Security Guard Services in Brazil

How to Become a Licensed Security Guard in Brazil

Private security in Brazil is authorized, controlled and inspected by the Federal Police, under the Private Security Statute (Law No. 14.967/2024) and Ordinance DG/PF No. 18.045/2023. A security guard must pass an authorized training course, meet the other requirements and carry the National Security Guard Card (Carteira Nacional de Vigilante, CNV), valid for two years.

Regulator: Polícia Federal (Federal Police), Private Security Control. Legal basis: Law No. 14.967 of 9 September 2024 (Private Security Statute, which repealed Law No. 7.102 of 1983); Ordinance DG/PF No. 18.045 of 17 April 2023, as amended by Ordinance No. 18.974 of 7 May 2024. gov.br

Requirements for Security Guards

• Be Brazilian, by birth or naturalization (Ordinance 18.045, Art. 150).
• Be at least 21 years old (Art. 150).
• Have schooling equivalent to the fifth year of elementary education (Art. 150).
• Pass a security guard training course at an authorized training course company (Art. 150).
• Pass physical and mental health examinations and a psychological aptitude examination; the psychological examination is given by professionals registered with the Federal Police (Art. 150).
• Present clean criminal record certificates from the Federal, State or Federal District, Federal Military, Electoral and State Military courts, for the place of residence and the place where the course was taken (Art. 150).
• Be up to date with electoral and military obligations and hold a CPF (individual taxpayer number) (Art. 150).
• Complete biometric collection at the Federal Police after passing the course (Art. 151).

Steps to Obtain the License

1. Meet the requirements of Art. 150 before starting the course (Ordinance 18.045, Art. 151).
2. Complete and pass the security guard training course at a training course company authorized by the Federal Police.
3. After the Federal Police approves the course, the certificate is issued electronically and is valid nationwide (Art. 151).
4. Attend biometric collection at the Federal Police unit, scheduled by the training course company (Art. 151).
5. The employer, the training course company or a registered union applies for the CNV electronically, with the fee paid by GRU (federal payment slip); the employer must apply within 30 days of hiring if the security guard does not have a CNV (Art. 153).
6. Carry the CNV while on duty (Art. 152).

Agency Licensing

Security companies need authorization from the Federal Police to operate. Registration of the company with the Commercial Registry (Junta Comercial) depends on prior authorization from the Federal Police, and the corporate purpose may include only the security service applied for (Law 14.967, Art. 40). The minimum paid-in share capital (Art. 14) is R$182,500 for unarmed security only, R$730,000 for property security, armed escort or personal protection, and R$2,920,000 for cash-in-transit. After paying the inspection fee (R$4,380) and the authorization fee (R$2,190), the company applies through the GESP system, its premises are inspected and the authorization is published in the Official Gazette of the Union (Diário Oficial da União). The authorization is valid for 2 years. Companies and residential condominiums with in-house security (segurança orgânica) also need authorization (fees of R$2,920 and R$730), but have no minimum capital requirement.

Security guards are entitled to carry a firearm under the terms of the law and to use weapons, ammunition and equipment in perfect working order (Ordinance 18.045, Art. 156). The training course qualifies the security guard for property security; extension courses are required for cash-in-transit, armed escort and personal protection (Art. 151). Firearms rules also follow Law No. 10.826 of 2003 (Disarmament Statute), as amended by Law 14.967.

Training, extension and refresher courses are valid for two years; after that, the security guard must take the refresher course, paid for by the employer (Ordinance 18.045, Art. 151), and the health and psychological examinations are renewed at the same time, also at the employer’s expense (Art. 150). The CNV is valid for two years (Art. 154). The company’s operating authorization is valid for 2 years.

Official Sources

• Federal Police: Private Security
• Federal Police: Operating authorization for private security service companies
• Federal Police: Laws (private security)
• Federal Police: Ordinances (private security)
• Ordinance DG/PF No. 18.045 of 17 April 2023, as amended by Ordinance No. 18.974 of 2024 (PDF)

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