General Eligibility Criteria (Applies to All Applicants):

1. Age Requirement:

   • Applicant must be at least 18 years of age (21 for some positions like personal protection officers). 

2. Legal Status:

   • Must be a United States citizen or legal permanent resident with valid documentation and authorized to work in Texas. 

3. Education: Must have a high school diploma or equivalent. 

4. Criminal History:

   • Cannot have been convicted of a felony offense under the laws of this state, another state, or the United States.

   • Cannot have been convicted of a Class A misdemeanor.

   • Cannot have been convicted of a Class B misdemeanor within the past 5 years.

   • Cannot be currently charged with a Class A or Class B misdemeanor, or felony offense.

   • Cannot be currently on probation, community supervision, or parole for a criminal offense.

5. Mental and Medical Fitness:

   • Cannot have been declared incompetent by a court due to mental illness.

   • Cannot suffer from a condition that would impair the individual’s ability to perform the duties of a security officer, particularly if applying for a commissioned license.

6. Substance Use:

   • Applicant must not be chemically dependent or addicted to alcohol or controlled substances.

7. Good Moral Character:

   • Must demonstrate good moral character and integrity consistent with the responsibilities of a security professional.

8. Registration and Fingerprinting:

   • Must submit fingerprints to the Texas Department of Public Safety for a state and federal criminal background check through an approved fingerprinting service.

9. English Proficiency: Must be able to speak and write in English.

10. Training: Must complete the required training for the specific type of security officer position (Level II for non-commissioned, Level III for commissioned). 

11. Other: May not have been dishonorably discharged from the military, be under indictment or convicted of certain crimes (e.g., felonies, certain misdemeanors), or be registered as a sex offender.

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Commissioned Security Officer (Level III) – Additional Requirements:

• Must complete a Level III Commissioned Security Officer Training Course from a licensed training school.

• Must pass the written examination and firearms proficiency test.

• Must submit a medical/mental health declaration form (PSB-35).

• Must comply with all annual firearms requalification and continuing education requirements as prescribed by DPS.

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Notice to All Students:

Completion of a training course does not guarantee eligibility for licensure. Final determination is made by the Texas Department of Public Safety – Private Security Program, based on criminal history, application accuracy, and compliance with all statutory and administrative rules.

Students are encouraged to review the full text of:

• Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1702, and

• Texas Administrative Code Title 37, Chapter 35

For more information, visit:

https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/private-security

Training providers must notify each enrollee of the following:

• The potential ineligibility of an individual who has been convicted of a criminal  offense;

• The department’s current eligibility guidelines (the board’s administrative rules) issued under Occupations Code, Section 53.025;

• Any other state or local restriction or guideline used by the department to determine the eligibility of an individual who has been convicted of an offense; and

• The right to request a criminal history evaluation under Occupations Code Section 53.102.

Pursuant to HB 1508, if an individual is denied an occupational license based on their criminal history and the training provider failed to provide the individual the above information, the training provider will be required to refund the amount of any tuition paid and corresponding application and examination fees.

• For purposes of compliance with these requirements, it is recommended training schools and other licensees that offer in house level II training communicate the following text directly to the prospective applicant, whether by email or other correspondence, or on the application for admission to a course.

• The Private Security Act (Occ. Code Chapter 1702) and Administrative Rule 35.4 (37 Tex. Admin. Code 1), a criminal conviction may disqualify you from a registration, commission, or license under the Act. You may wish to review Rule 35.4’s list of disqualifying offenses and the related periods of ineligibility, available on the department’s website at https://www.dps.texas.gov You also have a right to request from the department a criminal history evaluation letter under Occupations Code Section 53.102.”

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