How do I Start a Private Security Guard Company in Washington DC?

DC Security Agency Licensing

A step by step guide to getting the information you need to start a private security agency in the District of Columbia.

LAST EDIT June 22, 2017

A DC security officer looks out of the Washington DC Hilton.

1. Take look at the How to Start a Security Guard Company eBook. It's a free 126 page eBook and it provides a wealth of information and strategies to the owner of a new private security startup.
2. Determine the type of agency license you require. DC allows agency applicants to seek two different types of licensure.

The first type is known as "Security Agency Business." It's designed for those who will hire security officers or/and special police officers.

The second is the "Security Agency Individual" license. It allows a single officer to work on his own as an individual without being required to work for another security agency.

There's a significant cost differential between these two licenses. The business license costs $1,000 while the individual license runs $500.

3. Review the new agency application instructions booklet. This document provides helpful guidance as to the specifics of the agency application requirements.

Examples of these include:
- the owner's documentation such as photos, criminal background requirements (no felonies within past 2 years and no misdemeanors in the past year) and birth certificate; and
- location/office information such as the necessity for DC-based agencies to have certificate of occupancy and those that are not DC-base to have a designated agent; and
- the protocol for collecting the fingerprints of the owner.
4. Carefully review the requirements of DC Code 6A, Chapter 11 and Title 17, Chapters 20 and 21. These two sections of code govern the conduct of security agencies and the security officer and special police officers who work under the guidance of the agencies.

It's especially important for an agency owner to review these sections because they detail the various requirements with which his agency must comply. Many of the agency-specific laws are located at the end of the Title 17 document.

Examples of these requirements include:
- the guidelines for the design of the agency's security patch that will be worn by its officers; and
- a description of the District's insurance requirements which at the time of this writing reads require a security agency that employs five (5) or more security officers to purchase general liability insurance in an amount not less than $250,000 per occurrence and $600,000 in the aggregate; and
- the criteria used by the District to deny, suspend or revoke the agency's license.
5. Remember to set aside funds for the biennial renewal requirement. Agency licenses are subject to renewal every two years. Renewal fees are about half of the original license cost, i.e. $500 for a firm and $250 for an individual.

Are you ready to start thinking about starting your own security company? Check out this free 116 page ebook from SecurityOfficerHQ.com entitled "How to Start A Security Guard Company".

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