Security Guards in Uruguay

How to Become a Licensed Security Guard in Uruguay

Private security in Uruguay is governed by Law No. 19.721 and its implementing Decree No. 35/022, under the supervision of the General Directorate for the Oversight of Companies (DI.GE.F.E.) of the Ministry of the Interior. Guards must work for an authorized company, pass an approved course and carry the DI.GE.F.E. card while on duty.

Regulator: General Directorate for the Oversight of Companies (Dirección General de Fiscalización de Empresas, DI.GE.F.E.), Ministry of the Interior (Ministerio del Interior). Legal framework: Law No. 19.721 of December 21, 2018 (regulation of work in private security), implemented by Decree No. 35/022. gub.uy

Requirements for Security Personnel

• Be over 18 years of age; the age limit for working in private security is 70 (Law 19.721, Art. 11).
• Have completed primary education; armed personnel being licensed for the first time must also have completed the lower secondary cycle (ciclo básico) or equivalent (Art. 11).
• Have the physical and mental fitness for the work (Art. 11). Decree 35/022, Art. 2, sets out how to prove it: for armed personnel, among other things, a health check and a physical fitness certificate issued by a licensed physician.
• Submit a psychological fitness certificate issued by a psychologist licensed by the Ministry of Public Health, obtained before starting the course (Decree 35/022, Art. 81).
• Have no convictions for intentional offenses, proven by the judicial record certificate issued by the National Directorate of Scientific Police (Dirección Nacional de Policía Científica) (Law 19.721, Art. 11).
• Not have been dismissed from the Armed Forces or the Police as a disciplinary sanction, nor have held a private security oversight position in the National Police in the year before the application (Art. 11).
• Pass a training course at an authorized institution, ending with an examination before the National Directorate of Police Education (Dirección Nacional de la Educación Policial) (Arts. 11 and 32).
• Basic course for unarmed personnel: 60 teaching hours, including the final assessment; armed personnel complete an additional 30 teaching hours; each teaching hour equals 40 clock minutes (Decree 35/022, Art. 78).
• Have at least 80% attendance and a minimum interim grade of 6 out of 10 to sit the final assessment (Decree 35/022, Art. 82).
• While on duty, wear the company uniform and display the DI.GE.F.E. card (Decree 35/022, Art. 21; bodyguards are exempt from the uniform requirement).

Steps to Obtain the License

1. Obtain the psychological fitness certificate before enrolling in the course (Decree 35/022, Art. 81).
2. Take the basic course (unarmed, or unarmed plus the armed personnel module) at an authorized training center.
3. Pass the final assessment and the examination before the National Directorate of Police Education (Law 19.721, Art. 32; Decree 35/022, Art. 82).
4. Start work at a security company authorized by the DI.GE.F.E., which processes the worker’s license with the Ministry of the Interior (Law 19.721, Art. 11).
5. The license is processed through the Ministry of the Interior’s online system (SIGSP); the worker license fee is 500 UI (Law 19.721, Art. 47 C; Decree 35/022, Art. 3).
6. Receive the DI.GE.F.E. card and display it while on duty.

Agency Licensing

Only companies authorized by the Ministry of the Interior directorate in charge of private security may operate (Law 19.721, Art. 26). An individual must set up a sole proprietorship with no employees and prove technical and financial capacity. For legal entities, the legal representatives must meet the requirements of items A to C and F of Art. 7 (including completion of upper secondary school, or bachillerato) and the partners must meet items B and C (no convictions for intentional offenses and no dismissal from the Armed Forces or the Police as a disciplinary sanction). Companies must have suitable premises, submit their staff roster every six months, give 48 hours’ notice of services, report the theft or loss of weapons, ammunition or bulletproof vests within 48 hours, and take out civil liability insurance (Art. 27). Cash-in-transit services have their own chapter of rules (Art. 28 and following). Fees: 12,000 UI for the company permit and 6,000 UI for its renewal (Art. 47 A and B). UI stands for indexed units (unidades indexadas).

Guards may carry weapons and bulletproof vests as set by regulation, according to a risk matrix for each activity (Law 19.721, Art. 10). Firearms may be carried only during working hours and within the authorized premises or area; carrying them on public roads is prohibited, except for patrols for banking institutions, personal protection (bodyguards) and cash-in-transit (Art. 12). The worker’s license replaces the standard civilian weapons carry permit, and the employer also pays the carry permit fee. The issue and return of weapons and ammunition must be reported to the Ministry for registration (Art. 12). The employing company provides the weapon (Decree 35/022, Art. 7), and armed personnel must always wear a bulletproof vest (Art. 22).

The individual license lasts 5 years and is renewed through the online system; renewal may be requested 30 days before expiration, and once it has expired, all the documentation for the first license is required (Decree 35/022, Arts. 3 and 4). Training is valid for five years, even if the guard changes employers (Law 19.721, Art. 32). Refresher courses are 40 teaching hours for unarmed personnel and 60 for armed personnel (Decree 35/022, Art. 78), and each guard must complete a continuing training course of at least 20 teaching hours at least every two years (Art. 80).

Official Sources

• IMPO: Law No. 19.721 (Regulation of work in private security)
• IMPO: Decree No. 35/022 (implementing regulations for Law 19.721)
• Ministry of the Interior: General Directorate for the Oversight of Companies (Dirección General de Fiscalización de Empresas)

Requirements may change. Confirm current rules with the official regulator before applying. This summary is general information, not legal advice. Last reviewed November 2026.