Hiring security in Arkansas? Here's who regulates it, what a company and its guards must be licensed to hold, how armed guards are permitted, and how to verify a license yourself in minutes.
Hiring a security company in Arkansas? Confirming its license is the single most important check you can make — it's what tells you the provider is lawful, insured, and accountable, and it shields you from the negligent-hiring liability that comes with putting an unvetted, uninsured operation on your property. This guide covers who regulates security in Arkansas, what a company and its guards must hold, how armed work is permitted, and exactly how to verify a license yourself.
In Arkansas, security is regulated by Arkansas State Police. A company must hold a Class B licence (security services contractor); Class C covers investigations plus security; Class G is the general licence, and guards hold a Private Security Officer (PSO) credential. There is no public register that answers this for you — see the verification steps below.
Regulation is exclusive to the Director of the Division of Arkansas State Police: licensees need no authorization, permit, franchise or licence from any city or county, and pay no local fee or franchise tax, though a municipality may require fee-free registration. In-house security is exempt where the person is employed exclusively by one employer for that employer's own affairs.
Who regulates security in Arkansas
Private security in Arkansas is regulated at the state level by the Division of Arkansas State Police, Regulatory Services Division. A legitimate firm holds a Class B licence (security services contractor); Class C covers investigations plus security; Class G is the general licence from Arkansas State Police, meaning it has cleared the state's ownership, background-check, insurance, and record-keeping requirements. That license number is the first thing to confirm — ask for it in writing and verify it yourself on Arkansas State Police Regulatory Services (no public lookup — verification by phone or email) rather than trusting a certificate on the wall. The licensing authority can also suspend or revoke a license for misconduct, so a live status check tells you not just whether a firm is licensed, but whether it's in good standing.
What each security credential authorizes in Arkansas
"Licensed" alone doesn't tell you what an officer is actually cleared to do — Arkansas uses more than one credential, and they aren't interchangeable. Here's what each one authorizes:
| Credential | What it authorizes |
|---|---|
| Private Security Officer (PSO) | Unarmed security duties; minimum age 18; Phase I training |
| Commissioned Security Officer (CSO) | Carrying a firearm on duty; minimum age 21; Phase I plus Phase II |
| Commissioned School Security Officer (CSSO) | Armed security for a school; Phase I, II and III — 36 hours minimum, including at least 16 hours ALERRT active shooter training and at least 10 hours of active shooter simulation and live fire; 24 hours refresher annually |
Guards and training
Individual officers in Arkansas generally must hold a Private Security Officer (PSO) credential, and the state requires Phase I, a minimum of eight hours covering legal authority (classification of crimes, arrests and detentions, use of force and its civil and criminal penalties), company and site-specific legal issues, the licensing Act itself, and field note taking and report writing; renewal training is a minimum of six hours. A valid company license doesn't guarantee every officer on the roster is credentialed and trained, so confirm the guards actually assigned to your site hold current registrations — verifying the company and the people are two separate checks.
Armed guards and firearms in Arkansas
Arming a guard in Arkansas takes more than the base credential: an armed officer needs a Commissioned Security Officer (CSO) commission authorising the officer to carry a firearm in the course of employment, which involves Phase II on top of Phase I — a minimum of sixteen hours, at least eight in the classroom and eight on the firing range, covering deadly force and Arkansas law, weapons safety and live fire with a pistol qualification course mirroring the state law-enforcement standard; twelve hours of refresher training annually, with a minimum age of 21. Armed coverage also raises your exposure — a firearms incident can reach the client through vicarious-liability and negligent-hiring theories, and standard general-liability policies often exclude firearms — so confirm the specific armed credential (not just the base registration) and the firm's firearms coverage, and reserve armed posts for a documented threat. Our armed vs. unarmed guide covers the decision in depth, and you can compare armed security services directly.
How to verify a security license in Arkansas
Verification takes only a few minutes and is the check that protects you:
- Get the license number in writing from the provider — don't accept a logo or a verbal claim.
- Know what the official source can and cannot tell you — Arkansas State Police Regulatory Services (no public lookup — verification by phone or email). Because it will not confirm a security provider for you, ask the firm for the authorization it actually holds and confirm that with the body that issued it.
- Confirm the record is active, unexpired, matches the exact legal business name and address, and shows no disciplinary action.
- Verify the officers — confirm each holds a current Private Security Officer (PSO) credential, plus the armed credential for any armed post.
- Confirm insurance and subcontracting — request a current certificate of insurance and confirm it meets or exceeds proof of continuing public liability insurance of not less than $500,000 for a Class B, C or G licence (armored car companies additionally carry at least $500,000 in cargo insurance), plus workers' compensation, and ask in writing whether any of your posts will be subcontracted to another firm.
Re-verify at renewal. Renewal in Arkansas: two years from issue; a licence not renewed within six months of expiry cannot be renewed at all. A credential can also be suspended between renewals, so a check isn't one-and-done — re-check at renewal time and before signing a new contract.
Our national guide on how to verify a security company's license explains what to look for on the record; our hiring guide and cost guide cover the rest of vetting and pricing.
Class A misdemeanor; Class D felony on repeat. A person who violates the chapter is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor, and of a Class D felony if the violation occurs within one year of a previous one. (Ark. Code §17-40-104). And the exposure isn't only the provider's — an operator who puts an unlicensed, uninsured guard on site inherits the negligent-hiring liability, which is exactly what a two-minute license check prevents.
Hire a licensed security company in Arkansas
Ready to hire in Arkansas? Get free quotes from licensed security companies, browse verified providers, or estimate pricing with our security cost calculator before you talk to anyone.
Frequently asked questions
Who licenses security companies in Arkansas?+
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Sources
- Arkansas State Police Regulatory Services (no public lookup — verification by phone or email)
- Act 393 (revised 8-5-2025), Ark. Code Title 17 ch. 40 — hosted by Arkansas DPS
- Code of Arkansas Rules Part 350 (current through 6 February 2026) — hosted by Arkansas DPS
- Arkansas DPS — Private Investigators / Security Companies
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics — Security Guards
