A security badge can look completely valid and still tell you very little. The photo may match, the hologram may be intact, and the expiry date may be current, yet the licence itself could still be suspended. The only reliable way to confirm its status is to check the official register, not just the card. Here’s how to carry out the check, what the register tells you, and why it matters.
Why You Can't Rely on the Badge Alone
An SIA badge is physical evidence of a licence, but it is not the licence record itself. The legally relevant information is held by the Security Industry Authority, and that record can change without the physical card changing. A licence may be suspended or revoked while the badge still looks valid. That is why a visual check alone is not enough, whether you are hiring a door supervisor for a venue or deploying security guards for an event.
How to Check an SIA Licence on the Official Register
The check takes less than a minute and does not require an account:
- Go to the SIA’s Register of Licence Holders on GOV.UK
- Search using either the person’s 16-digit licence number or their name and date of birth
- Review the result, which shows the licence status, the specific sector it covers, and the expiry date
The register is free and publicly available. You can check it whenever needed, whether at the point of hiring or as part of your ongoing compliance process.
What the Register Actually Tells You
Three pieces of information matter most:
- Status: whether the licence is currently active, expired, or suspended
- Sector: which specific licensable activity the licence covers
- Expiry date: when the licence needs renewing
The sector detail is where a lot of checks go wrong. An SIA licence isn’t a general “security clearance”, it’s tied to a specific role. A CCTV Operator licence doesn’t cover door supervision, and a Security Guard licence doesn’t automatically cover door supervisor duties either. If you’re checking someone for a door supervisor role, the register needs to show a Door Supervisor licence specifically, not just any active SIA licence. Our breakdown of the difference between a door supervisor and a security guard covers exactly why these two roles, and their licences, aren’t interchangeable.
How Often Should Licences Be Checked?
A single check at hiring is not enough for ongoing compliance. A licence can be suspended after someone has already started working, while renewal remains the licence holder’s responsibility and does not happen automatically. Most SIA licences run for three years from issue, so adding routine rechecks to your compliance process provides greater protection than treating the check as a one-off task on someone’s first day.
What Happens If You Deploy Someone Without a Valid Licence?
This is not simply an administrative oversight. Working, or knowingly deploying someone to work, in a licensable role without a valid SIA licence is a criminal offence under the Private Security Industry Act 2001. The risk can affect both the individual and the business that deployed them, which is why checking the register matters to employers and venue managers as much as it does to the licence holder.
Common Mistakes People Make With SIA Licence Checks
- Assuming the badge is proof enough. As covered above, a suspended licence can still be attached to a badge that looks completely valid.
- Not matching the licence sector to the actual role. A valid licence for the wrong activity doesn’t cover the job being done.
- Treating the check as a one-time task. Licences can lapse or be suspended well after someone’s first day.
- Assuming every in-house security role needs a licence. Some in-house staff, employed directly by the organisation they’re protecting, may not require one, while door supervision at licensed premises always does. If you’re unsure which category applies, it’s worth checking directly rather than assuming either way.
Keeping Your Own SIA Licence Valid
If you’re the one holding the licence rather than checking someone else’s, the responsibility for staying compliant sits with you. Whether you need to qualify for the first time or renew before your current licence expires, the process starts with the right course: our SIA door supervisor course and SIA CCTV Operator course both lead to the licence-linked qualification the SIA requires before you can apply.
If you already hold a licence and it is approaching renewal, refresher training is now mandatory before the SIA will process the renewal. Our SIA licence renewal checklist explains what is required and when to begin, helping you avoid a lapse while your renewal is being processed.
