If you are responsible for hiring or deploying security staff in the UK, one of your most important legal checks is confirming that every security officer who must be licensed actually holds a valid SIA licence.

Failing to verify this properly can expose your business to:

regulatory penalties
contract breaches
failed audits
reputational damage
and in serious cases, criminal liability

Yet many companies still rely on verbal confirmation, photocopies, or outdated records.

In this practical, step-by-step guide, you will learn exactly how to check whether a security officer is SIA licensed, how to avoid common verification mistakes, and how specialist recruiters reduce this risk for you.

This guide is written specifically for UK employers, facilities managers, contract managers, and operations teams.

What does “SIA licensed” actually mean?

In the UK, most frontline security roles must be licensed by the
Security Industry Authority (SIA).

The SIA is the government body responsible for regulating the private security industry in the United Kingdom.

An SIA licence confirms that a security officer:

has completed approved training
has passed identity and criminality checks
meets the minimum legal standards to carry out licensable activity

Without a valid licence, a person cannot legally perform certain security duties.

Why checking an SIA licence is legally critical for employers

Many businesses assume that licensing responsibility sits only with the officer or the security provider.

In reality, you also carry responsibility.

If you allow someone to carry out licensable activity without a valid SIA licence:

the officer may be committing an offence
and you may also be committing an offence by employing or deploying them

This is why licence checking must be:

accurate
repeatable
documented

Not just a one-off check during hiring.

Which security roles require an SIA licence?

Before checking a licence, you must first understand whether the role itself is licensable.

Common SIA licensable roles include:

security guarding (most site-based officers)
door supervision
CCTV (public space surveillance)
close protection
vehicle immobilisation (where applicable)

In most commercial environments, the following roles usually require licensing:

site security officers
corporate reception security staff
mobile patrol officers
control room and CCTV operators
retail and loss-prevention officers

If your officer performs any of the above, you must verify a valid licence.

The most common mistake: relying on a physical badge only

Many employers simply ask to see the SIA badge and assume that is enough.

This is a dangerous assumption.

Why?

Because:

licences expire
licences can be revoked
role types may not match the duties being performed
badges can be old or damaged

A physical badge alone does not prove current licence status.

The only reliable method – using the official SIA register

The SIA provides a public online licence checking service.

This is the only authoritative way to confirm whether a licence is valid.

The register shows:

licence status (active, expired, suspended, revoked)
licence type
licence expiry date
name of the licence holder

Step-by-step: how to check if a security officer is SIA licensed

Step 1 – Ask for the officer’s full name and licence number

Every licensed officer has a unique SIA licence number.

You should request:

full legal name (as shown on the licence)
SIA licence number

Do not rely on shortened names or nicknames.

Step 2 – Access the official SIA licence register

Use the SIA’s public licence checker.

On the search page, you can enter:

licence number
or
full name

This search connects directly to the SIA database.

Step 3 – Confirm the licence status

When the result appears, check that the licence is:

marked as current / active
not expired
not suspended
not revoked

Only an active licence allows the officer to legally work.

Step 4 – Confirm the licence type matches the role

This step is often overlooked.

You must ensure the licence category matches the actual duties.

For example:

CCTV operators must hold the correct CCTV (public space surveillance) licence
door supervisors must hold a door supervision licence
guarding roles must hold a security guarding licence

An officer can be licensed, but still not licensed for the role you are assigning.

Step 5 – Check the expiry date

Every SIA licence has a fixed expiry date.

You should:

record the expiry date
set reminders well in advance
avoid deploying officers whose licence is close to expiry without confirmation of renewal

Step 6 – Save evidence of your check

For audit and compliance purposes, you should:

keep a screenshot or record of the licence check
store the date and time of verification
link it to the employee file

This is important for:

client audits
internal compliance reviews
legal defence if required

How often should you check an SIA licence?

Checking once at hiring is not enough.

Best practice is to:

verify before deployment
re-check at regular intervals
re-check after contract changes
re-check when extending assignments

A good operational standard is:

monthly or quarterly checks for long-term placements
immediate checks for short-term cover or redeployment

Another common mistake: assuming your contractor already checks licences

Many businesses outsource recruitment and staffing and assume that licence checking is automatically handled.

While reputable providers do perform checks, you should still have visibility.

You should be able to confirm:

that licence verification is part of their process
that records are maintained
that replacement staff are also verified

If you are using a specialist provider, you should expect transparent licence verification processes.

You can review how specialist security recruitment providers manage compliance here:
👉 https://handdservices.co.uk/security-recruitment-agency/

What happens if a security officer is found to be unlicensed?

If you discover that an officer is working without a valid licence:

they must be removed from licensable duties immediately
you should notify your provider or internal HR team
you should investigate how the failure occurred
you should document corrective action

Continuing to deploy an unlicensed officer creates direct legal risk.

What about licence renewals?

SIA licences are time-limited.

Many businesses make the mistake of assuming the officer will renew their own licence.

In practice:

applications can be delayed
training requirements may change
checks can take time

If you operate sites that require uninterrupted coverage, you must track renewals centrally.

Why SIA checking becomes difficult when you hire directly

When you hire officers directly, your organisation must manage:

licence checks
expiry tracking
record keeping
audit evidence
role-to-licence matching

As your workforce grows, this quickly becomes complex and error-prone.

This is one of the main reasons many organisations move to specialist recruitment partners.

If you are planning to expand or replace staff, you can start a structured hiring request here:
👉 https://handdservices.co.uk/hire-talent/

How a specialist security recruitment agency reduces licence risk

A professional security recruitment agency does not simply collect licence numbers.

They embed licence verification into their recruitment and deployment workflows.

This usually includes:

verification before shortlisting
verification before deployment
role-matching checks
expiry monitoring
rapid replacement if a licence lapses

This significantly reduces operational and legal exposure.

You can review a compliant recruitment model here:
👉 https://handdservices.co.uk/security-recruitment-agency/

Checking SIA licences for different security environments

Let’s look at how licence checking applies across typical commercial environments.

Corporate offices and business parks

You should verify that officers working in reception, access control and visitor management:

hold a valid guarding licence
are authorised for public-facing duties
are trained for incident escalation and reporting

Retail and shopping centres

Retail security officers usually require:

guarding or door supervision licences (depending on duties)
conflict management capability
loss prevention awareness

Licence type must reflect their role in confrontation and access control.

Logistics, warehouses and industrial sites

Here, you should verify:

guarding licences
lone working capability
night shift and mobile patrol suitability

CCTV and control room operations

This is one of the most commonly misunderstood areas.

If an officer is monitoring public space CCTV:

they must hold the correct CCTV licence
a guarding licence alone is not sufficient

This mistake often appears during client audits.

Can you check SIA licences in bulk?

The public register is designed primarily for individual searches.

For larger workforces, manual checking becomes time-consuming.

This is another reason why organisations operating multiple sites rely on recruitment partners that:

integrate licence tracking into workforce systems
automate reminders
manage redeployments

What should you include in your internal SIA checking policy?

If you manage security in-house, your policy should clearly define:

who performs licence checks
when checks are performed
how records are stored
how expiry is monitored
what happens when a licence is invalid or expired

Without a written process, compliance often becomes inconsistent.

How licence checking fits into a compliant hiring process

SIA licence verification should not stand alone.

It should be part of a wider security recruitment and vetting framework, including:

identity verification
employment history validation
reference checks
behavioural screening
site suitability assessment

If you would like to review a full recruitment and vetting process, you can request a tailored quotation here:
👉 https://handdservices.co.uk/get-a-quote/

The business impact of poor licence verification

When licence checks fail, the consequences extend beyond compliance.

Businesses frequently experience:

delayed site mobilisation
client contract issues
increased audit scrutiny
reputational harm
internal management pressure

These problems are far more expensive than building proper verification processes.

How to safely start hiring licensed security officers

If you are planning to hire new officers, replace existing staff, or launch a new site, the safest approach is to begin with a structured request that includes:

site type
shift requirements
licence categories
coverage hours
risk profile

You can submit your hiring requirements here:
👉 https://handdservices.co.uk/hire-talent/

If you prefer to receive a tailored proposal based on your operational needs, you can request a quote here:
👉 https://handdservices.co.uk/get-a-quote/

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to employ a security officer without checking their licence?

No. You must take reasonable steps to ensure anyone carrying out licensable activity holds a valid SIA licence.

Can a security officer work while their licence renewal is pending?

If their licence has expired and a new licence has not been issued, they cannot carry out licensable activity.

Always verify current status through the SIA register.

Can one licence cover multiple security roles?

Only if the licence category matches the duties being performed. Different roles may require different licence types.

Should clients also check licences even if they use a contractor?

Yes. You should always have visibility of licence verification as part of your supplier assurance.

Final thoughts

Knowing how to check if a security officer is SIA licensed is not just an administrative task.

It is a critical part of protecting:

your organisation
your clients
your staff
and your legal position

By using the official SIA register, verifying licence type and status, recording checks properly and working with specialist recruitment providers, you dramatically reduce compliance risk and operational disruption.

If your organisation would like to strengthen its recruitment and licence verification process, the safest next step is to engage with a specialist security recruitment partner or submit a structured hiring request today.

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How to Check If a Security Officer Is SIA Licensed