NSW Security Industry Register

The performance of security activities in New South Wales is governed by the Security Industry Act 1997 and Security Industry Regulation 1998.  These laws, which came into effect in July 1998, have been designed with the clear intention of providing the community of New South Wales with confidence in a professional security industry where competency (training), integrity and accountability are provided and maintained to a high standard.

The Security Industry Registry of NSW Police is responsible for the administration of the Act and Regulation.
The most significant aspects of these laws are:

• Licences have been placed into three groups:
• Master licences for employers and registered training organisations. 
• Class 1 licences for manpower services.
• Class 2 licences for technical services, sales and training.
• Licence applicants must be permanent Australian residents.
• Holders of Class 1 and/or Class 2 licences may only work for a Master licence holder.
• Master licence holders must be a member of an approved Industry Organisation.
• Trainers operating on behalf of Registered Training Organisations (RTO) are required to be licensed.  They must hold a Class 2D licence.
• Criminal record clearances are required for persons intending to undertake security industry training.
• Mandatory refusal of licence applications for persons convicted of prescribed offences within the last 10 years.
• Mandatory refusal of licence where the Comissioner of Police considers the person is not of fit and proper character to be granted a licence.
• Mandatory refusal of licence applications for persons found guilty, with no conviction recorded, of prescribed offences within the last 5 years.
• Licences will be issued for a period of 1 or 5 years but may be suspended or revoked by the Commissioner of Police.
• Photograph licences will be issued to Class 1 and Class 2 licence holders through the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) and must be worn by licensees (unless an exemption has been granted).
• Training for security operatives must be conducted by a training organisation that has been registered with the Vocational Education Training Accreditation Board (VETAB) and approved by the Commissioner of Police.
• Training qualifications have been upgraded and licences will not be issued unless approved competencies are met.
• Licence applicants will be required to be fingerprinted and photographed in order to confirm the applicant's identity.