Tennessee registers security guards through the Private Protective Services program of the Department of Commerce and Insurance, under the Private Protective Services Licensing and Regulatory Act (T.C.A. 62-35). You apply online through the state's CORE system, and the credential is a registration card, either unarmed or armed.
Requirements
- At least 18 years old for an unarmed registration, 21 for armed.
- A U.S. citizen or resident alien.
- A fingerprint background check through IdentoGO.
- Convictions. A felony, or a misdemeanor involving shooting a firearm or other weapon, shoplifting, assault or other violence, selling or making drugs, or theft of property or services, disqualifies you until 5 years after your sentence or probation ends.
- Full-time sworn peace officers doing security work for a licensed company are exempt from the Act.
Training
- Unarmed: 4 hours with a state-certified trainer, covering orientation, the legal powers and limits of a guard, emergency procedures and general duties. The trainer gives and grades the exam.
- Armed: 16 hours. The same 4 hours, plus 8 classroom hours on the legal limits of firearm use, handling, safety and maintenance, plus 4 hours of marksmanship with a score of at least 70% on an approved silhouette course. Firearms training must be in person.
- Don't train too early. The state can refuse training finished more than a year before it receives your application.
- Police or corrections in-service training completed within a year of applying may count toward the requirement.
Working while your application is pending
- Unarmed guards can start early. Once a complete application is filed and the fee paid, you may work, as long as you carry a copy of the application on duty.
- If the state tells you the application is incomplete, stop working until the problem is fixed.
- If it is denied, stop. A denial based on a criminal record means waiting 6 months to reapply.
- Armed guards cannot start early. You must have the registration card before working armed.
Extra training for certain posts
- Bars and venues that serve alcohol. Guards need training in de-escalation, safe restraint, first aid and CPR, at least 1 hour each, within 15 days of starting at the location. The state calls this Dallas's Law. The trainings go on your card as classifications, and you apply to add them before working the post.
- Schools. Armed guards at public, charter, private or church-related schools need 8 hours of active shooter training before their first shift there.
- Baton, chemical spray or stun gun. 4 hours of training for each, from a certified trainer. Carry the trainer-signed card and have your employer's authorization. No other weapons are allowed.
Armed guards and firearms
- You qualify on each firearm you carry, and handguns must be one of the approved calibers, such as 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP or .38 Special.
- A carry permit does not count. A Tennessee handgun carry permit does not let you carry a firearm while working as a guard. Only the armed registration does.
- Rifles and shotguns since January 1, 2026. Carrying one on duty now takes a separate enhanced armed guard registration. You need a current armed registration in good standing and either 5 years as a full-time law enforcement officer, or 4 years full-time in the U.S. armed forces in a combat arms specialty (with an honorable discharge if you have separated).
- Enhanced requirements. A fingerprint background check, a psychological evaluation, a written exam and a 16-hour in-person course covering when a rifle or shotgun may be deployed and how to store it. Rifle or shotgun training from the military or police can count toward the course.
- Storage. A rifle or shotgun may be deployed only when a threat is perceived to exist or be imminent. The rest of the time it must be securely stored.
- Yearly renewal. The enhanced registration lasts 1 year. Renewal takes a background check and an 8-hour requalification course, at least 6 hours of it on the range.
Cost and renewal
- Unarmed: $95 ($75 application plus $20 registration). Armed: $130 ($100 plus $30). IdentoGO charges its own fingerprint fee.
- Renew every 2 years. Unarmed: $70 and 2 hours of refresher training. Armed: $85, 4 hours of refresher training and firearms requalification at 70%.
- Grace period: 90 days, with a $20 late fee for each month. After that you reinstate, which means everything an initial application needs, training and background check included.
- Bar and venue classifications need refresher training within a year of renewal to stay on your card. School guards complete active shooter refresher training before renewing.
- Switching between armed and unarmed takes a new application and new fees. Update your address in CORE within 10 days of moving.
How tessura helps
A Tennessee guard can carry several clocks at once: a 2-year registration, refresher training for bar and school classifications, and for rifle or shotgun posts a 1-year enhanced registration. tessura is free for guards: keep your card, training forms and classifications in the credential wallet and get reminders at 60, 30 and 7 days before each deadline, well ahead of the 90-day grace period.
tessura is not affiliated with the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance or any state agency. Rules change, so confirm anything you rely on with the Private Protective Services program.