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Washington security guard license lookup

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

Official guard lookupprofessions.dol.wa.gov
Washington DOL License Lookup
Open the official lookup →Shows license status · shows expiration date · requires CAPTCHA check
Step-by-step: how to look up a guard in WashingtonExact steps to verify an officer with the Washington State Department of Licensing6 steps
  1. Ask the guard for the name on their DOL guard license, the license number, and whether they are licensed armed or unarmed.
  2. Open professions.dol.wa.gov/s/license-lookup, select the "Advanced Search (Name, License type, County, UBI)" radio button, and leave the Professional License tab selected.
  3. Set License Type to "Security Guard", set Licensee Name to "Current Name", and type the surname into the Enter Last Name box, adding city or county if the name is common.
  4. Tick the "I’m not a robot" box below the form. The Search button stays greyed out until you do, it is not broken, and people give up here.
  5. Confirm the record is Active and the expiration date is in the future.
  6. Then get the armed question answered somewhere else, because this lookup cannot answer it. Washington’s only guard license type is "Security Guard"; armed status is an endorsement on that same license, so an active record tells you nothing about whether the person may carry. Ask the employer for written proof of the endorsement, or ask DOL directly.
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 (unarmed), private security guard license. For armed work: Armed private security guard endorsement, added to the same guard license, not issued as a separate license, which is why the lookup cannot show it. 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 Washington State Department of Licensing.

Washington DOL Private Security Guard Program, 360-664-6611, security@dol.wa.gov (Mon–Fri 9:00am–4:00pm).

What credentials a guard should hold in WashingtonWashington issues portable credentials directly to the officer2 credentials
Every guard working a postSecurity Guard License8 hrs of training · state exam · renews yearly
If they carry a firearmArmed Private Security Guard Endorsement8 hrs of training · state exam · renews yearly

Armed work: Armed guards must be 21+, hold the guard license, and earn a company-specific firearms certificate from the Criminal Justice Training Commission ($200; 8-hour course, then 4 hours a year), then add the $10 armed endorsement. Firearms carried on duty must be owned or leased by the employer.

How to check the security company in WashingtonThe Washington State Department of Licensing, Private Security Guard Program licenses the firm itself (Private Security Guard Company License)Agency license
What the firm must holdPrivate Security Guard Company LicenseIssued by the Washington State Department of Licensing, Private Security Guard Program
  1. Ask the company for the exact legal name on its license and its Private Security Guard Company License number. A company that cannot produce a number for a license it claims to hold has told you something.
  2. Open the Washington State Department of Licensing, Private Security Guard 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 Washington State Department of Licensing, Private Security Guard Program before signing.
Open the Washington State Department of Licensing, Private Security Guard Program lookup →
Ask for company insurance & bonding properlyWashington requires liability coverage by statute — what to ask for on the COIRequired by law
Washington requires it by law

The lowest mandated limit in the country: $25,000 for bodily or personal injury and $25,000 for property damage. That is one-fortieth of Oregon’s per-occurrence minimum for the same business across the river. No aggregate is specified and no endorsements are required.

If it lapses: Continuous cover is a statutory condition of the license and a failure is actionable, but there is no automatic suspension, no cure period and no stop-work rule.

RCW 18.170.080, https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=18.170.080

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.

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

Open the Washington DOL License Lookup at professions.dol.wa.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 Washington?

The Washington State Department of Licensing issues the Security guard (unarmed), private security guard license. For armed work: Armed private security guard endorsement, added to the same guard license, not issued as a separate license, which is why the lookup cannot show it.

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 Washington State Department of Licensing. Washington DOL Private Security Guard Program, 360-664-6611, security@dol.wa.gov (Mon–Fri 9:00am–4:00pm).

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

Companies need their own license from the Washington State Department of Licensing, Private Security Guard Program: Private Security Guard Company License. Search the company’s exact legal name at professions.dol.wa.gov and read the status and expiry date on the record.

Is tessura part of the state licensing agency?

No. tessura is not affiliated with any state licensing agency. Every lookup on this page belongs to the agency that runs it, and the agency’s record is the one that counts.

Official sources & more for WashingtonRegulator links, licensing guides, and open jobs (last reviewed September 27, 2026)7 sources
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