Hawaii security guard license lookup (DCCA)
How to check a Hawaii security guard license 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 HawaiiA 'GDE' prefix followed by a number, written as GDE #### in DCCA's own instructions. The search page's worked example for another profession uses a hyphen (ACU-12345), so if GDE 1234 returns nothing, try GDE-1234.6 steps
- Ask the guard for the name on their license and their Guard Employee registration number, which starts with GDE. Ask the security company separately for its Guard Agency (GDA) or Guard (GD) license number.
- Open mypvl.dcca.hawaii.gov/public-license-search/ in a normal browser. Leave the 'State agency staff' email box blank, that field is only for state employees.
- Search by the guard's name, or paste the GDE number into the license-number search. You can paste several numbers separated by commas if you are checking a whole crew at once.
- Click through from the results list (Name / License / License Type / Location) into the individual record, the list itself does not show status or dates.
- On the record, confirm the license status is active, confirm the expiration date is in the future, and read the disciplinary-action section; DCCA states this site shows original license date, expiration date, status and disciplinary action, and that it counts as official license information.
- Watch the renewal calendar: Guard Employee registrations renew every three years by 30 June (2027, 2030, 2033) and DCCA states that anyone not renewed by the expiration date is unlicensed and may not practise.
A 'GDE' prefix followed by a number, written as GDE #### in DCCA's own instructions. The search page's worked example for another profession uses a hyphen (ACU-12345), so if GDE 1234 returns nothing, try GDE-1234.
DCCA Board of Private Detectives and Guards official renewal FAQ PDF (cca.hawaii.gov, '2024 GDE Renewal Requirements and FAQs'), which tells licensees to 'Enter your license number (GDE ####)'. The hyphen caveat comes from the example text on the live MyPVL search page.
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 Guard Employee Registration (GDE). 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 DCCA.
DCCA PVL Licensing Branch: (808) 586-3000; Board of Private Detectives and Guards email detective@dcca.hawaii.gov; 335 Merchant Street, Room 301, Honolulu HI 96813. Complaints go to RICO on (808) 587-4272 option 3.
What credentials a guard should hold in HawaiiHawaii issues portable credentials directly to the officer1 credential
Armed work: Guards may not carry firearms, batons, chemical sprays, stun devices or other weapons without written authorization from the county chief of police (HAR 16-97-17). A guard who carries a firearm or electric gun on duty also needs a county permit to acquire under HRS 134-2, which requires age 21 and a firearms course (HRS 463-10.5(e)).
How to check the security company in HawaiiThe Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Board of Private Detectives and Guards licenses the firm itself (Guard Agency (GDA))Agency license
- Ask the company for the exact legal name on its license and its Guard Agency (GDA) number. A company that cannot produce a number for a license it claims to hold has told you something.
- Open the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Board of Private Detectives and Guards 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 Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Board of Private Detectives and Guards before signing.
Ask for company insurance & bonding properlyHow to verify commercial general liability and workers' compensationCOI checklist
Hawaii requires no liability insurance whatsoever for a guard agency. Chapter 463 imposes only a bond, so a Hawaii license says nothing about whether the company is insured.
Bond: A bond of at least $5,000 filed with the Board on Form PDG-05, conditioned on honest conduct of the business, with a direct right of action for anyone injured by a wilful, malicious or wrongful act of the licensee.
If it lapses: Failure to maintain the bond results in immediate and concurrent suspension of the license until a successor bond is filed, but that protects against a bond lapse, not an insurance lapse.
HRS Chapter 463 (no insurance provision), https://files.hawaii.gov/dcca/pvl/pvl/hrs/hrs_pvl_463.pdf
tessura does not verify anyone’s insurance and has no access to insurers’ records. This is guidance for doing it yourself, not legal advice.
Hawaii license lookup: common questionsQuick answers on lookup timing, missing records, and armed permits5 questions
How do I look up a security guard license in Hawaii?
Open the MyPVL Public License Search at mypvl.dcca.hawaii.gov and search for the guard. The record shows the license status and the expiration date, and both need to be current.
What is a security guard license called in Hawaii?
The Hawaii Board of Private Detectives and Guards (DCCA) issues the Guard Employee Registration (GDE).
What does a Hawaii security guard license number look like?
A 'GDE' prefix followed by a number, written as GDE #### in DCCA's own instructions. The search page's worked example for another profession uses a hyphen (ACU-12345), so if GDE 1234 returns nothing, try GDE-1234.
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 DCCA. DCCA PVL Licensing Branch: (808) 586-3000; Board of Private Detectives and Guards email detective@dcca.hawaii.gov; 335 Merchant Street, Room 301, Honolulu HI 96813. Complaints go to RICO on (808) 587-4272 option 3.
How do I check a security company’s license in Hawaii?
Companies need their own license from the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Board of Private Detectives and Guards: Guard Agency (GDA). Search the company’s exact legal name at mypvl.dcca.hawaii.gov and read the status and expiry date on the record.