Managed Security Services

Security Services in Australia

Australia’s luxury retail is led by Sydney and Melbourne, with strong secondary markets in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Perth and Adelaide. Flagships, department store concessions and shopping centre boutiques sit in cities that are thousands of kilometres apart, each with its own trading calendar.

Request a Security AssessmentCall +1 833-832-6647

Security Considerations in Australia

A managed security programme in Australia has to work across states that regulate security separately, so a supplier approved in one state cannot simply be moved to another. MGP manages the programme, including Post Orders, presentation standards, supervision and reporting, while officers are supplied by vetted, locally licensed Australian security companies. A national standard keeps Post Orders, uniform and reporting consistent from Sydney to Perth, even when the supplying company differs by city.

The seasons run opposite to the Northern Hemisphere, so Christmas trading and Boxing Day sales fall in the middle of summer, alongside school holidays and peak tourism. Visitors from China, Southeast Asia and Japan arrive in waves around Lunar New Year and regional holidays. Perth sits two to three hours behind the east coast, which affects supervision, escalation and reporting schedules for national clients.

How to become a licensed security guard in Australia

Australia has no single national security license: each state and territory licenses its own security workers under its own law, with training based on nationally recognized qualifications. In Victoria, for example, licensing is run by the Licensing and Regulation Division of Victoria Police under the Private Security Act 2004.

Regulator: There is no national regulator; each state and territory has its own. Example: Victoria Police, Licensing and Regulation Division. Laws include the Private Security Act 2004 (Vic) and the Security and Related Activities (Control) Act (WA). www.police.vic.gov.au/private-security-eligibility-requirements-and-training

Individual requirements (by state)

  • Victoria: must be 18 years or over
  • Victoria: must be an Australian resident or hold a current visa with working rights
  • Victoria: must not be a prohibited person under section 13 of the Private Security Act 2004 and must be a fit and proper person
  • Victoria: international police checks are required for any other country lived in for more than 12 months in the past 10 years (since age 16)
  • Victoria: fingerprints are taken as part of the application, and 100 points of certified identification are required
  • Victoria: approved training for each activity, valid within 12 months of the application
  • Victoria: CPP20218 Certificate II in Security Operations for unarmed guard, crowd control and control room operator; CPP31418 Certificate III in Close Protection Operations for bodyguard
  • Western Australia (mutual recognition applicants): a current First Aid Certificate is required for Security Officer, Security Bodyguard and Crowd Controller applicants
  • Western Australia (mutual recognition applicants): a police certificate from the previous country is required if the applicant has not lived in Australia for the last five years

How to apply (Victoria example)

  1. Complete the approved training for each activity through an approved Registered Training Organisation
  2. Gather 100 points of certified identification, any change of name documents and any required international police checks
  3. Apply to Victoria Police Licensing and Regulation Division and have your fingerprints taken
  4. If you hold a current interstate license, you can apply through mutual recognition instead, with a certified copy of that license

For security companies

Victoria issues private security business licenses, which require CPP40719 Certificate IV in Security Management or approved industry organization membership. Company licensing rules differ by state and territory.

Victoria: armed guards need CPP31318 Certificate III in Security Operations (Armed Guard), with recommended face-to-face training of 112 hours. Firearm licenses for private security are issued only to Australian citizens or permanent residents, and holders must requalify each financial year (1 July to 30 June) through the 16 hour CPPSEC3114 firearms course or risk immediate suspension.

Western Australia issues an interim license valid for 3 months on application by mutual recognition, followed by a full 1 or 3 year license. Victoria does not require new training evidence at renewal.

Sources

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

Cities in Australia

Coverage in other areas, including Canberra, Hobart, Cairns, Darwin, Newcastle and Noosa, is arranged on request.

See the Oceania overview.

Security Officer Requirements in Australia

  • There is no single national security licence. Each state and territory licenses its own officers. For example, to work in Victoria you must hold a current Victorian private security licence, and holders of a licence from another state or territory apply for it through mutual recognition. Source
  • Security training is based on nationally recognised qualifications. For example, in Victoria unarmed guards and crowd controllers must complete CPP20218 Certificate II in Security Operations. Source
  • Holders of a current security licence from another Australian state or territory, or from New Zealand, can apply for the equivalent licence in Western Australia under mutual recognition. Source

States and territories of Australia

  • New South Wales
  • Victoria
  • Queensland
  • Western Australia
  • South Australia
  • Tasmania
  • Australian Capital Territory
  • Northern Territory

Discuss Coverage in Australia

Call +1 833-832-6647 or request an assessment online.

Request a Security Assessment