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Train for your SIA licence in as little as 3 days and earn £12.71–£25 an hour in real security roles across the UK.

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3 simple steps to start your security career

Book your SIA course

100+ training locations across the UK.
Find one near you and get started.

5 minutes to book online

Pass your exam

95% pass rate, first time.
Free retake if you don't. Same-day results.

3 to 6 days of training

Get licensed and start working

Pass and we guide your SIA licence application, typically approved in ~3 weeks. Then we connect you to real security jobs through GuardPass.

Job ready within 3 to 6 weeks

Pick the right SIA course

Popular

SIA Door Supervisor Training

6 days

Work at pubs, clubs, events, shops, and offices. Best choice for flexible, higher-paying jobs.

From £229.99 View dates

SIA Security Guard Training

4 days

Work static security shifts at shops, offices and sites

From £189.99 View dates

SIA CCTV Operator Training

3 days

Monitor shops, offices, warehouses from control rooms.

From £219.99 View dates

SIA Door Supervisor Top-Up Refresher

2 days

Renew your Door Supervisor licence and stay qualified for door work, events, nightlife, and beyond.

From £129.99 View dates

SIA Security Guard Top-Up Refresher

1 day

For individuals renewing their Security Guard or Officer licence. Quick refresher to keep you job-ready.

From £99.99 View dates

SIA Top-Up Training for Close Protection

4 days

For existing Close Protection Officers looking to renew their SIA Close Protection Licence.

From £350.00 View dates

View all courses

Pass the course, apply for your SIA licence

Compare licences

See the security roles your licence unlocks

Door Supervisor · Nightlife

£12.71 to £25 /hr

Training required: Door Supervisor Training

View details

Retail Security Officer

£12.71 to £15 /hr

Training required: Security Guard Training

View details

Control Room Operator

£13 to £17 /hr

Training required: CCTV Operator Training

View details

View all roles

Meet our security trainers

Claudette Stewart

Claudette trains Door Supervisor learners with Get Licensed. Her patience in the classroom helps take the edge off a course that can otherwise feel daunting.

View profile

Shaun Ravate

Shaun swapped a career in the Police for training Door Supervisors. He turns real-world stories into lessons that actually stick.

View profile

Demetrius Clarke

Demetrius trains both Door Supervisor and CCTV learners. He keeps the classroom relaxed without losing any of the detail.

View profile

View all trainers

Real stories from real people

from

36,656 reviews

4.8 out of 5

Excellent Trustpilot reviews

5,429

people training with us this week

"Very informative at all times helping to keep confidence of people of age not feel out of place. Good demonstration and clear communication and even exam reminded me of my a levels years ago. Well done"

Andrew Shaw

July 14, 2026

from

5,147 reviews

4.9 out of 5

Google Rating Starts Rating

David A July 20, 2026

For the last two days, I had Matt as my trainer and he was exceptional, super friendly, answered questions with precision and expanded his knowledge so that I could fully understand.
Absolutely brilliant Matt, Thank you. Read more

Our graduates work at

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Security, through the people who live it.

Real stories and practical insights from trainers, learners and professionals across the industry.

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Help centre

What do I need to qualify for an SIA licence course?

You need to be 18 or over — that's it for the course itself. No qualifications, no security experience: SIA courses are built for complete beginners. To get the licence after the course, the SIA also checks:

Right to work: you don't need to be a UK citizen — settled status, pre-settled status and work visas all count.
Identity: documents proving who you are and where you've lived.
Criminal record: a background check — a record isn't an automatic no (more on that below).

Some courses, including Door Supervisor Training, also need a valid Emergency First Aid at Work certificate. Get Licensed runs that course too — you can add it to your booking when you book your security course, so both are sorted in one go. The full route is laid out in our step-by-step licence guide.

How much does it cost to get an SIA licence in total?

Your total is made of 2 costs: your training course, and the £204 licence fee paid directly to the SIA when you apply. The fee is fixed; the course price varies by location and the package you choose.

Door Supervisor: training from £229.99 — the broadest licence and the most popular route.
Security Guard: training from £189.99 — the lowest-cost way in.
CCTV Operator: training from £219.99 — the control room route.
The £204 fee: the same for every front line licence, and it covers the full 3-year life of the licence.

At £12.71 to £25 an hour, most people earn the whole investment back within their first couple of weeks of shifts. Compare courses and dates to see the exact price for your location and package.

Which SIA course should I start with?

For most people it's Door Supervisor Training — it leads to the broadest front line licence, covering general security guarding plus door work at pubs, clubs and events, so it keeps the most job options open. Pick differently if you already know where you want to work:

Security Guard (4 days): static shifts at shops, offices and sites — the quicker, cheaper route if door work isn't for you.
CCTV Operator (3 days): control room work, monitoring sites on camera — the shortest course of the three.
Close Protection: protecting VIPs and high-profile clients — a bigger commitment, usually taken after experience in the industry.

Still torn? Browse the roles each licence unlocks and work backwards from the job you actually want.

What's the difference between Door Supervisor and Security Guard training?

Door Supervisor Training leads to the broader licence: it covers everything the Security Guard licence covers, plus work at licensed venues like pubs, clubs and events. Security Guard Training leads to a licence for static sites only — offices, shops, warehouses.

Door Supervisor: 6 days, from £229.99 — nightlife, events, retail, corporate and everything in between.
Security Guard: 4 days, from £189.99 — a solid route if you want guarding work without the door side.

Many employers prefer the Door Supervisor qualification because it shows broader training and lets them deploy you anywhere. If you're undecided, that flexibility is usually worth the 2 extra days.

How long does SIA training take?

Between 3 and 6 days for most courses: 3 days for CCTV Operator, 4 for Security Guard, 6 for Door Supervisor — all running on consecutive days, so you can train inside a single week.

Exams on the final day: for Door Supervisor, Security Guard and CCTV you get your results the same day you finish.
Close Protection: the exception — 16 to 19 days of training for a specialist licence.

Check upcoming dates — new courses are added every week, so you rarely wait long for a start date.

How quickly can I actually start working?

Most people are job ready in 3 to 6 weeks from booking their course. Plan for ~4 weeks end to end as a realistic middle. Here's how that breaks down:

Training: 3 to 6 days, with same-day results for Door Supervisor, Security Guard and CCTV.
SIA application: the SIA typically takes ~2 to 4 weeks once your checks are in progress.
Job hunt: can start before your licence arrives — we connect you to real security roles across the UK so you can line up work while you wait.

The fastest movers book early: your licence application can only start once training is passed, so the course date sets your whole timeline.

What happens if I fail the exam?

You retake it free — with unlimited attempts, so one bad day never costs you the career. In practice most people don't need it: 95% pass first time.

Same-day results: for Door Supervisor, Security Guard and CCTV you know where you stand before you leave the building.
Trainer support: our instructors are consistently rated 5 stars, and they teach for the exam — you're prepared, not thrown in.

Book your course knowing the retake safety net is there, then aim to never use it.

How much do security officers get paid?

SIA-licensed officers in the UK earn from the £12.71 an hour National Living Wage floor up to £25 an hour or more with experience — full-time officers typically take home £2,200 to £4,000 a month. Pay depends on the role your licence unlocks:

Door Supervisor - nightlife: £13 to £25 an hour, the widest earning range.
Retail Security Officer: £12.71 to £15 an hour, steady daytime hours.
Control Room Operator: £13 to £17 an hour, camera-based work.
Close Protection: the specialist end — £200 to £400 a day.

See the full breakdown by role — the licence you train for decides which of these doors open.

What kinds of jobs can I get with an SIA licence?

More than most people expect. The Door Supervisor licence is the most versatile — nightclub and event security, retail, corporate front-of-house, festivals, stadiums — while Security Guard, CCTV and Close Protection licences each unlock their own path.

Where our graduates work: G4S, Securitas, Mitie, Tesco, Amazon, Heathrow, Wembley and hundreds of smaller firms.
Start with one licence: many people add others as their career grows — the Door Supervisor licence also covers Security Guard work, so it's the strongest first move.

Explore the roles — over 450,000 people have trained with us, and the industry is short on trained people right now.

Can I work in security with a criminal record?

Quite possibly, yes — a record is not an automatic bar. The SIA looks at each application individually: what the offence was, how serious, and how long ago.

Recent and relevant offences (violence, dishonesty) weigh heaviest; older and unrelated ones weigh far less.
Check before you spend: our free criminal record checker gives you an indication in minutes, before you book anything.

If the check looks positive, book with confidence — thousands of people with old records hold SIA licences and work every week.

Do I need to be tall, fit or a certain build to work in security?

No — there's no height, fitness or build requirement for an SIA licence or for security work generally. The job runs on communication, de-escalation and awareness, not size or strength. Walk into any venue and you'll see officers of every shape, age and fitness level — the best ones are the calm ones, not the biggest ones. If you can talk to people, read a room and stay steady under pressure, the training covers the rest.

Is security a good career for women?

Yes, and it's one where representation is actively growing. Around 1 in 10 SIA licence holders are women, and that share has been climbing year on year.

No barrier to any role: there's no legal or physical requirement that closes any part of the industry to women.
Real demand: venues actively want mixed teams — searches and welfare checks often require female officers on shift.

With the industry short on trained people, the route in is the same for everyone: book, train, get licensed.

How long is an SIA licence valid, and how do I renew it?

An SIA licence is valid for 3 years from the date it's issued. Renewing is deliberately lighter than starting out — you never repeat the full course.

Start up to 4 months early: the SIA accepts renewal applications up to 4 months before expiry, so there's no gap in your right to work.
Take a short refresher: the 2-day Door Supervisor Top-Up is from £129.99; the 2-day Security Guard Top-Up from £99.99.
Reapply: the standard £204 fee covers your next 3 years.

One thing to avoid: letting it expire completely. An expired licence means a brand-new application, not a renewal — so diary the date and start early.

Can I get a second SIA licence later?

Yes — and if you apply for 2 licences on the same day on the same application, the SIA gives you 50% off the second fee: £102 instead of £204 (rule in place since 1 June 2026).

You may not need to: the Door Supervisor licence already covers Security Guard work, so check what your licence includes before paying for another.
Different sectors, different licences: CCTV and Close Protection are separate licences with their own training.

Our licence guide shows what each one covers, so you only ever pay for what you actually need.

How do I find an SIA course near me?

We run courses at 100+ locations across the UK, with new dates added every week — most people are within easy reach of a training centre.

Search by postcode: the course finder on this page shows dates and venues near you.
Book in 5 minutes: pick your course, pick your date, done — thousands of people train with us every week.

Find your nearest course and lock in a date — the course date sets your whole timeline to getting paid.