Georgia Security Officer License Renewal

Georgia does things differently. Unarmed guards are not registered with the state at all, and every armed registration and weapon permit expires on the same day: August 31 of each odd-numbered year.

Who issues Georgia security credentials

The Georgia Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies, part of the Secretary of State's Licensing Division, licenses security companies and registers their employees under O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 38. The Board no longer accepts paper applications. Everything goes through the state's GOALS online portal (Georgia Board page).

The Board's FAQ answers the first question most employers ask: "Unarmed security guards are not required to be registered with the Board but are required to be trained in accordance with the Board's laws and rules." Each employee registration is tied to a specific employer's license, and applicants must be at least 18, or 21 for armed licenses (Board FAQ).

Training every officer needs

Basic training. Since January 1, 2022, all private security employees need at least 24 hours of classroom instruction, armed or not (Rule 509-3-.02).
Records. Board-mandated training records go in each employee's file, and employers must keep documentation of courses completed after January 1, 2022 for five years (Rule 509-3-.01).
Armed officers also need at least 15 hours of handgun training, with a minimum score of 80% on the firing range (Rule 509-3-.10).

For unarmed guards, those training records are the only paper trail the state expects you to have, so they deserve the same care as a license.

The shared expiration date

Board rules state that "employee registrations and/or weapon permits issued by the Board shall expire on August 31 of each odd-numbered year" (Rule 509-2-.01). That makes the next deadline August 31, 2027, for every registered employee in the state at once.

The Secretary of State's guide fills in the timing (SOS how-to guide):

Renewal is completed online and is due by August 31 of odd-numbered years.
The renewal period begins 90 days before expiration, and the portal is not available before then.
The late renewal period runs September 1 to September 30.

Missing the late period is serious. Under Rule 509-2-.01, failing to renew by the end of September has the same effect as a revocation of the registration or weapon permit. Company licenses run on a different schedule, expiring June 30 of odd-numbered years (Rule 509-2-.01).

Fees

The GOALS fee schedule for security guard employees lists a $65 renewal fee, a $15 late renewal fee, and a $70 reinstatement fee. The same schedule says every application also carries a $10 processing fee (GOALS fee schedules). Reinstatement applies to a prior license held with the same company (SOS how-to guide).

Continuing education and requalification

Eight hours of CE before each renewal. Registered security employees need two hours of homeland security, two hours of firearms-related training, and four hours of industry training. Employees renewing for the first time since the license was granted are exempt. The registrant and the employer are both responsible for providing proof to the Board on request (Rule 509-3-.12).
CE Broker. The Board's FAQ says licensees must report continuing education coursework to CE Broker (Board FAQ).
Annual weapon requalification. "The holder of any weapon permit issued by the Board must qualify annually with the weapon carried or assigned," and proof of range scores must be kept by the license holder or the agency (Rule 509-4-.01).

Working without an active registration

The SOS guide is direct: "You may not legally perform services until you hold an active license." According to the Board's FAQ, practicing without the required license or registration is a misdemeanor, each day counts as a separate offense, and a company that aids and abets an employee's unlicensed practice can face suspension or revocation of its company license (Board FAQ).

Employer duties

When a registered employee dies, resigns, or is terminated, the employer must notify the Board within 30 days and mail in the employee's registration and any weapon permits (Rule 509-2-.03).
When a registered employee changes jobs, the new employer submits a new application and fee on the employee's behalf.
An on-duty weapon discharge must be reported within ten business days (Rule 509-4-.05).

To check a registration, use the Secretary of State's GOALS Licensee Search and choose "Private Detective & Security Agencies" as the profession type (Board FAQ).

What to track for each Georgia officer

The 24-hour training certificate for every guard, armed or unarmed, kept for five years.
For registered employees, the August 31, 2027 expiration, with a reminder when renewal opens about 90 days earlier.
CE hours by category, so each officer has all eight before renewing.
For weapon permit holders, the date of the last annual qualification and the range score.