Missouri has no statewide security guard license. Licensing is local, and the biggest programs are run by police: the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners, through the KCPD Private Officers Licensing Unit, under rules in 17 CSR 10-2; the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's Private Security Section in the City of St. Louis; and the St. Charles County Police Department. In all three, your license is tied to a specific employer and lasts one year.
Kansas City
Everyone doing private security in Kansas City, Missouri needs a license: the individual officer, the direct supervisor, and the company (17 CSR 10-2.010). Bouncers, process servers and bail agents are outside the rules unless they act in a security role, and POST-certified peace officers need no license.
Two classes of license (17 CSR 10-2.030):
- Class A can detain or apprehend suspects for crimes and ordinance violations, but only on the private property you are hired to protect, during the hours you are hired, and never on the public streets. Loss prevention agents and patrol agents hold Class A.
- Class B has no authority to detain. A Class B guard watches, reports, controls access and crowds, monitors cameras and gives directions. Armed couriers also hold Class B.
Who qualifies (17 CSR 10-2.050):
- 18 or older for an unarmed license, 21 or older for armed.
- Able to read, write and understand English.
- No felony or misdemeanor conviction in federal or state court, and no conviction, including a city ordinance conviction, involving fraud, dishonesty, violence, bribery, illegal drug use or sexual misconduct. A DWI ordinance conviction is considered case by case.
- If you served in the U.S. armed forces within the 10 years before you apply, the rule requires a final discharge that was honorable or general under honorable conditions.
- No prior revocation of a security license. Being fired from, or resigning under investigation from, a law enforcement agency makes you ineligible, with a right to appeal.
How it works:
- Your employer and you sign the Intent to Hire form (Form 5409 P.D.) every time the license is applied for, renewed or transferred (17 CSR 10-2.020).
- You are photographed and fingerprinted, and the board runs a criminal history check at application and every renewal. A license may be temporary until the check comes back; an armed license is not issued until it does.
- You pass a written exam. Class B covers detention and seizure, dealing with the public, the licensing rules, crisis situations and liability; Class A adds criminal liability, firearms responsibility and patrol techniques. Your company is responsible for training you to pass it. You can retake it up to 3 times, no more than once a day, with a new form and an $85 fee each time.
- Fees: $110 for a new unarmed license and $165 armed; $85 and $110 to renew; $50 for the annual state and FBI fingerprinting; $85 to transfer to a new employer (17 CSR 10-2.040). KCPD notes the FBI fingerprint fee rises from $32 to $35 on October 1, 2026.
- On duty, the card is worn on your outermost garment and shown immediately to police, board staff, or anyone you stop or detain. The word "security" must be displayed on your outer clothing, and no uniform, badge or vehicle may say "police."
- Report within 5 days any arrest or pending court case, and any time you fire a weapon outside training.
- Renewal: licenses last one year from issue, and KCPD accepts renewals up to 3 months before the card expires. A license renewed after it expires is processed as a new application. You may hold up to 3 licenses.
St. Louis (city)
Except for St. Louis police officers, everyone performing a security function in the City of St. Louis must be licensed by the SLMPD Private Security Section, including police officers from other jurisdictions.
Licensing categories:
- Watchman: observes and reports, may patrol a public street, and has no arrest, search or detention powers and no weapons. Age 18 or older.
- Courier: protects property in transit, wears an approved uniform, has no arrest powers, and may be armed if qualified.
- Security officer: has certain police powers on the employer's premises and for incidents there, and may carry a firearm and protective devices if qualified. Age 21 or older.
Basic requirements: a U.S. citizen or legal resident alien, no felony conviction (an automatic disqualification), and free of any chemical dependency. Apply in person with a color photo ID and a dated letter from your intended employer no more than 10 days old. The background check uses your name, date of birth and fingerprints, with records from local police, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI.
What the published rules require (17 CSR 20-2): a two-day classroom course with a written test at 70% (one make-up allowed), 7 hours of renewal training every year, range qualification for an armed license, and a drug test for armed applicants. Armed officers carry one approved .38 Special revolver or double-action-only 9mm pistol, exposed on the belt in uniform, and may carry a baton, pepper spray or handcuffs only after approved training. Confirm current class dates and fees with the Private Security Section.
On the job: the license is good for one year and must be renewed every year. You need a separate license for each employer. Working on an expired license, or without one, can get you arrested and booked, and a company that knowingly employs an unlicensed guard faces a fine or civil liability. Your arrest powers apply only on duty, on the premises you are paid to protect.
St. Charles County
The St. Charles County Police Department licenses private watchmen, couriers and security officers working in the county, and accepts a valid St. Louis license in good standing.
- Apply in person at the county police station with an employer letter dated within the past 10 days.
- A computer check for warrants and disqualifying history comes first. If you pass, you are fingerprinted and pay $104 for fingerprinting and the license.
- After the background investigation, you sign up for training and pay a $22 training fee, and a temporary license is issued. The full license comes after you pass the multiple-choice exam at the end of the class.
- Armed designation is added once you show qualification at an approved firearms range. Licenses last one year.
Everywhere else in Missouri
Outside these programs, there is no state license, and requirements depend on the city or county. Check with the police department where the post is before your first shift.
How tessura helps
Every one of these licenses expires after a year, and a late Kansas City renewal starts you over as a new applicant. tessura is free for guards: keep your license card, range qualification, and training certificates in the credential wallet and get reminders at 60, 30 and 7 days before each one expires.
tessura is not affiliated with the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Charles County Police Department, or any state agency. Rules change, so confirm anything you rely on with the licensing office where you'll work.