No statewide license, local rules may apply
How to become a security guard in Idaho
Idaho has no state license for security guards or security companies. Boise, Nampa, Pocatello and Twin Falls require a city license for guards who work for a security company, with fingerprints, a state and FBI records check and, in Boise and Nampa, a $2,500 bond. Idaho Falls repealed its guard license in 2021. Elsewhere, your employer sets the standard.
Reviewed September 27, 2026
The path
- NoneState licenseNo statewide scheme; a city or county may still require a permit.
- LocalCheck city and county rulesBoise: $49.75 private patrol agent license plus fingerprints at City Hall ($94.20 total), renewed yearly. Nampa: $50 plus $42 records check and a $2,500 surety bond, renewed yearly. Pocatello: individual license for security company employees, runs January 1 to December 31. Twin Falls: $25 application plus $50 a year, in-house staff exempt. Idaho Falls: no guard license, but bar and alcohol-event security need server training by November 15, 2026.
- WorkEmployer sets the standard
Steps to get started
- Check whether the city where you'll work licenses guards: Boise, Nampa, Pocatello and Twin Falls do.
- Apply to that city's clerk or police department and get fingerprinted for the state and FBI records check.
- Post any required bond (Boise and Nampa: $2,500, unless your Boise employer's bond covers you) and pay the fee.
- If you will carry a gun, confirm your employer allows it and whether you want a county concealed weapons license.
Working armed in Idaho
Idaho has no armed guard license. If you are 18 or older, a U.S. citizen or a current member of the armed forces, and not disqualified, you can carry concealed without a license (Idaho Code § 18-3302(4)(f)). A standard license from the county sheriff is $20 and lasts 5 years; the enhanced license needs 21+ and an 8-hour live-fire course (§ 18-3302K). Cities can't regulate carrying firearms (§ 18-3302J), and your employer decides whether you carry on duty.
Local rules to know
Boise: $49.75 private patrol agent license plus fingerprints at City Hall ($94.20 total), renewed yearly. Nampa: $50 plus $42 records check and a $2,500 surety bond, renewed yearly. Pocatello: individual license for security company employees, runs January 1 to December 31. Twin Falls: $25 application plus $50 a year, in-house staff exempt. Idaho Falls: no guard license, but bar and alcohol-event security need server training by November 15, 2026.
What guards earn in Idaho
A median of $18.41 an hour across 3,750 security guards, from official BLS wage data.
Security guard pay in Idaho →Hiring a guard rather than becoming one?
The same rules read from the other side: what to ask a guard and a security company for in Idaho, and the steps to confirm it in the regulator's own records.
How to check a licence in Idaho →Sources
- Boise City Code title 3, ch. 12, Private Security Service
- City of Boise Security Personnel License
- Nampa City Code title 5, ch. 19, Private Security Service
- Pocatello City Code ch. 5.44 Private Detective Agencies / Merchant Security Guards
- Twin Falls City Code title 3, ch. 15, Private Security Service
- Idaho Code § 18-3302, Concealed weapons
tessura is an independent study and career tool, not affiliated with any state agency. Rules change; always confirm current requirements with the regulator before relying on them.
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