Hiring a security worker without checking the right licence can expose a business to serious trouble. The SIA licence checker lets employers confirm whether a person holds a current licence for the work they will do. Follow these steps before a guard starts on a shop floor, construction site, event, or office. Businesses reviewing their wider staffing requirements may also benefit from this overview of commercial security guard services.
Step 1: Find the Correct SIA Licence Details
Start with the exact details of the person you plan to hire. The SIA licence checker works best when the search data matches the worker’s official record.
Ask the worker for their SIA licence card details, or ask them to provide the licence number from their online account. A licence number is usually the clearest way to search. If you don’t have it, you may be able to search by the person’s name, but common names can bring up more than one result.
Check the spelling before you search. A small error in a surname can make a valid record hard to find. If the worker has changed their name, ask which name appears on the SIA record. Don’t rely on a CV alone, since a CV may show an old licence or the wrong licence type.
The work itself also matters. A person may hold an SIA licence for one role but not another. For example, a door supervisor licence is not the same as a security guarding licence. Employers must check the role as well as the person.
Employers should check that a worker has the correct licence before assigning them private security work.
- Ask for the licence number first.
- Confirm the worker’s full name.
- Write down the role they will perform.
- Keep the details in a restricted HR or compliance record.
By now, you should have one clear search route and a defined role to compare against the result.
Step 2: Search the Official SIA Licence Checker
Use the official SIA licence checker rather than a private search page. It is the source that shows whether a licence record is present on the public register.
Open the search page and choose the search method shown on the page. Enter the licence number if you have it. This normally gives a more precise result than a name search. If you search by name, enter the details carefully and compare the result with the worker’s identity.
Don’t treat a search result as proof on its own. Read the full record. Look for the name, licence type, current status, and expiry date. If the result shows several people with similar names, stop and confirm which record belongs to the person you want to hire.
A screenshot can help with an internal audit, but it shouldn’t replace a written record of what you checked. Save the date of the search and the result you saw. If your company has several sites, use the same check method for each worker so managers follow one process.
The search page may also help you distinguish an individual licence record from a contractor approval record. Those are different checks. An approved contractor record does not prove that every person sent to your site holds the right individual licence.
Nexus Security Serviceses Ltd can help businesses set up a worker verification process alongside manned guarding, mobile patrol, or site protection. That matters when several operatives start at different times and a site manager needs a clear handoff.
If the register returns no match, don’t assume the worker is unlicensed straight away. Recheck the number and name. Then ask the worker to confirm the details through their SIA account before they begin work.
Step 3: Check the Licence Status and Expiry Date
The SIA licence checker is useful only when you read the status and date together. A record may exist but still be unsuitable for the shift you need to cover.
First, check the status. Look for wording that shows the licence is current. If the record says the licence has expired, been suspended, or is otherwise not active, do not place the person in a licensable role until the issue is resolved.
Next, check the expiry date. A licence that expires soon may still be valid today, but it needs a renewal plan. Put a reminder in your HR system before the date shown. Give the worker time to deal with any application or document request, since a renewal may not complete on the day the old licence ends.
Match the result to the first day of work. If a guard starts on a Friday and the licence expires before the next scheduled shift, record that gap before you publish the rota. A verbal promise that renewal is underway is not the same as a current licence record.
Also compare the name in the search result with the person’s identity document. This step helps prevent a mix-up where a worker shows another person’s card or where two people with similar names are confused.
Keep a simple audit note with these fields:
- Worker’s full name.
- Licence number.
- Licence category.
- Status shown in the search result.
- Expiry date.
- Date and time of your search.
- Name of the person who completed the check.
Limit access to this record. It contains personal information, so only staff who need it for recruitment, scheduling, or compliance should date rather than storing the check and forgetting it.
For a retailer, the review may sit with the store manager. For a construction project, it may sit with the site manager or contract lead. The owner of the record should be clear before the first worker arrives.
Step 4: Confirm the Licence Category Matches the Work
The SIA licence checker can show that a licence exists, but you still need to decide whether it covers the planned duties. Start by writing down what the worker will actually do during the shift.
Compare those duties with the licence category shown in the result. Security guarding, door supervision, close protection, public space surveillance using CCTV, and cash and valuables in transit are separate front-line licence areas. A worker trained for one task may not be cleared for another. This distinction is also important when comparing different professional security services in the UK.
Take a door supervisor role as an example. If the worker will control entry at a venue, deal with refusals, or manage people at the door, a general assumption about “security work” is not enough. The category must fit the duties in the contract and the daily brief.
CCTV work needs the same care. A person who watches public space CCTV may need a public space surveillance licence. A guard who only patrols a building does not automatically hold that category. Read the role description line by line before assigning the shift.
You can review the licence information when a worker asks what their licence type means or how a new application works.
Some people also confuse a company’s approval with an individual’s licence. These checks answer different questions:
- An individual licence check asks if a person can perform a licensable security role.
- A contractor approval check asks if a security company appears on the relevant approved contractor register.
- A training record shows course completion, but it does not replace the licence check.
Make the category check part of the job brief. State the licence type required before procurement agrees the booking. That prevents a last-minute substitution with a worker who has the wrong permission for the site.
Nexus Security Serviceses Ltd uses role planning alongside its security services for retail, corporate, and construction settings. If your risk plan needs static guarding, CCTV monitoring, or mobile patrol security, the licence review should reflect the actual task rather than a broad job title.
Step 5: Record the Result and Resolve Any Concerns
Finish the SIA licence checker process by recording what you found and setting a clear action for anything that doesn’t match.
Use one record for each worker. Include the search date, the licence number, the result, and the role approved. Note who checked it. If you run several sites, add the site name and the contract or rota reference. This helps you trace the check later if a client, auditor, or manager asks for proof.
Don’t write more personal information than you need. Keep the record factual. A short note such as “current licence found, category matches night guarding duties, checked on [date]” is easier to review than a long narrative.
If the search shows no result, check the licence number again. Ask the worker to confirm their name and details. If the status is unclear, pause the assignment and seek clarification from the SIA or the worker’s employer through the proper account or support route.
If the licence category does not match the job, change the assignment or use a worker with the correct category. Do not ask someone to “cover for a few hours” in a role that falls outside their licence. A short shift still carries the same compliance risk.
If a worker says their application is in progress, treat that as an application, not a current licence. Applying does not guarantee approval.
Build a renewal review into your normal rota process. Set a reminder well before expiry and repeat the licence search after renewal. If a subcontractor supplies staff, require them to share updated licence details before the worker returns.
We recommend that Nexus Security Serviceses Ltd clients keep one named compliance owner for each contract. That person can review new starters, check expiry dates, and stop a booking when the record does not fit. It is a small control, but it prevents a gap between recruitment and deployment.
FAQ
What is the SIA licence checker?
The SIA licence checker is the public search tool for checking an individual’s private security licence record in the UK. You can use it to compare a worker’s name or licence number with their status and licence category. Employers should check the result before assigning someone to licensable security work.
How do I check an SIA licence by name?
You can search by name when you don’t have the licence number, but check the result carefully. Common names may return more than one record. Compare the result with the worker’s identity details, then confirm the status, category, and expiry date before making a booking.
How long does an SIA licence last?
Most SIA licences last for three years, while a vehicle immobiliser licence lasts for one year. The expiry date shown in the search results is the date to use for your check. Start renewal planning early, since an application in progress does not prove that a current licence remains active.
Does an SIA licence check include a DBS check?
An SIA application includes criminal record checks, but the licence checker is not a replacement for every recruitment check an employer may need. Use the search tool to confirm the licence record, then follow your own safer recruitment process. Record only the information needed for the hiring decision.
What should I do if an SIA licence cannot be found?
Check the number and spelling first, then ask the worker to confirm their details. If the record still cannot be found, don’t assign the person to licensable work until the issue is clear. Contact the relevant employer or SIA route for clarification and keep a note of the steps taken.
Conclusion
Use the SIA licence checker before every new security assignment, then match the result to the duties and shift dates. Keep a dated record and set renewal reminders. For businesses that want support with compliant guarding plans across UK sites, Nexus Security Serviceses Ltd can help review the role, staffing need, and handoff process before deployment, including arrangements covered by manned guarding services.
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