PSA LicenceIreland
Your complete guide to obtaining a Private Security Authority licence in Ireland. Everything you need to know about training, costs, requirements, and starting your career in the security industry.
Quick Facts
What is the PSA?
The Private Security Authority (PSA) is the statutory body responsible for regulating and licensing the private security industry in Ireland. Established under the Private Security Services Act 2004, the PSA ensures that all security personnel and contractors meet professional standards.
If you want to work in any security role in Ireland -whether as a door supervisor, security guard, monitoring centre guard, or private investigator -you must hold a valid PSA licence. Working without one is a criminal offence.
Legally Required
Mandatory for all security work
Quality Assured
Standardised training across Ireland
Background Checked
Garda vetting for all applicants
Publicly Verifiable
Employers can check licence validity
Licence Categories
Choose the right licence for your career path
Door Supervisor
Work as a door supervisor at or near a licensed premises, such as a pub or nightclub. At an event, the PSA says a Door Supervisor licence can be used in all areas.
Requirements
- At least 18 years old
- The training below
- Garda vetting
Career Options
- • Nightclub security
- • Pub doorman
- • Event security
- • Hotel security
Security Guard (Guarding)
Guard property against loss, damage or waste by crime, fire, carelessness or flood: offices, shops, sites and other premises. This licence used to be called Security Guard (Static).
Requirements
- At least 18 years old
- The training below
- Garda vetting
Career Options
- • Corporate security
- • Retail loss prevention
- • Site security
- • Concierge security
Cash-in-Transit
Only for employees of cash-in-transit companies: crews who move cash by vehicle, staff who process cash or handle it in a secure vault, control centre staff, and their supervisors.
Requirements
- At least 18 years old
- The training below
- A training declaration signed by you and the company training officer (form CIT-TRDF)
- Garda vetting
Career Options
- • Vehicle crew
- • Cash processing
- • Cash handling in a secure vault
- • Control centre
Security Guard (Monitoring)
Only for employees of monitoring companies. You work in a monitoring centre: a continuously staffed remote centre that receives the status of alarm or CCTV systems.
Requirements
- At least 18 years old
- The training below
- Garda vetting
Career Options
- • Alarm monitoring centre
- • CCTV monitoring centre
Private Investigator
Investigate matters for a client: for example, finding information about a person or a business, searching for missing persons, or looking into loss of or damage to property.
Requirements
- At least 18 years old
- The training below
- Garda vetting
Career Options
- • Insurance investigations
- • Corporate investigations
- • Family law cases
- • Missing persons
The PSA also licenses Enforcement Guards and people working in Event Security. It has no separate licence for mobile patrol work, and none called CCTV operator: CCTV monitoring in a monitoring centre needs a Security Guard (Monitoring) licence.
Sources, checked 6 October 2026: PSA: Who is Licensable? (Employees); PSA: Training Information; PSA: Monitoring Centres; PSA: Applying For A First Licence (Employees); PSA 87:2022, private investigator employees; PSA 88:2022, event security employees; Private Security Services Act 2004, section 22; S.I. No. 574 of 2022; S.I. No. 484 of 2012 (cash-in-transit) and S.I. No. 54 of 2018 (monitoring centres).
How to Get Your Licence
Step-by-step guide to applying for a PSA licence
Check Your Eligibility
Self-assessmentBefore starting, ensure you meet the basic requirements for a PSA licence.
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be legally entitled to work in Ireland
- Have no disqualifying criminal convictions
- Be of good character and suitable for security work
Certain convictions may not automatically disqualify you. The PSA considers each case individually.
Complete Approved Training
Course length: ask the providerDo your training with a PSA approved training provider.
- Choose a provider from the PSA's list of approved training providers
- Complete the training for your licence (see Licence Categories above)
- Pass all assessments and examinations
- Obtain your training certificate
Ask each provider for its price, course dates and course length. The PSA does not run training courses or provide funding for training.
Register and Pay Online
Pack posted within 5 daysStart from "Applying For A First Licence (Employees)" on psa-gov.ie. You register and pay for your application online.
- Pay the fee for your licence: €90 for Security Guard (Guarding), €150 for Door Supervisor, €220 for both together (all fees below)
- The PSA posts you a personalised application pack within 5 days
- The PSA does not refund the fee if your application is refused
Apply within 36 months of finishing your training. The PSA does not accept older training for a first licence.
Return Your Signed Application Pack
Within 21 days of payingSign the application form back and front. Return it to the PSA within 21 days of paying, with these documents:
- A colour copy of your passport, driving licence or EU identity card
- A colour passport photograph
- Your training certificate(s). Once it is 6 months since your course, the PSA needs your QQI certificate
- A foreign criminal record certificate, if you have spent six months or more in another jurisdiction since the age of 15
- Non-EEA nationals: an IRP or TRC card with a Labour Market Access Permission letter
Use the pre-addressed envelope in the pack. If the form is not complete or a document is missing, the PSA sends the application back to you.
Complete Garda Vetting Online
Invite by emailWhen your application has been processed, you get a Garda vetting invite by email. Complete it and submit it online.
- Your application pack explains how to complete the vetting form
- Fill in every form accurately and truthfully
- The PSA decides once it has all your documents and your Garda vetting result
Add the PSA's and the Garda National Vetting Bureau's email addresses to your safe senders, and check your spam folder. The PSA says it is up to you to make sure you get their emails.
Decision and Your Licence
About 6 weeksThe PSA says a new application takes about six weeks to process. It checks for criminal records, makes sure your training documents are valid and carries out other checks.
- Allow at least six weeks before contacting the PSA about your application
- Security Guard (Guarding) and Door Supervisor licences last 3 years
- Renew before it expires. The PSA emails a reminder about two months before expiry
When you have your licence, the PSA places you on its register of Employee Licence Holders.
Sources, checked 6 October 2026: the PSA's pages Applying For A First Licence (Employees), Renew Your Licence (Employees) and Training Information.
Costs & Investment
What you'll need to budget for your PSA licence
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Training course | Ask the provider |
| Security Guard (Guarding) licence | €90 |
| Door Supervisor licence | €150 |
| Door Supervisor and Security Guard (Guarding) together | €220 |
| Security Guard (Monitoring) licence | €90 |
| Cash-in-Transit licence | €150 |
| Private Investigator licence | €90 |
| Enforcement Guard licence | €90 |
| Temporary Licence (Event) | €30 |
| Replacement licence or ID card | €20 |
Sources, checked 6 October 2026: the PSA's pages Licence Fees (Employees), Security Guard (Guarding), Door Supervision and Lost or Stolen Licences and Identity Cards.
Financial Assistance
If you are a jobseeker, ask your Employment Personal Adviser or Job Coach at Intreo about the Training Support Grant from the Department of Social Protection. It can pay up to €1,000 a year towards a short course, and gov.ie names “security industry permits” among its examples. The grant is paid to the training provider after the course. It is only for training that a state provider, such as an Education and Training Board, does not already offer near you in a reasonable time.
Source, checked 6 October 2026: gov.ie: Training Support Grant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about PSA licences
Q:How long does it take to get a PSA licence?
The PSA says it takes about six weeks to process a new application, and asks you to allow at least six weeks before contacting it about the status. Add the time for your training course and for posting back your application pack.
Q:Can I work while my application is being processed?
No. You cannot work in any licensable security role until you have received your PSA licence card. Providing a security service without a licence is a criminal offence under section 37 of the Private Security Services Act 2004. The penalty can be a fine, up to five years in prison, or both.
Source, checked 6 October 2026: Private Security Services Act 2004, section 37.
Q:Will a criminal record prevent me from getting a licence?
Not necessarily. The PSA assesses each application individually. Minor or old offences may not prevent approval. Serious or recent offences, especially violent or dishonesty-related crimes, are more likely to result in refusal. You can appeal a decision.
Q:Do I need to renew my licence?
Yes. Security Guard (Guarding) and Door Supervisor licences last 3 years. Renew before yours expires, on the PSA's renewals website. The PSA emails a reminder about two months before expiry. You can still renew online for up to six months after it expires. After that it is treated as a first application, but you do not need to send your training again.
Q:Can I work in multiple security roles with one licence?
Each licence category covers specific activities. A Door Supervisor licence doesn't allow you to work as a Static Guard. However, you can hold multiple licences simultaneously. Many security professionals hold both Door Supervisor and Security Guard licences.
Q:Is my Irish PSA licence valid in the UK?
No. The PSA licence is only valid in the Republic of Ireland. For work in Northern Ireland or Great Britain, you need an SIA (Security Industry Authority) licence. The qualifications are not directly transferable.
Q:What happens if I lose my licence card?
The PSA issues a replacement if your licence or ID card is lost, stolen or damaged. The fee is €20. Fill in form PSA D1/2011, have it signed and stamped at your local Garda station, and send it to the PSA with the fee.
Q:Can non-Irish citizens get a PSA licence?
Yes. With the application, the PSA asks all non-EEA nationals for an "IRP card (Irish Residence Permit) OR TRC card (Temporary Residence Card) with Labour Market Access Permission letter".
Source, checked 6 October 2026: PSA: Applying For A First Licence (Employees).
Official PSA Contact Information
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