California guard card search: BSIS license lookup
How to check a California guard card in the official lookup, what the result means, and what to do if the guard is not there.
Step-by-step: how to look up a guard in CaliforniaSix or seven digits with no letter prefix, e.g. 1441140. There is no "G" prefix on a California guard registration, despite what many hiring guides claim.6 steps
- Ask the guard for their Guard Registration Number and full name as printed on the BSIS card, and ask whether they also hold an Exposed Firearm Permit if they will be armed.
- Open search.dca.ca.gov and in the 'Boards and Bureaus' dropdown choose 'Security and Investigative Services, Bureau of'.
- In the 'License Type' dropdown that then filters, choose 'Security Guard'. For an armed officer repeat the search afterwards with 'Exposed Firearm Permit', the guard card alone never authorises a firearm.
- Enter the Guard Registration Number in 'License Number', or the guard's First Name and Last Name if you do not have the number, complete the 'verify you are human' challenge, and search.
- Also search 'Private Patrol Operator' under the same bureau for the security company that employs the guard, so you know both the firm and the individual are licensed.
- On the record, confirm the status reads current/clear rather than expired, suspended or revoked, and confirm the expiration date is in the future, BSIS states that working on an expired registration is unlicensed activity.
Six or seven digits with no letter prefix, e.g. 1441140. There is no "G" prefix on a California guard registration, despite what many hiring guides claim.
Live DCA License Search results for License Type "Security Guard", read independently by two runs: 1441140, 1472236 and 1671608 in one, and 1360269, 6619119 and 763433 in the other. The six-digit example is why this is stated as a range rather than a fixed width.
Reading the lookup result & if they don't show upHow to interpret status, expiration dates, and pending applicationsResult guide
- Status. It should read active or current. Expired, inactive, suspended and revoked licenses still come back as results, so finding a record is not the same as a valid license.
- Expiration date. It has to be in the future. If the guard will work for you past that date, ask when they renew.
- License type. The standard credential is the Security Guard Registration (guard card). For armed work: Exposed Firearm Permit (a separate Baton Permit also exists). Make sure the type on the record matches the post, especially if they will carry a weapon.
Search the surname alone, in case the record uses a different spelling or a middle name. If there is still nothing, that is not proof either way: ask the guard for the exact name and number on their card, then contact BSIS.
BSIS: (800) 952-5210 or bsis@dca.ca.gov; mailing address PO Box 989002, West Sacramento CA 95798-9002 (published on the BSIS security guard renewal application). Bureau site: https://www.bsis.ca.gov/
What credentials a guard should hold in CaliforniaCalifornia issues portable credentials directly to the officer3 credentials
Armed work: Armed guards need a separate BSIS Exposed Firearms Permit: age 21+, a 14-hour course (8 classroom + 6 range), a firearms assessment, and requalification twice a year.
How to check the security company in CaliforniaThe California Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) licenses the firm itself (Private Patrol Operator (PPO))Agency license
We hold this state’s roster, so you can search it on tessura first. For anything you sign, confirm it at the regulator using the steps below.
- Ask the company for the exact legal name on its license and its Private Patrol Operator (PPO) number. A company that cannot produce a number for a license it claims to hold has told you something.
- Open the California Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) lookup and search for that name.
- Search the legal name, not the name on the uniform or the invoice. Brand names, DBAs, and the name on the truck are often not the licensed entity.
- Read the status and the expiry date, not just the presence of a record. An expired or suspended license still returns a result.
- If nothing comes up, ask which entity holds the license and in which state, then check that name. If the answer does not resolve, treat the license as unconfirmed and call California Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) before signing.
Ask for company insurance & bonding properlyCalifornia requires liability coverage by statute — what to ask for on the COIRequired by law
$1,000,000 commercial general liability for any one loss or occurrence (bodily injury including death, or property damage). Must be written on an "occurrence" basis, claims-made cover is not accepted.
If it lapses: BSIS gives written notice and 30 days to produce proof; after that the license is automatically suspended by operation of law until proof is filed.
Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §§7583.39–7583.40, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=7583.39
tessura does not verify anyone’s insurance and has no access to insurers’ records. This is guidance for doing it yourself, not legal advice.
California license lookup: common questionsQuick answers on lookup timing, missing records, and armed permits5 questions
How do I look up a guard card in California?
Open the DCA License Search at search.dca.ca.gov and search for the guard. The record shows the license status and the expiration date, and both need to be current. Expect a “verify you are human” check before the results load.
What is a security guard license called in California?
The Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) issues the Security Guard Registration (guard card). For armed work: Exposed Firearm Permit (a separate Baton Permit also exists).
What does a California guard card number look like?
Six or seven digits with no letter prefix, e.g. 1441140. There is no "G" prefix on a California guard registration, despite what many hiring guides claim.
What if the guard does not show up in the search?
Search the surname alone, in case the record uses a different spelling or a middle name. If there is still nothing, that is not proof either way: ask the guard for the exact name and number on their card, then contact BSIS. BSIS: (800) 952-5210 or bsis@dca.ca.gov; mailing address PO Box 989002, West Sacramento CA 95798-9002 (published on the BSIS security guard renewal application). Bureau site: https://www.bsis.ca.gov/.
How do I check a security company’s license in California?
Companies need their own license from the California Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS): Private Patrol Operator (PPO). Search the company’s exact legal name at search.dca.ca.gov and read the status and expiry date on the record. tessura also keeps a copy of that roster, read on September 14, 2026, which you can search on this site.