To get licensed as a security guard in Texas, you submit a private security guard application to the Department of Public Safety through the Texas Online Private Security (TOPS) portal, after you have completed the training for your license level and have an employer ready to sponsor you. The fee runs $65.25 for unarmed registration or $85.25 for armed, and the process includes a fingerprint appointment through IdentoGO and a state and federal background check.
Who Qualifies
You must be at least 18 years old. Texas Occupations Code Section 1702.113 blocks your application if you are currently charged with a Class A or Class B misdemeanor, or any felony offense DPS considers disqualifying. A court finding of mental incompetency without a later restoration, a dishonorable discharge from any branch of the U.S. armed services, or a requirement to register as a sex offender in any state will each independently disqualify you.1Texas Public Law. Texas Occupations Code Section 1702.113 – General Qualifications
If you want to carry a firearm on duty, federal law tightens the screen further. Under 18 U.S.C. ยง 922(g), a prior felony conviction prohibits you from possessing a firearm at all, which rules out a commissioned position.2United States Sentencing Commission. Section 922(g) Firearms The Lautenberg Amendment extends the same ban to anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, no matter how old the conviction.3U.S. Marshals Service. Lautenberg Amendment Neither federal bar has a waiver process.
Pick Your Level and Finish Training First
Texas sorts security officers into three registration levels, and you cannot apply until you have finished the training that matches the level your employer needs you to hold.
Level II: Non-Commissioned (Unarmed)
This covers unarmed work: door access control, patrol, and monitoring. You complete a DPS-approved course and examination, and your training school or employer’s manager issues the certificate of completion you will cite on the application.4Department of Public Safety. Training and Continuing Education
Level III: Commissioned (Armed)
Level III authorizes you to carry a firearm on duty. Training runs a minimum of 45 hours plus a live-fire qualification, taught by a licensed Level III school and instructor. One timing trap: your firearm proficiency demonstration must be dated within 90 days of your application. An older range qualification certificate gets the application rejected, and you have to requalify before resubmitting.4Department of Public Safety. Training and Continuing Education Commissioned applicants must also complete the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and submit the results with the application.5State of Texas. Texas Occupations Code OCC 1702.163 – Qualifications for Security Officer Commission
Level IV: Personal Protection Officer
Level IV is the bodyguard designation and requires an active Level III commission before you apply. The additional training is a minimum of 15 hours through a licensed Level IV school and instructor, focused on protection strategies. Your application references both the existing Level III commission and the Level IV certificate.4Department of Public Safety. Training and Continuing Education
What to Have Ready Before You Log In
Gather everything first. The portal is functional but it is not forgiving if you have to stop and hunt down a document mid-application.
- Social Security number and driver’s license.
- Your training certificate number for Level II, III, or IV. DPS cross-references the number against instructor records.
- An employer sponsor. A licensed security company must affiliate with your individual registration through the system. You generally cannot register without one in place.
- MMPI results, for Level III and IV only.
- Firearm proficiency certificate dated within 90 days, for Level III and IV only.
- Honest disclosure of any arrests or convictions. Providing false information on a state application is a Class A misdemeanor in Texas, punishable by up to one year in jail, a fine up to $4,000, or both.6State of Texas. Texas Penal Code Section 12.21 – Class A Misdemeanor
You do not need to be fingerprinted before you submit. DPS schedules that step after you pay.
Submitting Through TOPS and Getting Fingerprinted
Create your user profile at tops.portal.texas.gov. That profile becomes your permanent hub for status checks and renewals, so use an email address you will keep.7Department of Public Safety. Getting Started with TOPS Fill in your personal information, training certificate numbers, employer affiliation, and criminal history disclosures. Sign electronically, then pay.
Within about an hour of payment, IdentoGO sends an email with a link to schedule your fingerprint appointment. Check your spam folder if it does not arrive. The email includes a UE ID number you will need to book a slot at an enrollment center. Bring valid identification to the appointment. Your prints are run through both state and federal criminal databases.8Department of Public Safety. Fingerprinting Instructions
Fees
- Non-commissioned (Level II) registration or renewal: $37
- Commissioned or personal protection officer (Level III/IV) registration or renewal: $57
- FBI fingerprint check: $28.25
Total at submission: $65.25 for a non-commissioned application, $85.25 for a commissioned one. Everything is paid through TOPS during the application.9Texas Department of Public Safety. Regulatory Services Division Private Security Fee Schedule
After You Submit
DPS reviews your fingerprint results, verifies training certificates against instructor records, and runs your criminal history. Paper applications can take four to eight weeks to process; TOPS applications are generally faster, but the background check is the bottleneck, so budget at least a few weeks either way.10Department of Public Safety. Texas Online Private Security (TOPS) FAQs
Status updates go to the email tied to your TOPS profile. Once DPS approves the registration, your status in TOPS changes to “ACTIVE” and a physical pocket card is mailed to you. You can start working as soon as the status reads active, even before the card arrives. Print a screenshot of your active status and carry it as proof in the meantime. Once the pocket card arrives, you must have it on your person whenever you are on duty.11Department of Public Safety. Private Security News
Renewals and Continuing Education
Texas private security registrations expire every two years. Renewal fees match the original ($37 non-commissioned, $57 commissioned) and the renewal runs through TOPS.9Texas Department of Public Safety. Regulatory Services Division Private Security Fee Schedule Late renewals add $15 within 90 days of expiration and $30 after that.
Non-commissioned officers have no continuing education obligation; pay and renew. Commissioned officers and personal protection officers must complete six hours of continuing education covering classroom defensive tactics and firearms training, plus a current firearms proficiency certificate, before renewing.12Department of Public Safety. Continuing Education Requirements by Individual Private Security License Type Let a registration lapse past the 90-day grace period and you may have to reapply from scratch.