NSW security licences are issued by the Security Licensing and Enforcement Directorate (SLED) of the NSW Police Force under the Security Industry Act 1997. “Security Industry Registry” (SIR) is the older name that still appears in legal references and older guidance. To get a Class 1 licence you complete the SLED Pre-Enrolment Assessment, the NSW Security Licence Course (the current approved mandatory units of CPP20218) through a SLED Approved Organisation, and the required first aid. You then lodge an application with SLED and meet its identity, biometric and probity requirements.
Both halves matter: training makes you eligible, only SLED can license you. Here is what SLED does, what it used to be called, and the pathway step by step.
What the Security Industry Registry Is
Security licensing in NSW is governed by the Security Industry Act 1997 and the Security Industry Regulation 2016. The regulation defines who assesses an application, what information must support it — including evidence of the applicant’s completion of the requisite training, assessment and instruction for the class of licence sought — and where completed applications are sent. The registry is the administrative function that receives those applications, checks the documentation, records licences and handles renewals and amendments.
The name you will still see in legal references, industry commentary and older guidance is the Security Industry Registry. Licensing, compliance and enforcement work is now administered by SLED. SLED’s stated role is to administer and enforce the Security Industry Act 1997 and its regulation, with a Licensing Services team that processes all licence applications, renewals and amendments and liaises with an adjudication function so that only eligible persons are licensed, plus an industry regulation function covering compliance, enforcement and training regulation.
In practical terms, whether a document says SIR or SLED, you are dealing with the same NSW Police licensing pipeline. Because naming, addresses and process details do change, confirm current arrangements directly with SLED before you lodge.
How to Register: The Pathway Step by Step
Step 1 — Decide which class of licence you need
Licences are issued by class, matched to the work you intend to perform — a security officer (guard) licence, a crowd controller licence and so on. Working out the class first matters because it determines the training course conditions that apply, the documents you supply and the questions on the application form. SLED publishes the eligibility and suitability criteria for each class, and the criteria include age, identity and residency or work-rights requirements plus character considerations.
Step 2 — Complete approved training
NSW requires Class 1 applicants (except Class 1E) to complete the NSW Security Licence Course (SLC) through a SLED Approved Organisation, together with the SLED Pre-Enrolment Assessment (which includes a language, literacy and numeracy test) and a first aid certificate issued within the past three years: HLTAID011 for Class 1A and 1C, or HLTAID014 for Class 1B, 1D and 1F. The course covers the current approved mandatory units of CPP20218 Certificate II in Security Operations. Finishing the course does not license you: it satisfies the training component of the application, and eligibility is still assessed by SLED. SLED publishes its list of Approved Organisations; see the SLED Class 1 training requirements for current details.
ALIT’s CPP20218 Certificate II in Security Operations is Victorian delivery: an 18-day blended program over approximately three weeks (one live online class, online self-study and three practical classes at our West Melbourne campus, including First Aid) — see the course page for current pricing. This website does not offer it as the NSW Security Licence Course, and completing it does not by itself satisfy NSW licensing requirements. If your goal is a NSW licence, choose a provider on SLED’s Approved Organisations list and confirm its delivery location, timetable and fees with that provider.
Step 3 — Lodge the application
Applications are lodged with SLED, most commonly online through the NSW Government’s online licensing channel, and posted applications go to SLED’s licensing address. You will supply identity documents, evidence of your completed training and assessment, the class of licence you are applying for, and the applicable fee. Fees and current forms are published by NSW Government channels, so check the current amount rather than relying on an old figure.
Step 4 — Give fingerprints or palm prints
After lodgement, SLED issues biometric advice directing you to have your fingerprints or palm prints taken. This is a standard identity and criminal history step, and it is scheduled through the channel SLED nominates in the advice. Keep the advice, because the licence process cannot proceed until the biometric records are matched.
Step 5 — Wait for the probity assessment
SLED conducts a probity assessment that includes criminal history checks in NSW and elsewhere in Australia. Processing times vary with application volume and the complexity of an applicant’s history, so allow several weeks rather than days and respond quickly to any request for further information. Applicants with prior offences should expect closer scrutiny; disclosure is handled case by case under the legislation.
Step 6 — Receive your licence and start work
Once approved, you receive photographic advice and then your licence card for the class applied for. Only work within the class and conditions printed on the licence, carry or produce it as required, and track your renewal date — licences expire and must be renewed before the expiry date, not after. Renewal timing, term options and fees are set by NSW authorities, so confirm the current rules with SLED.
Common Reasons Applications Stall
Most delays come from avoidable administrative problems: a training certificate that does not match the class applied for, identity documents that do not match the name on the training record, a photograph that does not meet specification, an incomplete biometric appointment, or an undisclosed matter that needs clarification. Check the application form against your documents before lodging, and if your name has changed or your record is held under a previous name, attach the supporting documents with the application rather than waiting to be asked.
Working Across State Lines
A NSW security licence authorises licensed work in New South Wales only. If you also want to work in Victoria, you will need the Victorian licence issued by Victoria Police, which has its own application process, training evidence requirements and fees. Read the step-by-step guide to getting a security licence in Victoria for that pathway, and how to become a security guard in Victoria or NSW for the comparison of both states side by side. Our guide to jobs with Certificate II in Security Operations covers the roles the licence classes lead to.
If you have already completed your qualification and only need the paperwork sequence, follow how to apply for a security licence in NSW after Cert II Security.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Security Industry Registry the same as SLED?
They are the same function at different points in time. The Security Industry Registry was the registry name used under earlier arrangements; the licensing, compliance and enforcement work is now administered by the Security Licensing and Enforcement Directorate of the NSW Police Force under the Security Industry Act 1997 and Security Industry Regulation 2016.
Does completing Cert II security operations get me a NSW licence?
No. Class 1 applicants (except 1E) must complete the SLED Pre-Enrolment Assessment and the NSW Security Licence Course through a SLED Approved Organisation. A CPP20218 completed elsewhere does not by itself satisfy that requirement, and SLED assesses eligibility, biometrics and probity separately before it issues the licence. Training completion and licensing are two distinct steps.
How long does a NSW security licence application take?
It varies with application volume, biometric scheduling and the complexity of your history, and involves fingerprinting plus a probity assessment. Allow several weeks and respond quickly to requests for more information. Confirm current processing guidance with SLED.
How much does it cost?
Training and licence fees are separate. ALIT’s CPP20218 is Victorian delivery (an 18-day blended program in West Melbourne) — see the course page for current pricing — and NSW course fees are set by SLED Approved Organisations; the licence application fee is set by the NSW Government and changes, so check the current fee when you lodge.
Do I need a first aid certificate as well?
SLED requires a first aid certificate issued within the past three years by a Registered Training Organisation: HLTAID011 for Class 1A and 1C, or HLTAID014 for Class 1B, 1D and 1F. It must be renewed every three years while you hold a NSW security licence. Check the SLED training requirements for current details.
Can I use a NSW licence in Victoria?
No. Licences are state-based. You must hold the licence issued by the state where you work, so Victorian work requires a Victoria Police security licence.
Ready to start the training half of the process? Explore ALIT’s Certificate II in Security Operations or see upcoming course dates in West Melbourne.
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