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Wisconsin security guard license lookup (DSPS)

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

Official guard lookuplicense.wi.gov
Wisconsin LicensE Credential Search
Open the official lookup →Shows license status · shows expiration date
Step-by-step: how to look up a guard in WisconsinA sequential number, then a space-hyphen-space, then the profession code 108, e.g. "80003 - 108". Every private security person shares the 108 suffix, so a guard will usually just say "80003".7 steps
  1. Ask the guard for the name on their DSPS credential, and the credential number if they have it.
  2. Open license.wi.gov/s/license-lookup, set Search By to "Individual Name" (or "Credential/License Number" if you have it), and click Search.
  3. Click the blue credential number in the results row to open the Credential/License Summary page.
  4. Confirm Profession reads "Private Security Person", Status reads "License is current (Active)", "Eligible To Practice" reads Eligible, and the Credential Expiration Date is in the future.
  5. Scroll to "Relationships" and read the Organization table. Wisconsin is the one state that names the guard’s employer in a structured field with a start date, so this is where you confirm a subcontracted guard actually works for the firm that billed you.
  6. Check the Orders count and the "Orders for" table above it. Anything other than "No Orders Found" means there is a disciplinary order on the record.
  7. For an armed post, run a second search with Search By = "License Type", Category = "Business", License Name = "Firearms Permit", that is a separate credential from the guard license.
Ask for the license number

A sequential number, then a space-hyphen-space, then the profession code 108, e.g. "80003 - 108". Every private security person shares the 108 suffix, so a guard will usually just say "80003".

Live "Private Security Person" results showing 80000 - 108, 80001 - 108 and 80003 - 108, confirmed on the detail page at license.wi.gov/s/licenseView as "Credential/License Number : 80003 - 108".

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 Private Security Person (108). 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 DSPS.

Wisconsin DSPS, 4822 Madison Yards Way, Madison WI 53705, (608) 266-2112 or (877) 617-1565, dsps@wisconsin.gov. DSPS states this lookup constitutes official certification of licensure.

What credentials a guard should hold in WisconsinWisconsin issues portable credentials directly to the officer2 credentials
Every guard working a postPrivate Security Person Permitrenews every 2 years
If they carry a firearmFirearms Permit (Armed Private Security)36 hrs of training · renews yearly

Armed work: Armed guards need a DSPS firearms permit tied to their agency: a 36-hour course with an approved firearms proficiency certifier, then a 6-hour refresher every year, while holding a regular (not temporary) permit. Concealed carry on duty is not allowed except for concealed carry licensees and qualified current or former officers.

How to check the security company in WisconsinThe Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) licenses the firm itself (Private Detective/Security Agency)Agency license
What the firm must holdPrivate Detective/Security AgencyIssued by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS)
  1. Ask the company for the exact legal name on its license and its Private Detective/Security Agency number. A company that cannot produce a number for a license it claims to hold has told you something.
  2. Open the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) 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 Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) before signing.
Open the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) lookup →
Ask for company insurance & bonding properlyWisconsin requires liability coverage by statute — what to ask for on the COIRequired by law
Wisconsin requires it by law

$100,000 minimum, as either a general liability policy or a surety bond. If the agency permits anyone to carry a firearm on duty it MAY NOT use a bond, insurance is mandatory and must expressly cover injury or damage from the use of firearms.

If it lapses: The rule is unambiguous that cover must be maintained "without lapse", and DSPS enforces it through processing holds. Whether a mid-term lapse triggers automatic suspension is not stated.

Wis. Stat. §440.26(4); Wis. Admin. Code SPS 31.034, https://dsps.wi.gov/Credentialing/Business/fm1482.pdf

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.

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

Open the Wisconsin LicensE Credential Search at license.wi.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 Wisconsin?

The Wisconsin Dept. of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) issues the Private Security Person (108).

What does a Wisconsin security guard license number look like?

A sequential number, then a space-hyphen-space, then the profession code 108, e.g. "80003 - 108". Every private security person shares the 108 suffix, so a guard will usually just say "80003".

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 DSPS. Wisconsin DSPS, 4822 Madison Yards Way, Madison WI 53705, (608) 266-2112 or (877) 617-1565, dsps@wisconsin.gov. DSPS states this lookup constitutes official certification of licensure.

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

Companies need their own license from the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS): Private Detective/Security Agency. Search the company’s exact legal name at license.wi.gov and read the status and expiry date on the record.

Official sources & more for WisconsinRegulator links, licensing guides, and open jobs (last reviewed September 27, 2026)8 sources
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