directly through TOPS.4Department of Public Safety. Individual License Questions The application is not considered submitted until payment clears and the system issues a confirmation number. Save that number; it is your proof of submission date.
What It Costs
An on-time renewal totals $57, made up of a $50 license fee, a $5 pocket card fee, and a $2 subscription fee.5Texas Department of Public Safety. Private Security Fee Schedule
Active-duty service members, veterans, and military spouses can have the application and renewal fee waived. The waiver does not cover the $5 pocket card fee, the $2 subscription fee, or the FBI background check fee. You submit the supporting documentation (military ID and orders, a DD-214 Member Copy 4, or a dependent ID with your spouse’s orders) through TOPS during the application.
Late Renewal and the One-Year Cutoff
If you miss the expiration date, late penalties stack on top of the standard fee, and you cannot work armed security while the license is expired:
- Up to 90 days expired: a $25 late penalty, bringing the total to roughly $82.5Texas Department of Public Safety. Private Security Fee Schedule
- 91 days to one year expired: the penalty rises to $50, bringing the total to roughly $107.5Texas Department of Public Safety. Private Security Fee Schedule
- More than one year expired: renewal is no longer available. You must submit an original application from scratch, including the examination and a fresh background check.4Department of Public Safety. Individual License Questions
The one-year cutoff is the hardest deadline in this process. Officers who sit past it lose everything they put into the commission and start the whole pipeline over as a new applicant.
Criminal History That Can Block Renewal
DPS runs a criminal history check on every renewal. The disqualification periods under the Texas Administrative Code run from the date of conviction:
- Class B misdemeanor: two years.6Legal Information Institute. 37 Texas Admin Code 35.4 – Guidelines for Disqualifying Criminal Offenses
- Class A misdemeanor: five years.6Legal Information Institute. 37 Texas Admin Code 35.4 – Guidelines for Disqualifying Criminal Offenses
- Felony: ten years.6Legal Information Institute. 37 Texas Admin Code 35.4 – Guidelines for Disqualifying Criminal Offenses
- Certain serious offenses, including sexually violent crimes and burglary of a habitation: permanent disqualification.6Legal Information Institute. 37 Texas Admin Code 35.4 – Guidelines for Disqualifying Criminal Offenses
The statute also disqualifies anyone who is a fugitive from justice for a felony or a Class A or B misdemeanor, and two or more convictions within ten years for offenses involving alcohol or a controlled substance as a statutory element, which the state treats as evidence of chemical dependency.7State of Texas. Texas Occupations Code 1702.163 – Qualifications
If a charge has come up since your last renewal, resolve it before you file. Submitting a renewal with a disqualifying conviction on your record wastes the fee and delays everything else.
After You Submit
DPS reviews the application and verifies that your training documents and criminal history meet the requirements. Processing typically runs two to four weeks, though volume can stretch that. Your TOPS profile shows the application as pending during the review.
Once approved, the system updates your license status and DPS mails a new pocket card to the address on file. You can verify active status through the TOPS public search tool or your personal login before the physical card arrives, which is useful when an employer wants proof.
If you filed late and your commission had already expired, you are not authorized to work armed security while the renewal is pending. DPS must approve it and update your status in TOPS before you can go back on a commissioned post. Most employers will pull you off active duty until the approval shows, so plan for a gap in income if you cut the timing close.