How to Vet a Security Company

How to Vet a Security Company: 5 Questions to Ask About SIA Licensing Before You Hire

Before hiring a security company, would you know exactly what to check? Is the SIA licence of each guard valid and appropriate for their duties? Does the company have a clear process for verifying qualifications and monitoring licence status? These questions can make a significant difference when you are entrusting a provider with the security of your people, property or event.

Whether you need an Event Security Company UK or a Security Guard Company for ongoing protection, carrying out a few essential checks before signing a contract can help you understand the provider’s approach to licensing, recruitment, training and compliance.

1. Are Your Security Guards SIA Licensed for the Work They Perform?

The first question should be straightforward: Do the security guards you provide hold the appropriate SIA licence?

Not every security role requires the same licence. The SIA recognises different licence categories, including security guarding, door supervision, close protection and CCTV operation. Whether a licence is required depends on the activity being performed and the circumstances of the work.

Ask the provider which licence category applies to the personnel being deployed to your business. You can also check an individual’s licence through the SIA’s online register using their 16-digit licence number or other identifying information.

A professional provider should already have processes in place to verify the licensing status of its personnel.

2. How Do You Check That Licences Remain Valid?

Seeing an SIA licence card is not necessarily the end of the verification process. Businesses should consider how their security provider monitors licence status over time.

The SIA provides a Licence Status Checker for businesses, allowing them to check whether security operatives have valid SIA licences. Businesses can also create watchlists for staff working at a particular site or event.

Ask your provider:

• How often are licences checked?
• Who is responsible for monitoring them?
• What happens if a licence expires or changes status?
• Are licence records maintained?
• Can the company confirm the status of guards before deployment?

These questions can reveal whether licensing is treated as an ongoing responsibility rather than a one-time administrative check.

3. Can You Confirm the Security Company’s Own Credentials?

It is useful to distinguish between an individual operative’s SIA licence and the security company’s status.

The SIA operates the Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS), a voluntary quality-assurance scheme for private security companies. Businesses can search the SIA’s register of approved contractors to check whether a company has ACS approval.

ACS approval is not the only factor to consider when selecting a provider, but it gives businesses another source of information when assessing potential suppliers.

If a company says it is SIA approved, verify that claim using the SIA’s official register rather than relying solely on information presented in marketing material. The register allows businesses to search by company name, region, and approved activity.

4. How Do You Verify Training and Recruitment?

Licensing is only one part of choosing a security provider. Ask how the company recruits, vets, and trains its personnel before they are deployed. A good provider should be able to explain its recruitment procedures and how it confirms that guards meet the requirements of their role.

For example, event security may involve access control, crowd monitoring and responding to incidents, while security guarding may involve protecting premises, monitoring access points or carrying out patrols.

The more closely a provider’s recruitment and deployment process matches your requirements, the easier it can be to establish an appropriate security arrangement.

5. What Happens If a Guard’s Licence Changes?

This is a question that businesses sometimes overlook. Ask what would happen if:

• A licence expires.
• A licence is suspended.
• A guard becomes unavailable.
• A guard is no longer suitable for a particular assignment.
• A replacement needs to be provided at short notice.

A provider with a clear contingency process can help avoid unnecessary disruption to your security arrangements.

What Should You Look for in a Security Company?

Look at the company’s experience, communication, supervision, staffing arrangements, relevant sector knowledge and approach to compliance. Ask for clear information about the service you will receive and make sure responsibilities are understood before the contract begins.

If you are organising an event, for example, an Event Security Company UK should be able to discuss the nature of your event, expected attendance, venue layout, access points and potential security requirements.

Why SIA Licensing Checks Matter

The SIA states that businesses must check whether someone has the correct security licence before hiring them for private security work. Employing someone for licensable security work without the appropriate licence can carry serious consequences.

At Servesify, businesses can discuss their security requirements and identify suitable services for events, sites and other environments. Asking the right questions before hiring can help you establish a more transparent, structured, and reliable security arrangement.