License to Work: A National Study of Burdens from Occupational Licensing
Security Guard
Highlights
License required in 37 states73rd most burdensome licensing requirements
25th most heavily regulated occupation
(Last updated April 24, 2012)
Definition
Security guards guard, patrol or monitor premises to prevent theft, violence or infractions of rules.Summary
Thirty-six states and the District of Columbia require security guards to obtain licenses, making security guard the 25th most widely andonerously licensed occupation. Requirements are relatively consistent across states. Most states charge aspiring security guards a fee
averaging $89 and establish a minimum age of 18. Twenty-four states have some education and training requirement, usually fewer than 10 days, though North Dakota requires 241 days and Michigan three years.
(Last updated May 1, 2012)
State Licensing Requirements
| Burden Rank | State | Fees | Education/Experience (Days) | Exams | Minimum Grade | Minimum Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | $200 | 1,095 | 0 | 12 | 25 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $70 | 241 | 0 | 12 | 18 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $0 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 18 |
| 4 | Texas | $58 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 5 | Maine | $400 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $400 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 7 | Oklahoma | $66 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 8 | Washington | $111 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 9 | Tennessee | $70 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | South Carolina | $65 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 11 | Alaska | $104 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $153 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 13 | New Mexico | $45 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 14 | Florida | $87 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 15 | Utah | $95 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | New York | $141 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $150 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 18 | Vermont | $50 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 19 | Georgia | $70 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 20 | California | $106 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $94 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 22 | Illinois | $55 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 23 | Oregon | $100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 24 | Arkansas | $81 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 25 | Arizona | $74 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 26 | Virginia | $50 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 27 | Delaware | $69 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $69 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 29 | Nevada | $0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| 30 | Montana | $57 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 31 | Washington, D.C. | $54 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 34 | Iowa | $10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 35 | Maryland | $52 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Ohio | $50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | New Hampshire | $20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
(Last updated April 24, 2012)
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