Guarding and Security Services in Djibouti

How to Become a Licensed Security Guard in Djibouti

In Djibouti, private guarding is governed by Law No. 202/AN/07/5ème L of December 22, 2007. Companies must obtain approval from the State Representative for the region after an investigation by the National Police, and each officer must hold a prior individual administrative authorization.

Competent authority: State Representative for the region (Représentant de l’État de la région), for company approval and individual authorization, after an investigation by the National Police (Police nationale). Applicable law: Law No. 202/AN/07/5ème L setting the conditions for private surveillance and guarding activities (Loi n°202/AN/07/5ème L fixant les conditions d’exercice des activités privées de surveillance et de gardiennage), December 22, 2007. ccd.dj/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/prestataires-de-services.pdf

Requirements

• Djiboutian nationality (Arts. 5 and 15)
• Good character (Art. 15)
• No criminal conviction, and no act of violence or dishonorable act that led to dismissal (Art. 15)
• Proof of fitness for the job at the time of application (Art. 16)
• A prior individual administrative authorization, issued by the State Representative for the place of residence after an investigation by the local police station (Art. 15)
• Completion of the initial or general training and the specialized instructions given by the employer (Art. 12); the law does not set a number of training hours

Application Steps

1. Find an employer that holds the approval (employing a person without authorization is punishable by six months’ imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 Djibouti francs, Art. 26)
2. Prepare the file with proof of Djiboutian nationality, a clean criminal record and proof of fitness for the job
3. File the application for individual administrative authorization with the State Representative for the place of residence
4. The police station for the applicant’s neighborhood conducts an investigation
5. Receive the authorization, then complete the initial training and the employer’s specialized instructions

Agency Licensing

Only legal entities governed by private law may carry out this activity, and they may not combine it with other activities (Art. 3). They must apply for approval to the State Representative for the region (Art. 4), which is granted only after an investigation by the National Police, with a copy to the trade register (Art. 8). A reasoned decision must be issued within three months, failing which the approval is deemed granted (Art. 7). Managers must be Djiboutian, have no criminal conviction, not be bankrupt and have no other activity (Art. 5). Companies must sign a set of specifications with each client, failing which the contract is void (Arts. 11 and 13), and must take out civil liability insurance (Art. 14). Operating without approval or subcontracting the activity is punishable by one year’s imprisonment and a fine of 1,000,000 Djibouti francs (Art. 25). Under Art. 15, the Ministry of Employment must also review individual authorizations before granting its final approval under the 2004 decree on private employment agencies.

Officers must not carry firearms (Art. 21). They may be equipped with incapacitating (non-lethal) weapons under conditions set by a decree adopted in the Council of Ministers. Possession of firearms leads to withdrawal of the approval (Art. 28).

The law sets no period of validity or renewal for the company approval or the individual authorization. Any change to the company’s information must be reported within one month (Art. 9), and both the approval and the authorization can be withdrawn (Arts. 10 and 17).

Sources

• Djibouti Chamber of Commerce (Chambre de Commerce de Djibouti), Service providers (Journal Officiel extract including Law No. 202/AN/07/5eme L and Decree No. 2004-0054/PR/MESN)

Regulations can change. Confirm current rules with the official authority before taking any steps. This summary is provided as general information and is not legal advice. Last updated November 2026.