PSARA licence guide for every state in India

Basics

What is a PSARA licence?

PSARA is the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005, a central law passed by Parliament. It says that no person can run a private security agency in India without a licence from the state government.

The licence is issued by the Controlling Authority of each state. This is usually the Home Department or a senior police officer appointed by the state. The detailed procedure follows the Private Security Agencies Central Model Rules, 2020 and each state's own PSARA rules.

Applicability

Who needs a PSARA licence?

• Anyone who supplies security guards or supervisors to protect people or property, for example to apartments, offices, factories, banks, hospitals, schools or events.
• Proprietorships, partnership firms, LLPs and private limited companies. The legal form does not matter.
• Facility management and manpower companies that also provide security guards as part of their service.
• Existing agencies whose licence is about to expire (renewal) or who want to expand to more districts or another state.

Not covered here: this page is about licences for agencies. We do not offer security guard jobs, guard training seats or security services.

Section 6 of the Act

Who is eligible?

The applicant, and every proprietor, partner, director or majority shareholder, must:

• Be an Indian citizen, aged 18 or above. A company or firm must be registered in India, with Indian citizens as proprietor, majority shareholders, partners or directors.
• Not have been convicted of an offence punishable with two years' imprisonment or more.
• Not have been convicted of fraud in company management, and not be an undischarged insolvent.
• Not be linked to any banned organisation or activity against national security or public order.
• Not have been dismissed or removed from government service for misconduct or moral turpitude.

Police verification of antecedents is done for the applicant and the management team before the licence is issued.

Checklist

Documents usually required

The exact list changes from state to state. This is what most Controlling Authorities ask for:

Business documents

• Registration proof: incorporation certificate with MoA/AoA, LLP agreement, partnership deed, or proprietorship proof
• PAN of the entity, and GST registration if applicable
• Office address proof: rent agreement or ownership document, utility bill, and a photo of the office premises
• EPF and ESI registration, and Shops & Establishment / labour registration as required by the state
• Income tax returns or income tax clearance of the business or owners

Personal documents of owners and directors

• PAN, Aadhaar, passport-size photos, address proof
• Antecedent form (Form II) for each proprietor, partner or director
• Affidavit under Section 7(2) of the Act (on stamp paper, notarised)

Security-agency specific

• Application in Form I
• MoU with a recognised security training institute (or proof of your own approved training facility)
• Colour photos of the proposed guard uniform, and the agency logo
• Details of proposed supervisors, preferably with army or police experience
• Proof of government fee payment (demand draft or online payment)

Not sure what your state asks for? Call 93919 35651 and we will tell you the current checklist for your state, free.

Procedure

Step-by-step PSARA licence process

1. Set up the businessRegister a company, LLP, firm or proprietorship and take PAN, GST, EPF and ESI registrations.
2. Arrange trainingSign an MoU with a security training institute recognised in your state, or set up your own approved facility.
3. Prepare documentsFill Form I, antecedent forms and affidavits. Collect the business and personal documents listed above.
4. Apply to the Controlling AuthoritySubmit online on the state portal or in person, as your state requires, and pay the government fee.
5. Police verificationPolice check the antecedents of the owners and visit the office premises.
6. Owner trainingThe licence holder completes the agency training (at least 6 working days under the Model Rules), unless already licensed in another state.
7. Licence issuedThe authority decides within 60 days of a complete application and issues the licence (Form IV).

Section 7 & 8

Fees and timelines

Government fees are fixed by the Act. Notary, stamp paper, training institute and professional charges are extra and vary by state.

Training & MoU

Training requirements and training institute MoU

Every guard and supervisor must be trained before deployment (Section 9 and 10). Under the Central Model Rules, 2020:

Training institutes issue a completion certificate (Form VIII), which is accepted in all states. Institutes are inspected by the authorities and must report their trained candidates.

Compliance

After you get the licence

• Start work within 6 months, with a working office and supervisors engaged.
• Guards: Indian citizens aged 18 to 65, police-verified, trained, medically fit (yearly check-up) and able to meet the physical standard (1 km run in 6 minutes under the Model Rules).
• Registers: keep electronic registers of management, guards and supervisors (with photo, EPF/ESI and salary details), customers and duty rosters (Form X).
• Photo ID cards for every guard (Form XI), worn above the waist.
• Uniform: agency arm badge, rank badge, whistle, lace-up shoes and headgear. Uniforms must not look like army or police uniforms.
• Report changes of address or management within 30 days, and criminal charges against staff immediately.
• Labour laws: minimum wages, EPF, ESI and other labour laws apply to your guards.

Section 8

PSARA licence renewal

Apply for renewal at least 45 days before the licence expires, with the same forms and fee. The authority decides within 30 days. The renewed licence runs for another five years from the old expiry date.

Under the Model Rules, renewal applications that miss the 45-day window are not processed. After expiry the agency counts as unlicensed and has to apply afresh. Mark your expiry date and start early.

All India

Working in more than one state

There is no single all-India PSARA licence. Each state issues its own licence, so an agency that wants to deploy guards in, say, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka needs a licence in each of them. Within one state you can choose one district, two to five districts, or the whole state.

Training certificates of guards are valid across states, and the owner training is waived if you already hold a licence in another state. We guide applicants from all states. Call and tell us where you want to operate.

Section 20

Penalty for running without a licence

Running a private security agency without a PSARA licence is punishable with imprisonment of up to one year, a fine of up to ₹25,000, or both. Customers such as banks, companies and government departments also ask for a valid PSARA licence before giving contracts.

The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 changed some PSARA provisions from 15 May 2026, including the old rule on displaying the licence. Check the latest text with your state authority.

Questions

Frequently asked questions