PA Armed Security License: Training, Costs, and Renewal

To work as an armed security guard in Pennsylvania you need Act 235 certification from the Pennsylvania State Police, and meeting the requirements and paying the costs for that license typically runs most applicants between $500 and $900 before their first shift. The certification requires that you be at least 18, pass a criminal background check, clear a physical and psychological examination, and complete a 40-hour training course at a state-certified academy. The card is good for five years.

Who Has to Have Act 235

The Lethal Weapons Training Act covers anyone privately employed who carries a lethal weapon on the job in Pennsylvania.¹ That is broader than most people think. It reaches armed security guards, protective patrol officers, private detectives, criminal investigators, and armored car personnel. Sworn law enforcement officers and public employees acting under government authority are not covered by it.²

One boundary worth stating up front: Act 235 is not a concealed carry permit. The State Police are explicit that the card does not grant any right to possess a firearm contrary to the Uniform Firearms Act, 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 6101–6120.² They recommend that certified agents also obtain a separate license to carry firearms for traveling to and from work, off-duty carry, and any on-duty situation involving concealed carry or loaded carry inside a vehicle. Plan on getting both.

Who Qualifies

You must be at least 18 to apply.³ The State Police run your fingerprints through state and federal databases via IdentoGO and look at your criminal history, physical fitness, and psychological suitability.

You are automatically disqualified if any of the following apply:

Conviction of a disqualifying offense under 18 Pa.C.S. § 6105, a long list that includes murder, robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, kidnapping, rape, arson, and stalking, along with equivalent out-of-state offenses.⁴
Any conviction graded as a first-degree misdemeanor or higher.
An active protection from abuse order against you.
A previous involuntary mental health commitment.³

Federal firearms law layers on top. Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), you cannot possess a firearm at all if you have been convicted of any crime punishable by more than one year in prison, are subject to a domestic violence restraining order, have a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction, are an unlawful user of controlled substances, or have been involuntarily committed. A domestic violence conviction is a lifetime federal firearms ban regardless of how Pennsylvania grades the offense.⁵

Vision, Hearing, and the Physical

A medical doctor has to certify that you are physically fit to work around firearms, high stress, and the possible use of force.⁶ The vision thresholds disqualify more applicants than people expect. Uncorrected vision must be at least 20/70 in one eye and 20/200 in the other. Corrected, you need 20/20 in one eye and 20/40 in the other. Color and depth perception must be normal, with no other significant visual issues. Hearing is tested too, and hearing aids are allowed.³

Psychological Evaluation

A licensed psychologist evaluates you, typically with standardized psychometric testing, and gives a professional opinion on whether you are mentally fit to carry a weapon under pressure. A negative finding blocks the application the same as a criminal record would.

How the Application Actually Goes

Applications run through the state’s online Training and Privatization Application portal. The order of steps matters, so do them in sequence:

Submit the online application and pay the $50 fee by credit or debit card.⁷
Schedule digital fingerprinting through IdentoGO using the instructions you receive. The fingerprint fee is $22.60, paid separately.³
Download the physical, vision, and psychological examination forms from the confirmation email, have the appropriate providers complete them, and submit them back to the state.⁷
Wait for approval. Once the Lethal Weapons Certification Unit has your application, prints, and medical results, you will get an approval or denial by email.
Enroll in the 40-hour training course at a certified academy.
After you pass and the school submits your results, your certification card is issued.

Do not pay tuition before your approval comes through. If the background check turns up a disqualifier, that money is gone.

The 40-Hour Course

The initial training runs 40 hours, split roughly 26 hours of classroom instruction and 14 hours on firearms. Classroom work covers the legal authority of private agents, constitutional limits on the use of force, relevant Pennsylvania Crimes Code provisions, incident investigation and reporting, and courtroom testimony. The firearms block covers handgun familiarization, combat shooting fundamentals, qualification shooting, and shotgun introduction. The school must be certified by the Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police; uncertified programs do not count toward the requirement.⁸

Tuition is set by each academy and generally runs about $300 to $600. Shop around. Some programs include ammunition, others charge for it separately.

What It Costs

Plan on the following for initial certification:

Application fee: $50.00.⁷
IdentoGO fingerprinting: $22.60.³
Physical examination: varies by provider; expect typical office visit and lab charges.
Psychological evaluation: varies by provider; usually the most expensive medical piece.
Training tuition: roughly $300 to $600.

Most applicants spend between $500 and $900 all in. Ask your employer whether any of it is reimbursed before you pay out of pocket.

Renewal and the Lapse Trap

The card is valid for five years. You can apply to renew once you are within six months of the expiration date. Renewal involves a new application, updated medical and psychological evaluations, and an 8-hour refresher course at a certified academy.⁹

If the card expires, you cannot renew late. By regulation, expired certifications cannot be renewed, and you have to start the whole initial process over, including the full 40-hour course and full fees. Set a reminder before your six-month window opens.⁹

Working Without the Card

Carrying a lethal weapon on the job without valid Act 235 certification is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.¹ That conviction would also permanently disqualify you from getting certified later, because a first-degree misdemeanor is itself a disqualifier. Employers who let uncertified agents carry weapons face their own exposure. Separately, failing to carry your certification card while on duty is a summary offense with a fine of up to $50.

1
Pennsylvania General Assembly. Lethal Weapons Training Act
2
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Lethal Weapons Training Program
3
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Apply for Act 235 Lethal Weapons Training Certification
4
Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 18 Section 6105 – Persons Not to Possess, Use, Manufacture, Control, Sell or Transfer Firearms
5
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Identify Prohibited Persons
6
Pennsylvania State Police. Lethal Weapons Training Act Physical Examination
7
Pennsylvania State Police. Initial Application for Act 235 Certification
8
Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin. 37 Pa. Code Chapter 21 – Administration of the Lethal Weapons Training Program
9
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Renew Act 235 Lethal Weapons Training Certification