Washington provides a mechanism for licensure at the agency and individual level security officers. However, the applicant will not be licensed until and when the applicant is employed by any licensed deliverer of security services or about to be employed by same.

Proprietary unarmed security guards are exempt from licensure requirements.
See: RCW 18.170.020(1)

WAC 308-18-150
$91   License plus background check fee
$85   License renewal (a year from issuance).
$28   Fingerprinting and State & National background check
$5   License Printing Fee

The licenses issued to private security guards expire one year from the date of issuance which date will be the renewal date.

See: WAC 308-18-160

RCW 18.170.030(1)
The applicant must be at least 18 years of age

RCW 18.170.030(2)
Must be a citizen or resident alien of the U.S

RCW 18.170.310
An applicant with military training or experience satisfies the training or experience requirements of this chapter unless the director determines that the military training or experience is not substantially equivalent to the standards of this state.

RCW 18.170.020
The requirements of this chapter do not apply to:

(1)   A person who is employed exclusively or regularly by one employer and performs the functions of a private security guard solely in connection with the affairs of that employer, if the employer is not a private security company. However, in accordance with RCW 69.50.382, an employee engaged in marijuana-related transportation or delivery services on behalf of a common carrier must be licensed as an armed private security guard under this chapter in order to be authorized to carry or use a firearm while providing such services
(2)   A sworn peace officer while engaged in the performance of the officer’s official duties
(3)   A sworn peace officer while employed by any person to engage in off-duty employment as a private security guard, but only if the employment is approved by the chief law enforcement officer of the jurisdiction where the employment takes place and the sworn peace officer does not employ, contract with, or broker for profit other persons to assist him or her in performing the duties related to his or her private employer, or
(4) (a)   A person performing crowd management or guest services including, but not limited to, a person described as a ticket taker, usher, door attendant, parking attendant, crowd monitor, or event staff who:

(i)   Does not carry a firearm or other dangerous weapon including, but not limited to, a stun gun, taser, pepper mace, or nightstick
(ii)   Does not wear a uniform or clothing readily identifiable by a member of the public as that worn by a private security officer or law enforcement officer, and
(iii)   Does not have as his or her primary responsibility the detainment of persons or placement of persons under arrest.

(4) (b)   The exemption provided in this subsection applies only when a crowd has assembled for the purpose of attending or taking part in an organized event, including pre event assembly, event operation hours, and post event departure activities.

Not Required

RCW 18.170.070(1)
(b)   A private security guard shall carry the license card whenever he or she is performing the duties of a private security guard and shall exhibit the card upon request

RCW 18.235.130(1)
The following conduct, acts, or conditions constitute unprofessional conduct for any license holder or applicant under the jurisdiction of this chapter
(1)   The commission of any act involving moral turpitude, dishonesty, or corruption relating to the practice of the person’s profession or operation of the person’s business, whether the act constitutes a crime or not.

RCW 18.170.030(6)
An applicant must submit a set of fingerprints

Applicants in Washington State will use MorphoTrust’s IdentoGO process to take and submit their fingerprints electronically at one of the MorphoTrust’s Locations
•   Schedule and pay for a fingerprint appointment online at identogo.com
    –   When setting up the appointment, applicants should not select “Pay for Ink Card Submission” (this is for out-of-state applicants only).
    –   If the applicant’s employer is paying for your electronic fingerprinting: The applicant should enter the Billing Account code provided at the payment screen.

Unarmed Security Guards require a State background check only.

Fees:
$8.05   Fingerprint Fees
$20.00   Background Check Fee
$28.05 Total fees

Applicants outside of Washington State should contact the Security Guards Program at security@dol.wa.gov or (360) 664-6611 for fingerprint card submission instructions.

See: Fingerprinting and background checks

RCW 18.170.220
(1)   If the director believes a license holder or applicant may be unable to practice with reasonable skill and safety to the public by reason of a mental or physical condition, a statement of charges shall be served on the license holder or applicant and notice shall also be issued providing an opportunity for a hearing.
(2)   In investigating or adjudicating a complaint or report that a license holder or applicant may be unable to practice with reasonable skill or safety by reason of a mental or physical condition, the department may require a license holder or applicant to submit to a mental or physical examination by one or more licensed or certified health professionals designated by the director.

RCW 18.170.220
(1)   If the director believes a license holder or applicant may be unable to practice with reasonable skill and safety to the public by reason of a mental or physical condition, a statement of charges shall be served on the license holder or applicant and notice shall also be issued providing an opportunity for a hearing.
(2)   In investigating or adjudicating a complaint or report that a license holder or applicant may be unable to practice with reasonable skill or safety by reason of a mental or physical condition, the department may require a license holder or applicant to submit to a mental or physical examination by one or more licensed or certified health professionals designated by the director.

RCW 18.170.030(3)
A qualified applicant is an individual who has not been convicted of a crime in any jurisdiction, if the director determines that the applicant’s particular crime directly relates to his or her capacity to perform the duties of a private security guard, and the director determines that the license should be withheld to protect the citizens of Washington state.

The background check of applications for the unarmed status utilize sources of the Washington State Patrol.

Not required

RCW 18.170.105/ WAC 308-18-300/ WAC 308-18-305

(1) To promote the safety of persons and the security of property, the director shall meet with interested parties
to develop lists of suggested preassignment, postassignment, and postassignment refresher training by rule.

(2) All security guards licensed on or after July 1, 2005, must complete at
least eight hours of preassignment training, comprised of at least four hours of classroom
instruction and an additional four hours of classroom instruction or individual instruction,
or both. The preassignment training may be waived for any individual who was most
recently employed full time as a sworn peace officer not more than five years prior to
applying to become licensed as a private security guard and who passes the
examination typically administered to applicants at the conclusion of the preassignment training.

(3)(a) All security guards licensed on or after July 1, 2005, must complete at least eight hours of initial post
assignment training that shall be administered to each security guard. The initial post assignment training must be in the topic areas
established by the director and may be classroom instruction or individual instruction, or both. A company
may waive the initial post assignment training for security guards already licensed who
transfer from another company, if the security guard presents appropriate training
records signed by a department-certified trainer from the previous company, or a signed
affidavit that the individual has already completed the required initial post assignment
training provided by his or her previous company.

(b) Security guards who received their temporary security guard registration card on
or before July 22, 2007, must receive their initial post assignment training before June
30, 2008. Security guards who received their temporary security guard registration card
after July 22, 2007, must receive their initial post assignment training as specified in (c)
and (d) of this subsection.

(c) Security guards licensed between January 1st and June 30th of any calendar
year may receive eight hours of initial postassignment training any time between the day
following the issuance of a temporary security guard registration card with their company
and June 30th of the year following initial issuance of their license by the department.

(d) Security guards initially licensed between July 1st and December 31st of any
calendar year may receive eight hours of initial postassignment training at any time
between the day following the issuance of a temporary security guard registration card
with their company and December 31st of the year following initial issuance
of their license by the department.

(4) Following completion of the preassignment and postassignment training,
at least four total hours of annual refresher training shall be administered
to security guards each subsequent year. The subsequent year begins, for refresher training purposes,
the day following the last date the security guard is required to receive
the eight hours of initial postassignment training. No more than one hour per year
of annual refresher training may focus directly on customer service-related skills or topics and
the remaining three hours per year of annual refresher training must focus on emergency
response concepts, skills, or topics including but not limited to knowledge of site post orders or life safety.

(5) Companies must maintain records regarding the training hours completed by each employee.
All such records are subject to inspection by the department.
The training requirements and test results must be recorded and attested to by a
department-certified trainer. Training records must contain a description of the topics covered,
the name and signature of the trainer, and the name and signature of the security guard.

Applicants must do pre-assignment training in advance of full licensure.
Pre-assignment training must include the following areas of required knowledge:

See: www.dol.wa.gov/business/securityguards/sgpreassigntrain.html

WAC 308-18-300- Exam
All private security guard applicants, after receiving pre assignment training and prior to receiving their license or temporary registration card, must successfully complete an exam designed and provided by the department to demonstrate understanding and retention of the information learned in the training course on the subjects listed in WAC 308-18-300. The exam shall consist of multiplechoice questions. All applicants must answer all questions correctly on the pre assignment training exam or questions incorrectly answered must be reviewed to ensure the applicant’s understanding and then initialed by both the applicant and the trainer verifying knowledge of the correct answer(s).

RCW 74.20A.324
(1)   The department may certify to the department of licensing and any appropriate licensing entity the name of a responsible parent who is not in compliance with a child support order if:

(a)   Within twenty-one days after service of a notice issued under RCW 74.20A.320, the responsible parent does not request an adjudicative proceeding or file a motion with the appropriate court or administrative forum to modify the child support obligation;
(b)   An adjudicative proceeding results in a decision that the responsible parent is not in compliance with a child support order and has not made a good faith effort to comply
(c)   The court enters a judgment on a petition for judicial review that finds the responsible parent is not in compliance with a child support order and has not made a good faith effort to comply, or
(d)   The responsible parent fails to comply with a payment schedule established pursuant to RCW 74.20A.326.

(2)   The department shall send by regular mail a copy of any certification of noncompliance filed with the department of licensing or a licensing entity to the responsible parent at the responsible parent’s most recent address of record along with information as to how the parent may get his or her license reinstated.
(3)   The department of licensing and a licensing entity shall, without undue delay, notify a responsible parent certified by the department under subsection (1) of this section that the parent’s driver’s license or other license has been suspended because the parent’s name has been certified by the department as a responsible parent who is not in compliance with a child support order.

  •   Form

  •   Security Guard License Application (PDF)

  •   Frequently Asked Qestions

  •   Fingerprinting Fees
  •   Security Guard Fees

  •   Washington State Department of Licensing

  •   Rules and Laws

Washington State Legislature:

  •   Revised Code of Washington

  •   Washington Administrative Code