A Security Guard licence lasts three years, and since 1 April 2025 you cannot renew it without a Refresher qualification. The course is one day, the assessment is one exam and one short practical, and most people who book in time never have a day off work. This guide explains the rule, what the day covers, how you are assessed and how to time it. Dates and current prices are on the calendar.
The renewal rule since April 2025
The SIA's renewal guidance is clear: to renew a security guard licence you must hold the Level 2 Award for Security Officers in the Private Security Industry (Refresher) as well as the licence-linked qualification you already have. This requirement came in on 1 April 2025 and it applies to every security guard renewal, however long you have held the licence. You do not repeat the full course; the refresher is the only training you need.
Two other rules sit alongside it, both from the SIA's renewal page:
- First aid first. You must hold an Emergency First Aid at Work qualification, or an equivalent that meets Health and Safety Executive guidance, before you take the refresher, and it must have at least 12 months left on it. You show it to your training provider when you register. Our refresher day includes the Highfield Level 3 Emergency First Aid at Work course, completed first, for anyone whose certificate has run out or is close to it.
- Renew early. You can apply to renew up to four months before your licence expires, any time left on the old licence is added to the new one, and you cannot renew a licence that has already expired; you would have to apply for a new one and stop working in the meantime.
What the Refresher qualification contains
The qualification is the Highfield Level 2 Award for Security Officers in the Private Security Industry (Refresher), qualification number 610/4811/2. It has one unit, Principles of Working as a Security Officer in the Private Security Industry (Refresher), with 7 guided learning hours, and it updates you on what has changed and what matters most: your responsibilities and the law, searching and the right to search, terror threats and the operative's role, keeping vulnerable people safe, communication, recording and post-incident management.
| Assessment | Format |
|---|---|
| Multiple-choice exam | 28 questions, 45 minutes, pass mark 71 per cent (20 correct) |
| Practical | A filmed search of a person and their possessions, and use of a radio, about 15 minutes |
The pass mark on the practical is 100 per cent of the criteria. I have written a full guide to the Refresher exam and to the Refresher practical.
The day
The course runs at Yeading Community Centre, 2 Ditchfield Road, Hayes, UB4 9BH, with free parking. Where the first aid course is included it is delivered first, then the refresher training, then the exam and the practical. Start time and breaks are on the calendar under "View full schedule".
Before the day
- E-learning. A Highfield learner login is sent after you book. Complete the e-learning set for the refresher and download the certificates; the e-learning page walks through it.
- ID. An in-date passport or UK driving licence (provisional accepted), plus two proofs of address from two different organisations, each dated within the last three months, with matching names and addresses.
- Your current licence and your first aid certificate, if you have one with 12 months left.
Without the required documents you cannot join. See the Day 1 checklist.
Timing: work backwards from your expiry date
- Find the expiry date on your licence.
- Count back four months: that is the earliest you can submit the renewal, and the best time to do it.
- Book the refresher so your certificate is issued before that window opens, allowing a few working days for the awarding body to process results.
- Apply through your SIA online account as soon as the certificate shows on your account. Our SIA account guide and SIA contact guide cover the process and what to do if the qualification does not appear.
The renewal planner on our home page does the arithmetic for you.
Results and the Exam Warranty
The exam is marked on the day and the practical is assessed in the room. Run through the free mock exams for the Security Guard units beforehand. If you do not pass the exam first time, the ASA Exam Warranty covers your next two attempts at no extra cost, provided you attend, take part and book your retake promptly.
FAQ
Do I have to do training to renew my Security Guard licence?
Yes. Since 1 April 2025 the SIA requires the Level 2 Award for Security Officers in the Private Security Industry (Refresher) for every security guard renewal, plus a valid first aid qualification before you take it.
How long is the Security Guard refresher?
One day, with 7 guided learning hours set by the awarding body. The first aid course, where you need it, is a separate day's content delivered first.
Can I keep working while the renewal is processed?
Only while your current licence is still valid. Apply up to four months before expiry so there is no gap, and remember an expired licence cannot be renewed.
Can I take the two-day Door Supervisor Refresher instead?
Yes. The SIA has confirmed to us that a security guard can renew by taking the two-day Door Supervisor Refresher, and we accept security guard bookings on every Refresher date on the calendar. You attend both days.
Can I switch to a Door Supervisor licence at the same time?
No. Door Supervisor needs the full Door Supervisor qualification, including physical intervention. If you want door work, book the Door Supervisor course.
Ready to book your course?
Current prices and dates are on our calendar. Everything about A Security Academy, the SIA-approved training centre in Hayes, West London, is on the home page.