A Notice of Renewal of the Security Agency licence will be mailed to the company’s Director, approximately two months before the expiry of the existing licence.
The Renewal Notice will provide detailed information on the requirements to submit a renewal application.
A Security Agency's licence is required if your company is involved in any of the following:
- Engage in the business of supplying, for reward, the services of Security Officers to other persons;
- Advertise, or in any way hold out, that the person supplies for reward, or is willing to supply for reward, the services of Security Officers.
SA Licensees will no longer receive hardcopy mailers by post from PLRD. Upon approval and successful fee payment, licensees will receive an email containing softcopy licence and corresponding licensing conditions. Licensees can check for their licence status via GoBusiness Dashboard.
Please note that there will be legislative changes to the Private Security Industry (Private Investigation and Security Agencies) Regulations 2009 with effect from 15 Sep 2025.
The changes include the change in reporting requirements with respect to changes of business names and officers, i.e. directors and partners, of security agencies. For change of directors/partners and change of business name, licensees should update ACRA directly within 14 days of the change, and there is no longer a requirement to inform PRD if this had already been done.
Alternatively, you may refer to the amended legislation which is available online.
1.1 Type of Application
Please note that there will be legislative changes to the Private Security Industry (Private Investigation and Security Agencies) Regulations 2009 with effect from 15 Sep 2025.
The changes include the change in reporting requirements with respect to changes of business names and officers, i.e. directors and partners, of security agencies. For change of directors/partners and change of business name, licensees should update ACRA directly within 14 days of the change, and there is no longer a requirement to inform PRD if this had already been done. You may refer to the SPF's website for more details.
Alternatively, you may refer to the amended legislation which is available online.
| Types of Applications |
Validity |
Fees (Non-refundable) |
| New Security Agency Licence |
1 Year | $400 |
| Renewal of Security Agency Licence |
1 Year (Passed Core competencies) or 2 Years (Passed Core and Elective Competencies) |
$400 |
| Amendment of existing Security Agency Licence |
N/A | N/A |
| Cancel of existing Security Agency Licence |
N/A | N/A |
| Withdrawal of Security Agency Licence Application |
N/A | N/A |
New
This is for persons who wish to apply for a Security Agency Licence.
You may submit a new Security Agency Licence via GoBusiness portal
Renew
This is for persons who wish to apply to renew an existing Security Agency Licence.
You may submit your renewal of Security Agency Licence via GoBusiness portal
Amend Licence Details
You can amend the following information of your existing Security Agency licence:
- Business operating address or details of branch office
- Details of Director / LLP Manager or Partner / Officer Bearer
- Contact details
- Employment or termination of licensed Security Officer
- Security Officer's employment grade
- Deployment site
Cancellation of Licence
You are permitted to terminate your existing Security Agency licence any time before its expiration.
Please be informed that there will be no refund of licence fees upon cancelling the existing Security Agency licence.
Withdrawal
You can withdraw your application for a Security Agency Licence any time before licence approval.
If licence has been approved and issued, you will have to submit a request to cancel the licence.
1.2 Licensing Criteria for Security Agency
Licensing Criteria for Security Agency
To be eligible for a new Security Agency’s licence or a renewal of an existing licence, the business entity must meet the following criteria:
Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) Registration
- A registered business entity with ACRA
Company Directors/Partners
- There must be at least 2 directors/partners
- All directors/partners must be fit and proper persons1
- The directors/partners of the business entity must fulfill the following requirements:
| First Director/Partner | Second Director/Partner | Other Director/ Partner (if any) |
|
|
|
Security Agencies Competency Evaluation (SACE)
Unless exempted by the Licensing Officer, applicants must pass the Security Agencies Competency Evaluation (SACE) conducted by the Police Licensing & Regulatory Department and the Ministry of Manpower, to be eligible for an SA licence.
- Applicants who pass all the prescribed core competencies are eligible for a 1-year licence;
- Applicants who pass all the prescribed core competencies,and the stipulated number of elective competencies (as specified by the Licensing Officer) are eligible for a 2-year licence; and
- First time applicants (“FTAs”) must pass 3 core competencies to be eligible for a 1-year licence. FTAs are not eligible to opt for elective competency assessment.
Other Requirements
- An initial paid-up capital4of SGD$500,000
- A physical office
- Certified with bizSAFE Level 25, and bizSAFE Level 3 for annual licence renewal.
1Section 21(8) and 21(9) of the Private Security Industry Act 2007 states:
In deciding whether a person or an officer^ of a business entity is a fit and proper person, the licensing officer may consider any of the following matters as indicating that the person or officer may not be a fit and proper person:
- that the person or officer associates with a criminal in a way that indicates involvement in an unlawful activity;
- that in dealings in which the person or officer has been involved, the person or officer —
- has shown dishonesty or lack of integrity; or
- used harassing tactics;
- that the person or officer is or was suffering from a mental disorder; or
- that the person or officer is an undischarged bankrupt or has entered into a composition with his debtors.
The above mentioned shall not limit the circumstances in which a person or an officer of a business entity may be considered by the licensing officer not to be a fit and proper person.
^“officer”, in relation to a business entity, means —
- a director, partner, member of the board of management, chief executive, manager, secretary or other similar officer of a business entity that is a body corporate;
- a partner of a business entity that is a partnership; or
- a president, secretary, or any member of the committee of management of a business entity that is an unincorporated association (other than a partnership), or any person holding a position analogous to that of president, secretary or member of a committee, and includes a person who can control or substantially influence the conduct of the affairs of the business entity.
2A director/partner who is not a Singapore Citizen or a Permanent Resident of Singapore shall submit a Certificate of Non-Criminal Conviction (CNCC) from their country of origin.
3Foreign directors who do not hold a work pass issued by MOM and are not based in Singapore may seek approval from the Licensing Officer for exemption from the requisite WSQ certification requirement. The business entity is required to submit the necessary documents, including a letter of undertaking to affirm that their foreign directors are not issued with Singapore work passes (work visas) and not involved in the daily management of the security agency.
4The requirement of initial paid-up capital is only applicable to First Time Applicants (FTAs). The requirement is not applicable to existing licensed SAs when they apply to renew their licences.
5Existing security agencies must attain a minimum of bizSAFE Level 3 for licence renewal.
1.3 Documents Required
Amend Licence Details
You are required to obtain the following documents before amending your existing Security Agency licence.
| For amendment of: | Documents required: | Fees |
| Business operating address or details of branch office |
No documents required |
No fees required |
| Details of Director / LLP Manager or Partner / Officer Bearer |
No documents required |
No fees required |
| Contact details |
No documents required |
No fees required |
| Employment ortermination of Security Officer |
||
| Security Officer's employment grade |
||
| Deployment site |
Cancellation of Licence
No document is required.
Withdrawal
No document is required.
1.4 Estimated Completion Time
Estimated time to Complete
15 min
Processing time
| Type of Application |
Processing Time |
| New |
|
| Renewal |
|
| Amend Licence Details |
|
| Cancel Licence |
Immediate upon receipt of your Cancellation Request. |
| Withdrawal |
Immediate upon receipt of your Withdrawal Request. |
1.5 Contact Details