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The Security Industry Act 1997 uses the term “providing persons” in reference to Master licences. In relation to the security industry, “providing persons” has a specific meaning and applies to all Master licence holders, whether they’re individuals, corporations or government agencies.

To provide persons, including security operatives, to carry on a security activity means:

• Directly providing persons to carry on the security activity, including by employing or subcontracting the persons, or
• Indirectly providing the persons to carry on the security activity through an arrangement with another person, including by contract, franchise or otherwise.

In all these circumstances, the Master licensee is “providing” the security operatives to carry on security activities. All security operatives provided by a Master licensee must hold the appropriate Class 1 or Class 2 licence that authorises them to carry on these security activities.

There are several subclasses of Master licence that authorise the number of persons the licensee may provide on any one day:

• Class MA – carry on security activities as a self-employed individual. You must also hold the appropriate Class 1 and/or Class 2 security licence. This licence subclass doesn't authorise you to provide any other security operatives besides yourself
• Class MB – provide no more than three security operatives to carry on security activities
• Class MC – provide no more than 14 security operatives to carry on security activities
• Class MD – provide no more than 49 security operatives to carry on security activities
• Class ME – provide 50 or more security operatives to carry on security activities

If you need to temporarily increase the number of security personnel you are allowed to provide, you can apply for a Temporary Excess Provision of Services (TEPS) permit (PDF).

Your Master licence will authorise you to carry on the security activities authorised by a Class 2B (Security Seller) licence. You don't need to also hold the Class 2B security operative licence. Find out more about Class 2 licences here.

You need a Master licence if:

• You want to own and operate a security business and provide security operatives to carry on security activities.
• You already have a security operative licence (Class 1 or Class 2) and want to carry on security activities yourself within your own business.
• You want to employ security operatives to carry on security activities within your business (eg at hospitals, shops and licensed premises like pubs or clubs).
• You want to employ security operatives to patrol, guard or control crowds at an event or a function (eg a music festival, conference or other public event).
• You are procuring security for a third party (eg you are hiring out a venue for an event that requires security and you include security services for the client as part of the hiring costs).
• You own a security business in another Australian state or territory and provide security operatives to NSW clients. Please note, in this instance any security operatives you provide to carry on these services will also need to hold the appropriate NSW security licence.

There are a few requirements you need to meet to be eligible for a Master licence.

Individual Master licences:

• You must be:
  • at least 18 years old
  • an Australian or New Zealand citizen, or
  • a permanent resident, or
  • hold a visa for a skilled occupation that corresponds to the licence subclass for which you’re applying, and
  • satisfy all criminal and other eligibility requirements
• Individual applicants must not be a registrable person or corresponding registrable person within the meaning of the Child Protection (Offenders Registration) Act 2000, and have reporting obligations under that Act.
• If you are a not an Australian or New Zealand citizen, or an Australian permanent resident you must provide a Police Clearance Certificate for every country you've lived in for more than 12 months outside of Australia in the past 10 years since you were 16 years old. If necessary, it must be translated into English, have been issued within the past 12 months and must be verified by that country's consulate or embassy in Australia.
• You need an Australian Business Number (ABN).
• If you are a self-employed individual you must also hold the appropriate Class 1 and/or Class 2 security operative licence.
• Individual applicants and nominated persons must not have, in the past three years:
  • been an undischarged bankrupt
  • applied for bankruptcy
  • benefitted from laws for the relief of bankrupt or insolvent debtors
  • Compounded with your creditors, or
  • made an assignment of your remuneration for your benefit, unless SLED is satisfied you took all reasonable steps to avoid the bankruptcy
  • been the subject of a winding up order or the appointment of a controller or administrator unless the winding up of the corporation was voluntary or SLED is satisfied you took all reasonable steps to avoid the liquidation or administration.

Corporation or Government Agency Master licences:

• The nominated person must be an Australian citizen or permanent Australian resident (includes New Zealand citizens), or hold a visa for a skilled occupation to which the activities authorised by the proposed licence correspond.
• Eligibility provisions also apply to nominated persons and close associates.
• Nominated persons for corporations must be involved in the day-to-day conduct of the business’s security activities.
• If you are not an Australian citizen or permanent Australian resident (includes New Zealand citizens) you must provide a Police Clearance Certificate for every country you've lived in for more than 12 months outside of Australia in the past 10 years since you were 16 years old. If necessary, it must be translated into English, have been issued within the past 12 months and must be verified by that country's consulate or embassy in Australia.
• You need an Australian Business Number (ABN).
• Corporations must ensure their business name is registered to an ABN and that a copy of their business name certificate is included in the application.
• Nominated persons and close associates must:
  • satisfy criminal and other eligibility requirements
  • not be a registrable person or corresponding registrable person within the meaning of the Child Protection (Offenders Registration) Act 2000, and have reporting obligations under that Act.

All Master licences:

• Trusts are not eligible to apply for a master licence as the NSW security industry legislation does not recognise a trust as a legal entity. Where a corporation applying for a Master licence acts as a trustee for a trust, the application for the Master licence must provide the ABN issued to the corporation (not the trust).
• If you intend to provide Class 1D (Guard Dog Handler) or 1F (Armed Guard) security operatives you must have and maintain at least $10 million in public liability insurance cover.

Please note: if you intend to provide Class 1D (Dog Handler) or 1F (Armed Guard) security operatives you must have and maintain at least $10 million in public liability insurance cover.

Trusts are not eligible to apply for a master licence as the NSW security industry legislation does not recognise a trust as a legal entity. Where a corporation applying for a Master licence acts as a trustee for a trust, the application for the Master licence must provide the ABN issued to the corporation (not the trust).

If you, or any of your close associates have a criminal record, it could affect your eligibility. You’re not eligible for a NSW security licence if you or any of your close associates have been:

• Convicted of a prescribed criminal offence in the past 10 years
• Found guilty of a prescribed criminal offence in the past five years, with no conviction recorded (click here for more information about prescribed criminal offences)
• Had a civil penalty imposed on you in the past five years
• Removed or dismissed from the NSW Police Force, or any other police force in Australia or overseas.

SLED may also refuse your application if:

• You, or the nominated person, have provided false or misleading information to SLED
• You, or the nominated person, do not provide the required documentation with your application
• Granting the licence would not be in the public interest, eg if SLED believes the licence will be improperly used, or that improper conduct is likely to occur if the licence is approved
• You, or any of your close associates, are linked to past or current criminal activity or criminal investigations
• You, or the nominated person, are not considered to be a fit and proper person to hold a security licence. Your personal and criminal history is taken into account when making this decision.

See the Am I Eligible For a NSW Security Licence factsheet (PDF) for more information.

For all Corporation Master licence applications, a nominated person must be specified during the application process.

The nominated person must be a Close Associate who will be involved in the day-to-day conduct of the business’s security activities.

They must also be an Australian citizen OR Australian permanent resident (includes New Zealand citizens), or  hold a visa for a skilled occupation to which the activities authorised by the proposed licence correspond.

As part of the application process, the nominated person must have their fingerprints and palm prints taken and will be subject to probity checks.

You can read more about Close Associates here.

1. Apply online via Service NSW and attach all necessary documentation when requested.
2. SLED will contact the nominated person with instructions to visit a police station to have their finger/palmprints taken or requesting further information if required. Once the nominated person receives the fingerprint letter the have 42 days to have your fingerprints taken. If they receive a request for information letter they have 14 days to provide the requested information to SLED. If the nominated person doesn't have their fingerprints taken or provide the required information within these timeframes the application will be refused.
3. Once the nominated person receives the fingerprint letter, they have 42 days to have their fingerprints taken.
4. If the licence is granted the nominated person will receive the master licence certificate in the post.
5. If the application is refused, the nominated person will receive a letter explaining the reason/s and the appeals process. For more information, see the Refusal, Revocation and Right of Review page.

If SLED needs to contact you to get further information or to chase up missing documents, your application will be delayed.

Important: make sure the nominated person’s name, address and contact details are correct on all documentation submitted with the application. Also make sure that you keep your email and telephone contact details up to date. If contact details are incorrect or out of date the nominated person may miss important information SLED will send out as part of the application. You can check and update personal details online via Service NSW.

SLED uses SMS and emails to communicate with applicants throughout the application process. We recommend you regularly check your spam folder and add SLED (sled@police.nsw.gov.au) to your contacts to ensure you don’t miss out on important information.

If you are unable to apply online, click here for SLED’s application forms.

Conditions are imposed on all security licences. These conditions are classified as Tier 1, Tier 2 or Tier 3 conditions with different penalties for non-compliance based on the seriousness of the offence.

Conditions ensure licences are being used appropriately and help SLED to regulate the industry safely and fairly. Failure to comply with Master licence conditions could result in fines being issued, and the possible suspension or revocation of your master licence. Prison sentences may also apply.

Please note: It is a condition of all NSW Master licences that you ensure all Class 1 security operatives you provide, except for 1E Monitoring Centre Operators, have a current First Aid certificate.

For further detailed information about licence conditions, see the Security Industry Act 1997 and the Security Industry Regulation 2016.

All NSW security licences have certain conditions attached to them. These conditions ensure licences are being used appropriately and help SLED to regulate the industry safely and fairly.

You may receive a fine if you breach any of your licence conditions. Your licence could also be suspended or revoked.

• * $11,000 fine and/or six months jail
• ** $55,000 fine and/or two years jail

Please note: SLED may impose additional conditions on licensees as required. Breaching these conditions may result in a fine of up to $22,000 for a corporation or $11,000 and up to six months imprisonment for an individual.

There are certain circumstances in which SLED will be required to suspend or revoke a security licence.

Reasons for licence suspension include:

• If SLED believes you have engaged, or may engage, in improper conduct
• If you are charged with a serious offence
• If you breach the Security Industry Act 1997 legislation or regulations
• If you are found liable to a prescribed civil penalty

Reasons for licence revocation include:

• If you are convicted or an indictable offence, including assault, theft, fraud, drug offences and murder
• If you are linked to criminal intelligence or a criminal investigation
• If you provide false or misleading information to SLED in your licence application or renewal
• If you breach the Security Industry Act 1997 legislation or regulations
• If there is criminal intelligence that suggests you are likely to engage in improper conduct if you continue to hold a security licence
• Any other reason prescribed under the Act or the regulations.

When you apply for a security licence, or renew your existing licence, you can choose to have a one year or a five year licence.

There are also fees associated with other aspects of security licensing, including add or deleting subclasses, replacing your Master licence certificate, changing your business or trading name or modifying the nominated person or close associates of the Master licence.

A $120 nonrefundable processing fee is included in the application fee. If you choose to withdraw your application this fee cannot be refunded.

If your application is refused, a refund of your application payment, minus the processing fee, will be provided once the appeal period is completed. Refunds can take up to six weeks to process from the date of refusal.

Click here for a full list of SLED licence fees (PDF).

Application and renewal fees

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Other licence fees

You can renew your Master licence online from eight weeks before the licence expires.

Once the expiry date passes, you have up to 90 days to submit your renewal Master licence application. Late payment fees apply and must be paid when you submit your application. Your business is unlicensed until your Master licence has been renewed.

You cannot renew your licence once the 90 days have passed. If you want to continue to work in the security industry, you will need to submit a new application.