An SIA licence expires after three years, and it won’t renew itself. If you intend to keep working in the same role in the private security industry, renewing your SIA licence needs careful timing. Some sectors require refresher training or top-up training before you apply.
The awkward part is that training, first aid and the application process are separate requirements, with training requirements varying by security sector. Missing one can leave an otherwise straightforward application stuck at the wrong point.
Here is what applies in 2026, including the areas that often cause confusion.
SIA licence renewal: the dates and fee that matter
Your current expiry date is the date to work from. Don’t leave it until the final week, particularly where required training and a first-aid certificate are also needed.
Apply up to four months before expiry
The security industry authority allows you to submit a renewal application up to four months before your licence expires. Applying early gives time for training records, identity checks and any information the SIA needs to review.
You must use your personal SIA account. The official SIA licence renewal guidance confirms that a licence does not renew automatically, even if you have held it without issue for years.
A renewal application is only available while you hold a valid licence. It is not a way to tidy up an expired licence after the fact.
The current renewal application fee is £204
The published licence application fee is £204 as of September 2026. It is the same fee charged for a new licence application.
That licence application fee, also called the renewal fee, is separate from training, first-aid training and any travel or assessment costs charged by a training provider. A course price that appears low can be less of a bargain once those missing pieces are added.
Rules and fees can change. Check the current figure before payment rather than relying on an old course advert or a message in a group chat.
If your licence has already expired
You cannot renew a licence once it has expired. You must make a new licence application instead.
This applies whether it expired yesterday or several years ago. There is no separate published SIA rule that creates a different route once the licence has been expired for more than three years. The practical point is simpler: once the expiry date has passed, renewal is no longer available.
Refresher training requirements by licence type
Refresher training isn’t the same thing as renewing a licence. Training updates your qualification where the SIA requires it. Renewal involves the application, payment and checks completed through your SIA account.
The course you need depends on your security sector. These dates can change, so check the current published SIA requirements before booking.
Door Supervisor licence holders
For a Door Supervisor licence, the current 2026 requirement is the relevant refresher qualification and a valid Emergency First Aid at Work certificate, or the accepted first-aid equivalent.
The door supervisor refresher covers current security responsibilities, practical searching, keeping vulnerable people safe, terror threat awareness and physical intervention. It isn’t a decorative half-day certificate. The course includes knowledge assessments and practical assessment work.
Door Supervisor refresher training became mandatory for renewals on 1 April 2025. Book early enough to deal with any failed assessment, resit requirement or missing first-aid evidence.
Security Guard licence holders
Security Guard licence holders also need the relevant refresher qualification and EFAW, or an accepted first-aid equivalent, before renewal.
The security guard refresher is shorter than the Door Supervisor course. It still includes assessed content on searching, safeguarding vulnerable people and terror threat awareness, alongside a practical searching assessment.
The difference matters. A Door Supervisor course may be more training than a Security Guard renewal requires, while a Security Guard refresher course isn’t the appropriate route for renewing a Door Supervisor licence.
Close protection licence holders
Close protection refresher training became mandatory on 1 April 2026. To renew, you need the Level 2 Award for Close Protection Operatives in the Private Security Industry (Refresher).
You also need a suitable Level 3 first-aid certificate. The SIA lists First Aid at Work, First Person on Scene and First Response Emergency Care as examples, along with accepted equivalents.
Close protection work brings different operational expectations. The course includes knowledge assessment and practical searching assessment, rather than treating a past qualification as permanent proof of current competence.
CCTV operator licence holders
The current published requirements do not introduce a mandatory SIA refresher course for CCTV operator, also called Public Space Surveillance, licence holders.
That doesn’t mean training is pointless. Employers, contracts and site procedures may still require current knowledge or additional instruction. It means you shouldn’t book a course simply because another SIA sector has a refresher requirement.
Refresher training applies to named licence sectors. Don’t assume that a rule for door supervision also applies to CCTV work.
First-aid certificates must be checked before booking
First aid is often where renewal plans come unstuck. It must be valid when refresher training begins, not merely on the day you submit your application.
Emergency First Aid at Work for door supervisors and guards
Door Supervisor and Security Guard courses require Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) or an accepted equivalent.
Emergency First Aid at Work must have at least 12 months left to run when your course begins. A certificate that expires in eight months may still be in date, but it doesn’t meet that entry requirement.
Check the issue date, end date and qualification title before booking. If in doubt, ask the training provider to confirm acceptance before you pay for your place.
Level 3 first aid for close protection
Close Protection applicants need a Level 3 first aid qualification with at least 12 months’ validity remaining when training starts.
EFAW isn’t enough for this route. First Aid at Work, FPOS and FREC are among the qualifications named by the SIA. Both the level and remaining validity matter.
Keep the original certificate or clear evidence ready. A photograph with a cropped date or unreadable name won’t help when eligibility needs to be checked.
Course duration, self-study and assessments
Course adverts often focus on the quickest available date. The better question is whether the course meets the SIA’s required learning and assessment time for refresher training.
Security Guard course length
Security Guard training has a minimum delivery time of four hours, or half a day, without self-study. Where approved self-study is used, the minimum contact time can be 3.5 hours.
The SIA describes the overall course as between half a day and one day of in-person training, depending on the self-study arrangement. Provider timetables may differ, so check exactly what must be completed before attendance.
Door Supervisor refresher course length
Door Supervisor training requires at least 17 hours across three days without self-study. With self-study, the minimum is 15 hours across two days.
The Door Supervisor knowledge assessment has a 70% pass mark. The practical skills assessment requires 80%.
Close Protection training totals 34 hours. This includes 14 hours and 45 minutes of self-study, plus at least 19 hours and 15 minutes of contact time across 2.5 days. Its multiple-choice assessment is 35 questions in 55 minutes, with a 71% pass mark. The practical searching element requires 100%.
Switching SIA licence sectors at renewal time
A change of role may alter your route through the security sector. If you plan to switch licences, decide before booking a course.
Moving between Door Supervisor and Security Guard
A Door Supervisor licence holder can follow the route for that sector and renew it. They can also choose the Security Guard route if they intend to move into Security Guard work.
Any refresher training must match the sector you’re entering. The reverse matters too. Training for Security Guard work won’t renew the other route. Physical intervention is part of the Door Supervisor qualification, so these sectors aren’t interchangeable.
Close Protection holders moving into door supervision
A close protection licence holder can follow the route for that sector when renewing. They can also move into door supervision by completing the relevant course.
The SIA says you can’t renew a licence unless you currently hold a licence in that sector. Check the Security Industry Authority’s official information for current licensing criteria if your work is changing or you hold more than one type of licence.
Completing the online renewal application
Once your required training is complete, log into your personal account and complete the online application. The SIA’s online licence service is the proper route for applications and renewals.
Have the basics ready before you begin
Complete the application carefully and honestly. Expect to confirm your personal details, pay the current published fee of £204 and provide information requested by the SIA.
The SIA may carry out criminal record checks and other relevant checks. Completing the training doesn’t guarantee approval, as the SIA still applies its published licensing criteria.
Keep evidence and check your account
Save copies of your first-aid certificate, refresher qualification and payment confirmation. Check that your name matches across documents, especially if you have changed your name since the original application.
Monitor your account after submitting the renewal application. If the SIA asks for further information, deal with it promptly. A missed message can cause more delay than the application itself.
Key points to check before submission
A practical renewal file is unglamorous, but it prevents expensive last-minute mistakes:
- Check your expiry date and apply no earlier than four months before it.
- Confirm that your course matches the licence sector you are renewing or switching into.
- Make sure first aid has at least 12 months left when refresher training starts.
- Keep your certificates, identity details and account information consistent.
- Budget for the £204 SIA fee separately from training costs.
The renewal application and refresher course are connected, but they are not the same job. Treat each as its own requirement.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply after my SIA licence has expired?
No. Once the licence has expired, it can’t be renewed. You need to submit a new licence application through your personal SIA account.
Don’t assume you can continue licensed work while sorting it out. Check your status and speak to your employer before accepting shifts that require an active licence.
Do CCTV operator licence holders need refresher training before renewal?
Current SIA guidance does not require refresher training for CCTV Operator or Public Space Surveillance renewal.
Your employer may still require site training, updated procedures or contract-specific instruction. Those are workplace requirements, not automatically an SIA condition.
What first-aid certificate do I need for a Door Supervisor licence?
You need Emergency First Aid at Work, or an accepted equivalent. It must have at least 12 months remaining when your course begins.
For Close Protection, the requirement is higher. You need a Level 3 first aid qualification, such as First Aid at Work, FPOS or FREC, or an equivalent accepted by the SIA.
How long is security guard refresher training?
The minimum is four hours without self-study, or 3.5 hours with self-study. Courses may be scheduled differently, but are commonly delivered in half a day or up to one day.
Check whether pre-course learning is required. Turning up without completing it can mean losing your place.
Keep the renewal process ordinary and organised
The process is manageable when you start early and check first-aid validity before the course date. Book refresher training that matches the role you plan to continue or enter in the security sector.
A valid licence, the right qualification and accurate application information keep the process where it belongs: routine professional administration, not a last-minute problem.
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