How to Start a Security Guard or Private Investigator Company in Georgia: License, Bond and Registration

Georgia licenses security and private investigation businesses at the company level first. The Georgia State Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies licenses the agency itself, and certain employees then register with the Board. If you plan to run a guard service, an in-house security operation or a private investigation firm, this is the path you will follow. The steps below are in the order you will complete them, with the fees, the bond or insurance requirement, and the local paperwork that first-time owners often miss.

This article is informational, not legal or tax advice. Licensing can be affected by a criminal record or a weapons background, so talk with a Georgia attorney or CPA before you file, especially if your facts are complicated.

Who regulates the business and what the state license covers

The regulator is the Georgia State Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies, part of the Professional Licensing Boards Division of the Secretary of State. The Board is located at 237 Coliseum Drive, Macon, and you can reach it at 404-424-9966. The law it administers is O.C.G.A. Title 43, chapter 38.

Georgia has no general state business license. The Secretary of State issues none, and registering with the Department of Revenue is not a business license either. A security or investigation company typically needs four things:

• An entity registered with the Secretary of State, such as an LLC or corporation.
• A Board license for the company (agency).
• Employee registrations where the Board requires them.
• A local occupation tax certificate from the city or county where you operate. This is often called a business license.

You also register with the Department of Revenue through the Georgia Tax Center if you sell taxable goods or have employees. Bail bonding is not covered on this page, and weapons carry permits are a separate regime with their own requirements.

Materials and information to gather first

Collect these items before you open any filing. A missing item is the most common reason an application stalls.

• A company name that is available on the Secretary of State's records and includes the entity designator your structure requires. Use the exact legal name everywhere: the entity filing, the Board application, the bond and the insurance.
• Formation documents: Articles of Organization for an LLC or Articles of Incorporation for a corporation.
• Original, notarized experience letters from each past employer, on letterhead, showing exact dates, positions and duties.
• A personal email address for your fingerprint account through the Georgia Applicant Processing Service (GAPS).
• One of three financial proofs: a $25,000 surety bond, a $1 million general liability certificate of insurance, or an audited financial statement.
• A designee, the person who will manage the company and register as an employee, if your license type requires it.
• Money for the Board application fee now and the license fee after the exam. Board fees are non-refundable.

Step-by-step: how to start the company

Step 1: Choose your license type and confirm you qualify

Georgia issues three company license types. Choose the one that matches the services you will actually provide, because the qualifications and fees differ.

License type	Board application fee	License fee	Total
Private Detective Company only	$100	$300	$400
In-House or Private Security Company only	$100	$500	$600
Private Detective and Security dual license	$100	$700	$800

The Board adds a $10 processing charge to a paper application or a $5 charge to an online application. The Board can change its fees, so confirm the current schedule with the Board before you pay.

Under O.C.G.A. 43-38-6, every applicant must:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Be a U.S. citizen or a registered resident alien.
• Be of good moral character.
• Have no felony conviction and no conviction involving illegal use, carrying or possession of a dangerous weapon, or moral turpitude. The Board has discretion in some cases.
• Have no act of dishonesty or fraud.

You must also meet one experience or education requirement:

• Private detective company: two years of full-time experience as a registered private detective employee with a licensed private detective company; or two years of full-time law enforcement experience with a federal, state, county or municipal police department; or a four-year degree in criminal justice or a related field from an accredited college.
• In-house or private security company: two years of full-time experience as a supervisor or administrator in in-house security operations or with a licensed security agency; or two years of law enforcement experience; or the same four-year degree.

The Board is strict about proof. Certificates, commendations, copies of licenses, resumes and self-written letters are not accepted. Law enforcement letters must show POST certification qualifications.

Step 2: Form the entity with the Secretary of State

Form your LLC or corporation first, because the Board license is issued to the company. Follow the guides for how to start an LLC in Georgia or how to start a corporation in Georgia. Articles of Organization and Articles of Incorporation each cost $110 total: the $100 fee plus a $10 service charge, whether you file online or on paper.

Online filings take about 7 to 10 business days, and paper filings take about 15 business days. Expedited review costs $120 for 2 business days, $275 for same-day review if received by noon, or $1,200 for one hour on business days. You can reserve a name for 30 days for $35. Check name rules and availability on the Secretary of State business search, then file through eCorp.

Every Georgia entity must keep a registered agent at a registered office with a Georgia street address. A P.O. box or mail drop will not work. An LLC's agent must be an individual Georgia resident or a corporation authorized to do business in Georgia, and an entity cannot be its own registered agent.

If you will operate under a name different from the legal entity name, you need a trade name registration. Trade names are filed with the Clerk of Superior Court of the county where the business is chiefly carried on, not with the Secretary of State. Expect a clerk fee of about $165 to $166, plus a newspaper notice published once a week for two weeks. Confirm the exact amount with your county clerk, and see the Secretary of State business FAQ for background.

After formation, your entity files an annual registration of $60 ($50 plus a $10 service charge) between January 1 and April 1 each year. An LLC files its first annual registration in the year after it forms. Confirm the current window and late penalty on the Corporations Division site.

Step 3: Submit the Board application and application fee

Once the entity exists, file the company application with the Board and pay the application fee from the table above. Include your proof of experience or education, and send the application on the Board's current form. Keep a complete copy of everything you submit. Application fees are non-refundable, so a rejected application with a missing document means paying again.

Step 4: Register your designee and any required employees

The company's designee registers as an employee. For a private detective company, this is required. For an in-house or private security company, the designee registers only if they will carry a weapon, and the training instructor must be certified by the Board.

Employee registration	Initial fee
Unarmed detective	$45
Armed detective	$70
Armed security guard	$70
Dual-license armed employee	$70

Employee renewals are $65 on time and $80 late. The Board says unarmed security guards are not required to register with the State. Check the Board's current rules on required training for guards and on weapon permits before you hire, because those rules are not summarized here.

Step 5: Complete fingerprinting through GAPS

Fingerprints are taken through the Georgia Applicant Processing Service (GAPS), which uses Fieldprint. Create your account with a personal email address and follow the Board's instructions for the fingerprint step. Complete it as soon as the Board directs you to, so the background process does not hold up the rest of your application.

Step 6: Pass the licensing exam

The Board must declare you eligible before you can take the licensing exam. Wait for that eligibility decision, then schedule the exam through PSI Services. Do not plan client work or hiring around the exam date until you have passed and the license is issued.

Step 7: Pay the license fee and provide financial proof

After you pass, pay the license fee: $300 for a private detective company, $500 for an in-house or private security company, or $700 for the dual license. You must also provide one of the following:

1. An original $25,000 surety bond naming the company exactly as it appears on your application.
2. A $1 million general liability certificate of insurance naming the Board as certificate holder.
3. An audited financial statement showing a net worth above $50,000. This option needs extra Board review, so expect it to take longer.

A company license is valid for up to two years and expires June 30 of odd-numbered years. Renewal fees depend on your license type and timing, so the table below shows the figures to plan for.

License type	On-time renewal	Late renewal	Reinstatement
Private Detective Company only	$300	$400	$550
In-House or Private Security Company only	$500	$600	$750
Private Detective and Security dual license	$700	$800	$1,050

Step 8: Handle the local and payroll requirements

The Board license does not finish your startup. Under O.C.G.A. 43-38-14.1, no city or county may grant a business license until you have applied to the Board and the Board has acted. Check with the Board on how this affects your sequencing. Under O.C.G.A. 36-60-6(c), the local issuer also requires proof of the state license for Title 43 professions.

Georgia's 159 counties and about 537 cities each set their own formula, deadlines and prerequisites for the occupation tax certificate. A business inside a city pays the city, not the county. More than half of Georgians live outside any city, so for them the county is the issuer. Read the Georgia business license guide to find your issuer. If you have more than 10 employees, you must file an E-Verify affidavit to get the certificate, under O.C.G.A. 36-60-6. See Georgia E-Verify requirements for business licenses.

Security companies generally need workers' compensation coverage at three or more workers, including part-time workers. See Georgia workers' compensation insurance requirements. When you hire, register with the Department of Revenue for withholding, using the steps in Georgia hiring your first employee. For a broader view of state tax obligations, see Georgia business taxes.

What results to expect

A complete, accurate filing typically avoids the delays that come from corrections and re-submissions. Expect the process to run in stages. The entity filing may clear in a matter of days or weeks, depending on the method you choose. The Board's eligibility review, the exam and the license issuance follow their own timeline. The information summarized for this guide does not give a single guaranteed turnaround for those Board steps, so plan for a longer runway than the entity filing alone. If you choose the audited financial statement route, plan for extra review time.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Mismatched names. If the Secretary of State filing, the Board application, the bond and the insurance use different names, you may need corrections before the license issues.
• Using a P.O. box for the registered office. Georgia requires a street address.
• Submitting the wrong proof. Resumes, copies of licenses, certificates and self-written letters are not accepted for experience.
• Skipping the designee registration. A private detective company's designee must register as an employee.
• Paying the wrong government. A business inside a city pays the city's occupation tax certificate, not the county's.
• Missing the annual registration window. Annual registration runs January 1 to April 1, and late filings carry a $25 penalty for LLCs.
• Filing a trade name with the Secretary of State. Trade names go to the Clerk of Superior Court in your county.
• Treating fees as fixed. The Board can change its fee schedule, so verify each amount before you pay.

Tips for a smoother filing

• Request the notarized employer letters early. Former employers may need time to prepare letters on letterhead with exact dates and duties.
• Choose the license type before you form the entity, and make sure the legal name you pick works for the bond or insurance you plan to buy.
• Get bond or insurance quotes before the exam so you know which of the three financial options fits your budget.
• If you have a complicated background or ownership structure, consult a Georgia attorney before you file. For tax questions, consult a CPA. Free business advising is available through the Georgia Small Business Development Center at the University of Georgia.

Official resources

• Georgia State Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies, 237 Coliseum Drive, Macon, Georgia. Phone: 404-424-9966.
• Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division: sos.ga.gov/corporations-division
• Georgia Department of Revenue: dor.georgia.gov
• Georgia Tax Center: gtc.dor.ga.gov
• Georgia Small Business Development Center at the University of Georgia: georgiasbdc.org
• U.S. Small Business Administration, Georgia district: sba.gov/district/georgia

This article is informational only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Fees, deadlines and rules change, so confirm each figure with the agency named before you file.