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Texas security officer license lookup (DPS TOPS)

How to check a Texas security officer license in the official lookup, what the result means, and what to do if the guard is not there.

Official guard lookuptops.portal.texas.gov
Texas Online Private Security (TOPS) public search
Open the official lookup →Shows license status · shows expiration date · requires CAPTCHA check
Step-by-step: how to look up a guard in TexasOne letter followed by 7 digits, e.g. C12345676 steps
  1. Ask the guard for the full legal name and registration number on their DPS pocket card, and whether the card says commissioned (armed) or non-commissioned (unarmed).
  2. Open tops.portal.texas.gov/psp-self-service/search/index and untick "Businesses" and "Training" so only "Individuals" remains. All three are ticked by default, which mixes people and companies into one result list.
  3. Type the registration number into the Search Criteria box, or the name plus ZIP if you have no number, then solve the CAPTCHA and click Search.
  4. If the results area reads "Captcha is required.", that is a failed search, not an empty one. The page keeps showing "Results appear here" underneath, so this is easy to misread as "this guard has no record".
  5. Narrow a crowded name search by adding terms to the same box, DPS’s hint allows registration number, first name, state, ZIP and license type, or widen it with an asterisk, as in "York*".
  6. Open the matching person and confirm the license type matches the card (Non-Commissioned versus Commissioned Security Officer), the status is active, and the expiration date is in the future.
Ask for the license number

One letter followed by 7 digits, e.g. C1234567

The live TOPS search page’s own example hint on the Individual filter: "ex. John Smith 78701 C1234567".

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 Level II Non-Commissioned Security Officer Registration. For armed work: Level III Commissioned Security Officer Registration. Make sure the type on the record matches the post, especially if they will carry a weapon.
If they don't show up

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 the Texas DPS.

Use the Contact link on the TOPS portal for the Texas DPS Regulatory Services Division, Private Security Program.

What credentials a guard should hold in TexasTexas issues portable credentials directly to the officer3 credentials
Every guard working a postNon-Commissioned Security Officerstate exam · renews every 2 years
If they carry a firearmCommissioned Security Officer (Level III)45 hrs of training · state exam · renews every 2 years
If they do close or executive protectionPersonal Protection Officer (Level IV)15 hrs of training · state exam · renews every 2 years

Armed work: Commissioned officers (18+) complete the 45-hour Level III course at a licensed school, submit an MMPI-based Declaration of Psychological and Emotional Health, qualify with their firearm within 90 days of application and each renewal, and complete 6 hours of continuing education per cycle.

How to check the security company in TexasThe Texas Department of Public Safety, Regulatory Services Division, Private Security Program licenses the firm itself (Security Services Contractor (Guard sub-type))Agency license
What the firm must holdSecurity Services Contractor (Guard sub-type)Issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety, Regulatory Services Division, Private Security Program
  1. Ask the company for the exact legal name on its license and its Security Services Contractor (Guard sub-type) number. A company that cannot produce a number for a license it claims to hold has told you something.
  2. Open the Texas Department of Public Safety, Regulatory Services Division, Private Security Program lookup and search for that name.
  3. 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.
  4. Read the status and the expiry date, not just the presence of a record. An expired or suspended license still returns a result.
  5. 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 Texas Department of Public Safety, Regulatory Services Division, Private Security Program before signing.
Open the Texas Department of Public Safety, Regulatory Services Division, Private Security Program lookup →
Ask for company insurance & bonding properlyTexas requires liability coverage by statute — what to ask for on the COIRequired by law
Texas requires it by law

$100,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage, $50,000 per occurrence for personal injury, and $200,000 total aggregate, strikingly low. Insurance binders are not accepted; a permanent policy must be in force.

If it lapses: Cover sufficient for all the company’s private-security activities must be maintained continuously; the license is not in good standing without it.

Tex. Occ. Code §1702.124, https://codes.findlaw.com/tx/occupations-code/occ-sect-1702-124/

A certificate of insurance (COI) that names your business as an additional insured, not just the certificate holderCertificate holder means you were mailed a copy. Additional insured means their policy actually answers for you if you are pulled into a claim.
General liability, and workers’ compensation at your state’s statutory limitsIf a guard is hurt on your property and the company carries no workers’ comp, the claim tends to land on you. Ask for commercial auto too if they run patrol vehicles.
The policy number and the effective and expiry dates, on a certificate dated within the last monthAn undated or months-old certificate is the single most common tell. The dates let you ask the insurer about the right policy.
The name, agency, and direct phone number of the broker who issued it, then call themThe broker can confirm the policy is in force today. The certificate PDF cannot, and a forged or stale one looks identical to a real one.
A contract term requiring written notice to you before the policy is cancelled or non-renewedStandard certificates promise notice to the insured, not to you. Putting the duty on the company in the contract is what makes a mid-term cancellation a breach.
A fresh certificate part-way through the term, not only at signingRe-asking at 60 or 90 days costs you an email and defeats the whole get-the-COI-then-drop-it pattern.

tessura does not verify anyone’s insurance and has no access to insurers’ records. This is guidance for doing it yourself, not legal advice.

Texas license lookup: common questionsQuick answers on lookup timing, missing records, and armed permits5 questions
How do I look up a security officer license in Texas?

Open the Texas Online Private Security (TOPS) public search at tops.portal.texas.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 Texas?

The Texas Dept. of Public Safety, Private Security Program issues the Level II Non-Commissioned Security Officer Registration. For armed work: Level III Commissioned Security Officer Registration.

What does a Texas security officer license number look like?

One letter followed by 7 digits, e.g. C1234567.

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 the Texas DPS. Use the Contact link on the TOPS portal for the Texas DPS Regulatory Services Division, Private Security Program.

How do I check a security company’s license in Texas?

Companies need their own license from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Regulatory Services Division, Private Security Program: Security Services Contractor (Guard sub-type). Search the company’s exact legal name at tops.portal.texas.gov and read the status and expiry date on the record.

Official sources & more for TexasRegulator links, licensing guides, and open jobs (last reviewed September 27, 2026)9 sources
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