Top Security Agency

    "Trust in Training and Integrity"

Providing security services for the Sacramento, CA area since 1998!

PPO license #13600.

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How to get or maintain a California Guard-card.

 Getting training for a California Security guard registration, known simply as a "guard-card", can be done through Top security Agency's online training feature. Top Security Agency will function as a "training entity" for you and NOT as an employer. You DO NOT need to seek employment with Top Security Agency or other security employers. Also, you DO NOT need to reside in the Sacramento, CA area in order to use the training feature to obtain or maintain a guard-card. Top Security Agency's online training feature offers CA Department of Consumer affairs' compliant courses for skills training for security guards.

The course you will need to take first, so that you can apply for a guard-card, is an eight (8) course called "Powers to Arrest". The "Powers to Arrest" course is listed in the "Stage 1" category in the online training feature. With a "print screen copy" of your approval from the State's BSIS website and a valid ID you are allowed to start working.

Within thirty (30) days of the approval of your guard-card or start of employment you must complete sixteen (16) additional training hours. These training hours include two (2) mandatory courses and two (2) elective courses. Using Top Security Agency's online training feature you will see these courses in the category "Stage 2". At this point you will simply provide your employer, if you are employed, with copies of the course certificates.

The next required training hours are an additional sixteen (16) that again include two (2) mandatory courses and two (2) elective courses. These hours must be completed within six (6) months of the approval of your guard-card or start of employment. Using Top Security Agency's online training feature you will see these courses in the category "Stage 3".

Once the forty (40) hours of training are completed you then are required to complete eight (8) hours of training per year to maintain your guard-card. The State allows for you to complete all forty (40) training hours before applying for a guard-card should you choose.

Using the online training feature you will pay for your courses as you go along. You might want to consider taking the powers to arrest course and the courses for the first sixteen (16) training hours before you apply to the State. This way you would have a full six (6) months to complete the remaining sixteen(16) training hours. Moreover, you may find an employer during that time that will provide or pay for the training hours.

To maintain a guard-card with the online training feature you only need to take eight course hours. Your employer, if you are currently employed, is required to provide these hours at no cost to you other than the State's annual renewal fee. You can select courses from any category and you can even repeat a course, such as the powers to arrest if you like.

The steps to follow to obtain a CA guard-card:

    Before you begin the State requires that:
  • You are eighteen (18) years of age or older
  • You have no felony or misdemeanor convictions*

How to obtain a CA guard-card using Top Security Agency's online training feature:

STEP ONE: Take a course online...

Register as a student in the online training feature and take the course "Powers to Arrest" located in the "Stage 1" category. You will find the categories and courses by clicking the "Available courses" link in the main navigation bar in the online training feature. You can start and stop working at your own pace on this or any other course whenever you like. There are no specific class times to follow when taking a course.

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STEP TWO: Submit your fingerprints...

Once you successfully complete the "Powers to Arrest" course and receive your course certificate (you get the certificate immediately), you will need to submit your fingerprints via livescan. Start by using the State's website link to locate the nearest livescan service provider near you. Livescan sites are listed by County. They range from businesses that do nothing but process fingerprints to UPS Stores or local law enforcement agencies. You will need to print out the livescan service form from the State's website to take with you to the livescan place of your choice. The form is three copies of the same form. One copy for you, one copy for the livescan operator and one copy for the Government or "Requesting Agency". In addition to the livescan operator's fee, He/She will also collect the FBI and DOJ fingerprint processing fees from you.

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STEP THREE: Apply to the State...

After you successfully submit your fingerprints via livescan, you can then apply online for your guard-card on the State's website. In addition to the information given to you by the livescan operator you will enter information for Top Security Agency. The company information, License number: PPO13600, Mailing address: 8863 Greenback Lane Suite #145 Orangevale, CA 95662, Phone Number: 916-799-6333, can be found in the "Contact us" page in the online training feature as well.



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STEP FOUR: Wait for your approval!

Now, provided you have successfully completed the "Powers to Arrest" course, submitted your fingerprints via livescan and applied to the State, you then just wait for your approval. It takes about ten (10) days for your guard-card approval, usually less so, once the State gets your application. Your approval will first appear on the State's BSIS website. With a "print screen copy" of this approval from the State's BSIS website and a valid ID you are allowed to start working. Your actual guard-card will be mailed to you by the State. Remember you must complete an additional sixteen (16) training hours within thirty (30) days of your approval date for your guard-card or start of employment. You will find these courses in the category "Stage 2" in the online training feature.

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STATE AND COURSE FEES:

  • State application and fingerprint fees- The State's Initial online Application fee is $51 paid through their website. The DOJ Fingerprint Processing Fee ($32 paid at Live Scan Site) and the FBI Fingerprint Processing Fee ($19 paid at Live Scan Site) total another $51. The livescan operator fee is set by the operator and varies from as little as $5 to $50. You should expect the livescan fee to average about $30. So for the State application, fingerprint processing and livescan operator fees it will total about $140.


  • Course fees- You will find all course prices in the online training feature.

*Having a felony or misdemeanor conviction does not automatically disqualify someone from applying for security guard registration with the State. The State will consider your circumstances and "evidence of rehabilitation" so long as you do not fail to disclose the information on your application.



Some more information about the CA guard-card:

In order to be employed as a Security Officer with a security guard company in California you must have a current California Security guard registration card. It is most commonly referred to a guard-card. The State fees, fingerprint fees, and course fees are your responsibility.

All the information for fees and the course can be found at the California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS).

No matter which way you get your guard-card, on your own or through a licensed PPO employer, it must be valid before you can start working. Once you are issued your guard-card by the State it is yours. It, like a weapon's permit, is not specific to a job site or one employer it is owned by you. As long as it is current it is accepted by all employers. The annual renewal few is much less than what you will initially pay to get it, of course.

It is very important to be absolutely truthful on your State application. They are mainly checking,of course, to see if you have criminal convictions. However, some convictions may not automatically disqualify you from the being issued a guard-card. As long as you are truthful the State will review your circumstances and may grant you your guard-card. Just as an example, someone with a misdemeanor assault conviction may still be issued a guard-card, only it restricts them from carrying weapons.

Keep in mind the system for guard-cards has been much improved over the past several years thankfully. With the improvements that the State has made it is not easy to be lost in the shuffle and work for a few weeks or months before your employer and you are notified all is not well with your guard-card status.

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