What's Current for 2026
Florida remains one of the most regulated states for private security, and keeping your guards properly licensed is non-negotiable. Whether you're managing a team of 5 or 500, understanding the current Class D and Class G requirements is essential to staying compliant and avoiding costly penalties.
Class D — Security Officer License
The Class D license is required for any unarmed security officer working in Florida. The requirements include being at least 18 years old, completing 40 hours of professional training from a licensed school, passing a background check through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), and submitting fingerprints for a state and federal criminal history check.
The initial license is valid for two years. Renewal requires completing 24 hours of continuing education, with specific requirements in areas including legal updates, emergency procedures, and professional conduct. The renewal fee is $42, and applications should be submitted at least 90 days before expiration to avoid lapses.
Class G — Armed Security Officer License
The Class G license is required in addition to the Class D for any armed security officer. Requirements include holding a valid Class D license, completing 28 hours of firearms training from a licensed instructor, passing a firearms qualification course, and submitting an additional background check and application to FDACS.
Class G licenses are also valid for two years. Renewal requires 4 hours of firearms requalification annually — this is a critical detail that catches many companies off guard. Even though the license itself renews every two years, the annual requalification is mandatory. Missing it means the guard cannot legally carry while on duty.
Common Compliance Pitfalls
The most frequent compliance issues we see are surprisingly basic. Guards working with expired licenses because no one tracked the renewal date. Companies not realizing that the annual Class G requalification is separate from the two-year renewal. New hires deployed to sites before their license application is processed. And guards from other states assuming their existing credentials transfer to Florida (they don't — Florida has no reciprocity agreements for security licenses).
Staying On Top of It
With a team of any size, manual tracking of license dates, training hours, and requalification schedules becomes a liability. A single expired license discovered during a client audit can damage your reputation and potentially void your insurance coverage for that site.
The solution is systematic tracking with automated alerts. Every guard's license expiration, training completion, and requalification dates should be in a system that alerts both the guard and their supervisor well before any deadline. Many companies set alerts at 90 days, 60 days, and 30 days before expiration — giving enough runway to complete the process without rushed, last-minute scrambles.