How to get a security guard license in Rhode Island

Rhode Island licenses unarmed security guards individually. The credential is the Employee registration: each employee of a licensed private security guard business must be registered (or licensed) before working, via a verified 'employee's registration statement'; the Attorney General keeps the list of registered persons. The business, not the guard, holds the licence (R.I. Gen. Laws 5-5.1-18), issued by the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General, Bureau of Criminal Identification (licensing of private security guard businesses, R.I. Gen. Laws 5-5.1).

Licensing agencyRhode Island Office of the Attorney General, Bureau of Criminal Identification (licensing of private security guard businesses, R.I. Gen. Laws 5-5.1) official source
Credential for unarmed guardsEmployee registration: each employee of a licensed private security guard business must be registered (or licensed) before working, via a verified 'employee's registration statement'; the Attorney General keeps the list of registered persons. The business, not the guard, holds the licence (R.I. Gen. Laws 5-5.1-18) official source
Background checkYes, through the employer: licensees may obtain a criminal background check on any employee or prospective employee from the division of criminal identification for a fee set by the Attorney General (rule 2.11: USD 5 per employee); the employee's verified statement must say he or she has no felony conviction, and licensees may not knowingly employ anyone convicted of a felony (5-5.1-18) official source
State feeUSD 400 (private security guard BUSINESS license, payable biennially (rule 2.11); not an individual fee); USD 5 per employee (background criminal check fee for employees of private security guard businesses (rule 2.11 in the rules text read)) official source
RenewalBusiness license: 2 years (rule 2.10). No individual guard term found official source
Working while the application is pendingnot stated: rule 2.15 says no person shall perform the functions and duties of an employee of a private security guard business without first having been registered and licensed by the Attorney General official source

Checked against official Rhode Island sources on Oct 18, 2026. Rules change: confirm with the licensing agency before you apply. This page lists only facts we could confirm on an official page.

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