Louisiana registers security officers through the Louisiana State Board of Private Security Examiners (LSBPSE) under R.S. 37:3270 and following, with the details in the board's rules (LAC 46:LIX). A registration is tied to a licensed contract security company, so the process starts with a job offer.
What changed in 2026
- Train and clear before you work. Acts 613 and 683 of 2026 took effect August 1, 2026. For applications paid on or after that date, the board issues a card only after you have submitted every document, cleared the background check and finished 16 hours of classroom training.
- No working on an application. Once your company accepts your affiliation request you can appear on its roster, but you cannot work until you hold a registration card showing the company's name and your issue and expiration dates.
- No Social Security card. Submit your Social Security number, a passport-quality digital photo, a signed Form I-9 and a current government photo ID instead.
- More rules on October 20, 2026. New board rules change renewal dates, add training rules for batons, stun devices, pepper spray and handcuffs, and stretch the change-of-employment window from 30 to 60 days. Until then, the board says to follow the current rules.
Requirements
- At least 18 years old for an unarmed card, 21 for an armed card.
- A U.S. citizen or resident alien.
- Hired by a licensed contract security company. Working for two companies takes two registrations.
- Fingerprints for a state and FBI background check. The board directs applicants to IdentoGO with LSBPSE service code 27N43R.
- Convictions. A felony or crime of violence conviction bars the card unless you have a pardon or similar relief. If an arrest shows up without a recorded outcome, you have 30 days to get the written disposition from the district attorney or clerk of court, or the board can deny the application.
Training: S.O.S.T. 1101 and 1102
- 16 hours before your first shift: S.O.S.T. 1101, Introduction to Private Security, and S.O.S.T. 1102, Private Security in Action, 8 hours each, taught by a board-licensed classroom instructor.
- Each course ends in a 50-question exam. You need 70% to pass and get two attempts. Fail twice and you repeat the course.
- The instructor sends your results to the board within 15 days. The board posts free student resources for each course on its training page.
The 4-hour option
The 4-hour S.O.S.T. 1401 course counts as the basic classroom training for some applicants:
- Out-of-state officers registered in a state with requirements similar to Louisiana's. Louisiana residents who have held another state's registration for at least a year can also apply by endorsement under the Welcome Home Act. Email the board first, with the subject line "Licensure via Welcome Home Act" and proof of residency, then take 1401 and pass its exam.
- Law enforcement. Active officers working for a security company upload their POST certificates, POST firearms cards and commission cards instead of taking 1101 and 1102 or a background check. Officers retired within 5 years need a background check, and 1401 is recommended. Retired 5 years or more, they need the background check and 1401 with its exam.
- Military law enforcement. Current or former military law enforcement officers who completed a POST certification and firearms training program, or its equivalent, within a year before applying can submit it as the equivalent of the basic and initial firearms training. It does not replace the annual firearms retraining.
- Current and former security officers can also take 1401 as a refresher under the rules taking effect October 20, 2026.
Armed security officers
- 21 or older, with the 16 hours of basic training done.
- Firearms training before any armed post: classroom firearms training with a board-licensed firearms instructor, a written exam and a proficiency course with the weapon you will carry. The statute sets marksmanship at 80% on a board-approved silhouette target course.
- Every year: firearms training expires one calendar year after your last course. The retraining includes a written test of at least 50 questions and the 80% marksmanship standard.
- Only board-authorized firearms: 9 mm, .40 and .45 semiautomatic handguns with at least a 4-inch barrel, .357 or .38 revolvers, shotguns, and .223 or 5.56 rifles. Handgun and rifle ammunition must be factory-new hollow-point. Full metal jacket and armor-piercing rounds are prohibited.
- Switching from unarmed: the company can register you as armed on the first application or file a status change later ($30 when requested more than 30 days after the first application). A conviction that bars you from possessing a firearm limits you to an unarmed-only card.
Batons, stun devices, pepper spray and handcuffs
The board authorizes only these tools, each with training from an instructor certified in that tool before you carry it on post:
- PR-24 or expandable baton: 8 hours, then a 4-hour refresher every year.
- Handheld conducted energy device: 8 hours, recertified every 2 years.
- OC spray: 8 hours.
- Handcuffs: 4 hours, then a 4-hour refresher every 3 years.
The board's use rules require trying to de-escalate first, using only the minimum force necessary, and reporting every use to your employer.
Cost
- $75 to register, $65 to renew, and $30 for a status change, transfer or reinstatement.
- Electronic payments add a 3% processing fee. Either you or the company can pay the registration fee.
- Fingerprinting and training are paid separately.
Renewal and changing jobs
- The registration lasts 2 years. The statute says to file the renewal at least 30 days before the card expires.
- Under the rules taking effect October 20, 2026, cards run through March 31 of the second year. Miss March 31 and your portal profile locks, you cannot work, and renewal costs one and a half times the fee. Miss June 1 and you start over with a new application and fingerprints. The board notifies your company 60 days before expiration.
- Changing companies: the new company files your registration and checks your training before your first shift. Under the new rules, a new background check is needed only if more than 60 days pass between companies.
- Carry your card on duty and show it to a board representative or law enforcement officer on request. Report a new address, email or phone number within 10 days.
How tessura helps
A Louisiana guard runs on several clocks: a 2-year registration, a firearms qualification that expires a year after your last one, and yearly baton refreshers. Under the new rules, a missed March 31 renewal means you cannot work. tessura is free for guards: keep your registration card, training records and firearms qualification in the credential wallet and get reminders at 60, 30 and 7 days before each deadline.
tessura is not affiliated with the Louisiana State Board of Private Security Examiners or any state agency. Rules change, and the October 2026 rules had not yet taken effect when this was written, so confirm anything you rely on with LSBPSE.