How to become a security guard
In most states you need a state license (often called a guard card) before you can work as a security guard. Many employers will help you get it. Here is what the rules say and what employers ask for in real job posts.
1. Check your state's rules
33 states license each guard: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.
5 states license the security company, not the guard: Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota. The employer tells you what you need.
1 states only license armed guards: Pennsylvania.
We found no state license for unarmed guards in Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Wyoming. Cities and counties there may still have their own rules.
Each state page lists only what we could confirm on the state's official site, with links. We do not have a confirmed page yet for the other states.
2. See what employers ask for
From the 14,717 jobs on this site on Oct 21, 2026:
Most job posts do not say a guard card is required up front, and many offer paid training, so you can often apply first and get licensed with the employer's help. Read each job post: the rules of the state still apply.
3. Apply
Every job here links to the employer's own application. There is no sign-up on this site.
See jobs that need no experience See jobs with paid training