California · Security Guard Registration
California security guard license lookup through the BSIS “Verify a License” link.
The Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) licenses and regulates the private security industry in California. Its home page links to the Department of Consumer Affairs licence search; this page explains the route and links to it.
Short answer: use Verify a License on the BSIS home page, which opens the DCA licence search at search.dca.ca.gov. This page does not look anyone up.
Who BSIS regulates
BSIS describes itself as licensing and regulating the Alarm, Locksmith, Private Investigator, Private Security Services and Repossession industries. Its Apply Now page lists a Security Guard registration application and a Security Guard registration renewal application among other licence and permit types, plus separate entries for firearms permits, baton permits, training facilities and training instructors.
The “I Would Like to…” menu on the BSIS home page includes Verify a License, which links to the Department of Consumer Affairs search at search.dca.ca.gov.
Open the official search
Where the lookup sits
The BSIS home page shows a short menu: apply for a licence, renew, verify a licence, file a complaint and report unlicensed activity. Checking a person is a separate step from applying, so start from Verify a License rather than the application pages.
Licence types are separate
BSIS lists many categories on its Apply Now page, such as Security Guard, Firearms Permit, Baton Permit and Private Patrol Operator. A guard may hold more than one, so a search result for one type does not describe the others.
What this page does not do
It does not check anyone’s status and does not publish a number-format rule, because none is documented on the pages read.
Official sources used
- www.bsis.ca.gov/ (read November 2, 2026)
- www.bsis.ca.gov/licenses.shtml (read November 2, 2026)
Common mix-ups
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Often assumedBSIS runs its own separate licence database.
What the source saysThe BSIS home page 'I Would Like to...' menu includes Verify a License, which links to the Department of Consumer Affairs search at search.dca.ca.gov. [1]
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Often assumedBSIS only regulates security guards.
What the source saysBSIS describes itself as licensing and regulating the Alarm, Locksmith, Private Investigator, Private Security Services and Repossession industries. [1]
Checked against these sources on .
Frequently asked questions
How do I verify a California security guard?
Use the Verify a License link on the BSIS home page, which opens the Department of Consumer Affairs licence search.
Who regulates security guards in California?
The Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, which also licenses alarm, locksmith, private investigator and repossession industries.
Does BSIS list a firearms permit separately?
Yes. Its Apply Now page lists firearms and baton permits as their own categories.
Does this page verify a licence?
No. It describes the official search and links to it.
Guide only — not a verification tool
This page describes official registers and links to them. It does not check anyone’s licence status, does not copy or proxy any register, and nothing you might type here is transmitted anywhere. Registers change and licensing rules differ by state and city; use the official source linked above and contact the regulator to confirm anything that matters. This is general information, not legal advice.