UNARMED GUARDS:

In Georgia, unarmed guards need not be registered with the Board HOWEVER the employer is required to keep registration records.

Any guard, watchman, or patrolman who will be unarmed and who will be employed in the private security business shall not be required to be licensed by the board but shall be governed by Code Section 43-38-7.1.

The regulations indicate:
Registration records of unarmed security employees; fingerprint identification of prospective registrants (a) Any individual, firm, association, company, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation engaged in the private security business and licensed pursuant to Code Section 43-38-6 shall be required to maintain registration records of all guards, watchmen, or patrolmen who are unarmed pursuant to rules and regulations of the board. A licensee shall not be required to register such unarmed employees with the board. Unarmed employees shall be required to complete a certain number of hours of training as prescribed by the board, and a record of such training shall be maintained with the registration records of such employees
See: OCGA § 43-38-7.1.

Fees
$50 ID Card

Georgia is moving towards more online services for both licenses and the registration of employees.
see: Online Portal

ARMED GUARDS:

Unlike for unarmed guards, Armed security officers MUST register with the board.

In the case of armed officers, the employee applicant and the employer both file documentation concerning the type and status of weapons sought- from traditional permits to concealed. The application packet has all required forms.

Fees:
$70   Initial Registration – Security Guard – Armed Employee
$25   Additional Weapon permit / Change of Weapon Type Application Fee
$65   Renewal Fee
$80 Late Renewal Fee
$25 Lost or Destroyed License Replacement Fee
$50   ID Card

New (effective 3/15/22): Processing fees:  $5 online and $10 by mail

See list of fees (page 3) here.

Employee registration cards and/or weapon permits issued by the Board shall expire on August 31 of each odd-numbered year.
See: GA R&R Department 509 Chapter 509-2 Rule 509-2-.01.

Georgia is moving towards more online services for both licenses and the registration of employees.
See: Online Portal

For complete instructions provided by the board, see Employee Registration Information.

Active Law Enforcement Officers:  In accordance with the provisions of O.C.G.A. 43-38-14 (b), a person with a valid peace officer certification issued in accordance with the “GA Peace Officer Standards and Training Act” who is employed by or works as an independent contractor for a licensed private security company must be registered by the company with the Board as an armed security guard. The person is exempt from the required security officer training mandated by the Board, and the person is not required to obtain a weapon permit issued by the Board, although a registration must be obtained from the Board. The person is allowed to work as an armed security guard for the licensed company with the weapon issued by the law enforcement agency for which the person is employed, if the agency has no objection.

Armed security officers must register with the Georgia Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies.

The legislation does not designate age requirements for unarmed security guards

ARMED GUARDS: To be employed as an armed security guard with a licensed company, you must be at least 21 years of age (see FAQ’s) and must meet the minimum requirements established by the Board, as detailed in O.C.G.A. 43-38-7 and O.C.G.A. 43-38-10.  The company is responsible for your training by a Board-approved instructor; however, you may attend Board-approved training classes on your own prior to being hired by a licensed company. The company must apply for Employee Registration on your behalf within 30 days of your hiring.

UNARMED: The legislation does not designate this requirement

ARMED: OCGA § 43-38-7(c)(1)(B)
The applicant must be a citizen of the United States or a registered resident alien

The legislation does not designate this requirement

UNARMED: Not Required

ARMED: OCGA § 43-38-10(a): The board may grant a permit to carry a pistol, revolver, or other firearm to any person who is a license holder as defined in Code Section 16-11-125.1, who is licensed or registered in accordance with this chapter, and who meets the qualifications and training requirements set forth in this Code section and such other qualifications and training requirements as the board by rule may establish. The board shall have the authority to establish limits on type and caliber of such weapons by rule. Application for such permit and for renewal thereof shall be made on forms provided by the division director. No weapons permit issued under this Code section shall be transferable to another individual.

The Georgia State Board of Private Detectives and Security Agencies offers licensees the opportunity to purchase a durable plastic Identification Card.

Nothing mentioned for employees.

UNARMED:  Not required.

ARMED:  GA Code § 43-38-7.1 (2020)

• The licensee shall forward fingerprints received from each prospective registrant to the Georgia Crime Information Center of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for the purpose of criminal identification through the fingerprint system of identification established by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the fingerprint system of investigation established by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
• It shall be the duty of the licensee to keep a record of all information received from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with respect to criminal identification and to cooperate with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, similar departments in other states, and the United States Department of Justice in any criminal identification system.
• At such times as the board may require, fingerprint cards of registrants may be periodically reprocessed by a licensee to identify criminal convictions subsequent to registration.

1. 1. Become unable to engage in the private detective or private security business with reasonable skill and safety to the public by reason of illness; use of alcohol, drugs, narcotics, chemicals, or any other type of material; or any other mental or physical condition. The board may, however, after investigation of the circumstances surrounding each application, approve for licensure and registration those individuals who produce certified medical evidence of having been successfully treated and cured of alcoholism, drug addiction, or mental illness;

1. 1. Become unable to engage in the private detective or private security business with reasonable skill and safety to the public by reason of illness; use of alcohol, drugs, narcotics, chemicals, or any other type of material; or any other mental or physical condition. The board may, however, after investigation of the circumstances surrounding each application, approve for licensure and registration those individuals who produce certified medical evidence of having been successfully treated and cured of alcoholism, drug addiction, or mental illness;

1. Been convicted, in the courts of this state or of the United States, or in the courts of any other state, territory, or country, of a felony, or any crime involving the illegal use, carrying, or possession of a dangerous weapon, or any crime involving moral turpitude. As used in this subsection, the term “felony” shall include any offense which if committed in this state would be deemed a felony, without regard to its designation elsewhere. For purposes of this subsection, a “conviction” shall be deemed to include a finding or verdict of guilty or plea of guilty, regardless of whether an appeal of the conviction has been sought;
2. Been arrested, charged, and sentenced for the commission of a felony, any crime involving the illegal use, carrying, or possession of a dangerous weapon, or any crime involving moral turpitude, where:
   1. A plea of nolo contendere was entered to the charge;
   2. First offender treatment was granted without adjudication of guilt pursuant to the charge; or
   3. An adjudication or sentence was otherwise withheld or not entered on the charge.The plea of nolo contendere or the order entered pursuant to Article 3 of Chapter 8 of Title 42 or other first offender treatment shall be conclusive evidence of arrest and sentencing for such crime;

• Committed any act in the practice of the private detective or private security business constituting dishonesty or fraud;
• Been convicted of impersonating, or permitting or aiding and abetting any other person to impersonate, a law enforcement officer or employee of the United States or of this state or of any political subdivision thereof in the practice of the private detective or private security business
• Committed a felony, any crime involving the illegal use, carrying, or possession of a dangerous weapon, or any crime involving moral turpitude;

• Knowingly violated, or advised, encouraged, or assisted in the violation of, any court order or injunction in the course of the private detective or private security business or knowingly advised, encouraged, or assisted in the violation of any lawful order issued by the board;

Employees must file a background questionnaire and certain affidavits and affirmations as to criminal history, previous employment and former and present residences are part of the application. Part of the employer’s responsibility to ensure that these documents are completed and in full.

.

Not Required

Employer companies and firms assume the training requirements for applicant employees.

UNARMED:

Unarmed employee shall be required to complete a certain number of hours of training as prescribed by the board, and a record of such training shall be maintained with the registration records of such employees.
See: OCGA §43-38-7.1(a)

Aside from the general content directions issued by the Boad, the employer must submit for review the curriculum. The Board has issued some samples of acceptable pedagogy.

Chapter 509-3 MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE TRAINING PROGRAM TO BE SUBMITTED BY LICENSEES

Rule 509-3-.01 Training
Licensees and registrants shall be trained and instructed according to the training curriculum set out in this chapter, which training and instruction shall be provided by instructors certified by the Board.

(1) Employees shall be required to complete the training prior to providing private security or private detective services as set forth in 43-38-3(3) and (4). Record of board mandated training must be maintained in the employees’ files and the employee must be provided a copy of the certificate of completion. Documentation of courses completed after January 1, 2022 require a five (5) year retention rate by the employer.

(2) Temporary employees hired for special events shall receive training prior to the events. (This rule applies only to the temporary employees of persons or corporation licensed by the Board.)
(3) The instruction provided to temporary employees shall comply with the requirements as established for the unarmed security personnel pursuant to the relevant rule of Georgia Board of private Detective and Security Agencies.

Rule 509-3-.02 Basic Training Curriculum for Security Officers

Effective January 1, 2022– a minimum of 24 hours of classroom instruction is required for all private security agency licensees and private security employees consisting of instruction in the following topics:

(1) Role of Private Security

(a) Crime Awareness and Prevention
(b) Private Security and the Criminal Justice System
(c) Ethics and Professionalism

(2) Legal Aspects

(a) Principal Misdemeanors and Felonies
(b) Overview of Title 43-38 as it relates to the Security Profession
(c) Overview of Board Rules 509 et al
(d) Arrest and Proper Use of Force
(e) Liability
(f) Courtroom testimony

(3) Patrol and Observation

(a) Patrol techniques (including but not limited to Koper Curve and directed patrol)
(b) Information gathering
(c) Crimes in progress
(d) Officer Safety
(e) Note taking and Report Writing

(4) Incident Response

(a) Responding to Emergencies
(b) Crowd control and evacuation
(c) Fire control and Prevention
(d) Hazardous Materials
(e) Bomb Threats and Terrorism
(f) Response to an Active Assailant
(g) Mental Health Awareness

(5) Security Resources

(a) CCTV Operation and Video Documentation
(b) Alarm systems
(c) Access Control
(d) Electronic Article Surveillance
(e) Working with Law Enforcement

(6) Customer Service Issues

(a) Public relations
(b) Interpersonal Communications

(7) First Aid Overview

ARMED:

For employees performing the functions of armed private security personnel, in addition to the 24-hour basic training
curriculum, these personnel must satisfy the requirements set forth in the firearms training curriculum.
A minimum of 15 hours of instruction is required for the firearm training
curriculum for handguns, administered by an instructor who is licensed by the Board.
This curriculum is intended to meet the minimum requirements of the Georgia Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies.

Rule 509-3-.03 Armed Security Officers

Individuals who are registered pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 43-38-7 as armed employees of private security businesses must satisfy the training requirements set forth in 509-3-.10, in addition to the requirements set forth in 509-3-.02.

RULE 509-3-.10. Handgun Training

(1) This curriculum is intended to meet the minimum requirements of the Georgia Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies. A minimum passing score of 80% must be achieved on a written exam addressing the topics listed below in subparagraphs (a), (b), (1) (i), (1) (ii), (1) (iii), and (c), proctored by a firearms instructor licensed by the Board.

A minimum passing score of 80% must be achieved on the firing range, and range testing must be proctored by a firearms instructor licensed by the Board. All armed personnel must comply with the requirements of Board Rule 509-4-.01.

(2) The holder of a weapon permit must qualify with the same type of weapon carried. Two (2) strings of 48 rounds must be fired; the higher score will be used for qualification, with a minimum qualifying score of 80%. A minimum of 15 hours of instruction is required for handgun training, and shall be administered by an instructor who is licensed by the Board, consisting of instruction in the following topics:

(a) One (1) hour of instruction in the use of deadly force. The instruction shall include Georgia Laws 16-3-21 & 17-4-20, Official Code of Georgia Annotated;

(b) Two (2) hours of instruction in liability issues. The instruction shall include Georgia Laws 16-1-3(5), 16-1-3(6), Title 42, USC Sec. 1983;

1. Three (3) situations covering issues which justify use of deadly force, to include:

(i) Defense of self from great bodily harm of death;

(ii) Defense of a third person from great bodily harm of death; and

(iii) To prevent the commission of a forcible felony.

(c) One (1) hour of instruction in ballistics to include selecting the proper ammunition and factors that affect trajectory, over-penetration and ricochet;

(d) Three (3) hours of instruction in types of handguns to include:

1. Nomenclature;

2. Selection of a handgun;

3. Selection of proper ammunition;

4. Care and cleaning of a handgun;

5. Proper techniques for storage, loading and unloading a handgun;

6. Selection of the proper holster and equipment for your weapon;

7. Weapon retention techniques.

(e) Eight (8) hours of instruction in firearm range qualifications to include

1. Proper stance;

2. Proper selection of holster;

3. Proper grip and draw;

4. Sight alignment, sight picture, and trigger control;

5. Firearm range safety;

6. Range procedures and rules of conduct;

7. Course of fire as set by instructor to include, but not limited to, the following:

Distance    Rounds

                                            3 Yards        24
7 Yards        18
15 Yards        6

Employee, in order to demonstrate qualification to carry a firearm, must affirm classroom instruction in the use of firearms by a board-approved instructor, firearm range instruction, and passage of the Standard Practical Pistol Course.

UNARMED: Not required.

ARMED:

A minimum passing score of 80% must be achieved on a written exam addressing the topics listed below in subparagraphs (a), (b), (1) (i), (1) (ii), (1) (iii), and (c), proctored by a firearms instructor licensed by the Board.

A minimum passing score of 80% must be achieved on the firing range, and range testing must be proctored by a firearms instructor licensed by the Board. All armed personnel must comply with the requirements of Board Rule 509-4-.01.

The holder of a weapon permit must qualify with the same type of weapon carried. Two (2) strings of 48 rounds must be fired; the higher score will be used for qualification, with a minimum qualifying score of 80%

OCGA § 19-11-9.3
The agency shall maintain a statewide certified list of those persons included in any case enforced under this article for whom an order for child support has been rendered and who are not in compliance with that order. The certified list must be updated on a monthly basis. The agency shall submit to each licensing entity a certified list with the name, social security number, if known, date of birth, and last known address of each person on the list. Notice for purposes of this Code section shall be initiated by the department. Notice to the delinquent obligor shall include the address and telephone number of the agency and shall inform the delinquent obligor of the agency’s intent to submit the obligor’s name to relevant licensing entities and to request that the licensing entities withhold issuance or renewal of the license, or suspend the license.

• Georgia Administrative Code
• Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia
• GEORGIA STATE BOARD OF PRIVATE DETECTIVE & SECURITY AGENCIES Employee Registration Information
• Georgia State Board of Private Detectives and Security Agencies