Hawaii, as in other select states, permits either security guard registration or direct application for a license to provide security officer services as an individual “sole proprietor.” In the latter case, the security officer IS IN the business of security and has more stringent experience and background requirements. Most of the regulatory requirements are not imposed in the guard registration process.
See: Requirements & Instructions – Guard Employee Registration
See: Requirements & Instructions – Sole Proprietor

In Hawaii, “Guard” means a registered uniformed or nonuniformed person responsible for the safekeeping of a client’s properties and persons within contractually prescribed boundaries, and for observation and reporting relative to such safekeeping. “Guard” shall not include any active duty federal, state, or county law enforcement officers or personnel.
See: HRS §463 – 1

Guard Registration
Fees:
*If the registration is approved between July 1 and June 30, of the first year of triennium (2018, 2021, 2024), pay:
$10.00   Application fee
$54.00   Registration fee
$51.00   Compliance Resolution
$36.00   2/3 Triennial Renewal Fee

OR if the registration is approved between July 1 and June 30, of the second year of triennium (2019, 2022, 2025), pay:
$10.00   Application fee
$54.00   Registration fee
$34.00   Compliance Resolution
$18.00   1/3 Triennial Renewal Fee

OR *If your registration is approved between July 1 and June 30, of the third year of the triennium, (2020, 2023, 2026), pay:
$10.00   Application fee
$54.00   Registration fee
$17.00   Compliance Resolution Fund
See: Requirements & Instructions – Guard Employee Registration

Hawaii now has an online portal for licensure and registration, Online Application Portal.
See also: Online Portal Instructions

ARMED GUARDS:

Before beginning employment as a guard or in a guard capacity, in addition to the classroom instruction required by this section, guards and individuals acting in a guard capacity who carry a firearm or other weapon, including but not limited to an electric gun as defined in section 134-1, while on-duty in a guard capacity shall possess a valid permit to acquire the ownership of a firearm issued by county police pursuant to section 134-2 and shall satisfy the requirements of section 134-2(g).
See: HRS §463 – 10.5(e)

No person shall engage in the business of private detective or guard, represent oneself to be, hold oneself out as, list oneself or advertise as a private detective or guard or as furnishing detective investigating services or guard services without first obtaining a license as a private detective or guard from the Board of Private Detectives and Guards upon payment of application, examination and license fees.
See: Requirements and Instructions – Guard and Private Detective

If applicant has license in any other state or jurisdictions, need to complete License Verification form: PDG-21 1015R for use by the State of Hawaii Board of Private Detective and Guards to evaluate the application for a Hawaii principal detective or guard; or a security guard training instructor license.
See: License Verification – Private Detective and Guards

Both ARMED and UNARMED applicants must be at least 18 years of age.
See: HRS §463 – 10.5a(1)

The legislation is silent on this requirement. However, the application asks whether the applicant is a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national, or an alien authorized to work in the U.S.
See: Requirements & Instructions – Guard Employee Registration

An applicant must also possess a high school education or its equivalent
See: HRS §463 – 10.5a(2)

HRS § 463 – 13
This chapter does not apply to any person, firm, company, partnership, or corporation or any bureau or agency whose business is exclusively the furnishing of information as to the business and financial standing and credit responsibility of persons, firms, or corporations, or as to personal habits and financial responsibility, of applicants for insurance, indemnity bonds, or commercial credit, or an attorney at law in performing the attorney’s duties as such attorney at law.

ARMED:

Before beginning employment as a guard or in a guard capacity, in addition to the classroom instruction required by this section, guards and individuals acting in a guard capacity who carry a firearm or other weapon, including but not limited to an electric gun as defined in section 134-1, while on-duty in a guard capacity shall possess a valid permit to acquire the ownership of a firearm issued by county police pursuant to section 134-2 and shall
satisfy the requirements of section 134-2(g).
See: HRS §463 – 10.5(e)

Legislation is silent on this requirement.

No baseline requirement

All applicants are required to submit to a FBI fingerprint check through the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center
(“HCJDC”).

To obtain a FBI National Criminal History Record Check and the State of Hawaii Criminal History Record Check,
applicants shall be fingerprinted electronically at Fieldprint Inc. locations nationwide or any other fingerprinting
agency approved to send electronic fingerprints to the HCJDC.

Please visit Fieldprint Inc. at: http://fieldprinthawaii.com to make an appointment, inquire about other
available site locations on the continental United States, or call (877) 614-4361.

Fees for the FBI and the State of Hawaii Criminal History Record Checks shall be paid directly to Fieldprint and will
be electronically sent to the HCJDC.

NOTE: Fingerprinting cards are no longer available from the Board’s office.

NOTE: An Application to register as a guard must be filled within thirty (30) days of the fingerprinting to ensure that
the results are obtainable from the HCJDC. If the results are not obtainable, you will be required to obtain new
fingerprints.

Applicant Notification and Record Challenge: Your fingerprints will be used to check the criminal history records
of the FBI. Your fingerprints will also be retained by the HCJDC and the FBI for all purposes and uses authorized for
fingerprint submissions, which may include participation in the state and national rap back programs. You have the
opportunity to complete or challenge the accuracy of the information contained in the FBI identification record. The
procedure for obtaining a change, correction, or updating an FBI identification record are set forth in Title 28, CFR,
16.34.

See REQUIREMENTS & INSTRUCTIONS – GUARD EMPLOYEE REGISTRATION

Not listed

The applicant should not be presently suffering from any psychiatric or psychological disorder which is directly related and detrimental to a person’s performance in the profession;
school education or its equivalent
See: HRS §463 – 10.5(a)(3)

The applicant must not have been convicted in any jurisdiction of a crime which reflects unfavorably on the fitness of the individual to act as a guard, unless the conviction has been annulled or expunged by court order; provided that the individual shall submit to a national criminal history record check as authorized by federal law, including but not limited to the Private Security Officer Employment Authorization Act of 2004, and specified in the rules of the board.
See: HRS §463 – 10.5(a)(4)

New instructions regarding Background Checks have been published here.

Not required

HRS 463-10.5 (c) states:

(c) Guards and individuals acting in a guard capacity shall successfully complete the classroom instruction specified by this section, pass a written test, and undergo four hours of on-the-job training supervised by an individual who has successfully completed all of the requirements of this section or who has otherwise been approved by the board for on-the-job training.  Guards and individuals acting in a guard capacity shall successfully complete:

     (1)  Eight hours of classroom instruction before the first day of service; and

     (2)  Four hours of classroom instruction during the triennial registration renewal period; provided that in addition to relevant guard industry material, the required classroom instruction shall include a refresher component on professional image and aloha training as approved by the board.

For purposes of this section, “classroom instruction” may include two-way teleconferencing and other interactive educational formats approved by the board.

     (d)  The content of classroom instruction required under this section shall include, but not be limited to:

     (1)  State and federal law regarding the legal limitations on the actions of guards, including instruction in the law concerning arrest, search and seizure, and the use of force as these issues relate to guard work;

     (2)  Access control, safety, fire detection and reporting, and emergency response;

     (3)  Homeland security issues and procedures;

     (4)  When and how to notify public authorities;

     (5)  Techniques of observation and reporting of incidents, including how to prepare an incident report;

     (6)  The fundamentals of patrolling;

     (7)  Professional ethics; and

     (8)  Professional image and aloha training.

ARMED:

Firearms Training
HAR §134-2(g)
Effective July 1, 1995, no person shall be issued a permit under this section for the acquisition of a pistol or revolver unless the person, at any time prior to the issuance of the permit, has completed:
(1)   An approved hunter education course as authorized under section 183D-28;

(2)   A firearms safety or training course or class available to the general public offered by a law enforcement agency of the State or of any county;

(3)   A firearms safety or training course offered to law enforcement officers, security guards, investigators, deputy sheriffs, or any division or subdivision of law enforcement or security enforcement by a state or county law enforcement agency; or

(4)   A firearms training or safety course or class conducted by a state certified or National Rifle Association certified firearms instructor or a certified military firearms instructor that provides, at a minimum, a total of at least two hours of firing training at a firing range and a total of at least four hours of classroom instruction, which may include a video, that focuses on:

(A)   The safe use, handling, and storage of firearms and firearm safety in the home; and
(B)   Education on the firearm laws of the State.

Guard must pass a written test after the completion of the classroom instruction training.
See: HRS §463 – 10.5(c)

HRS § 436B – 19.5
The licensing authority shall refuse to renew, reinstate, or restore, or shall deny or suspend any license if the authority has received certification from the child support enforcement agency pursuant to the terms of section 576D-13 that the licensee or applicant is not in compliance with an order of support or has failed to comply with a subpoena or warrant relating to a paternity or child support proceeding.

• Board of Private Detectives and Guards
• REQUIREMENTS & INSTRUCTIONS – GUARD EMPLOYEE REGISTRATION 
• FAQ (PDF)

LEGISLATION

HAR Chapter 97 – Private Detectives and Guards