Hiring security in Illinois? 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 Illinois? 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 Illinois, what a company and its guards must hold, how armed work is permitted, and exactly how to verify a license yourself.
In Illinois, security is regulated by Illinois IDFPR. A company must hold a Private Security Contractor Agency license, and guards hold a Permanent Employee Registration Card (PERC). Verify a license through Illinois IDFPR — License Lookup.
What makes Illinois different
Illinois' IDFPR lookup shows only active, non-expired licenses, so a “no result” can itself mean a lapsed license. Chicago is the state's dominant security market.
Illinois has a quirk that trips up buyers: the IDFPR lookup shows only active, non-expired licenses, so a search that returns "no result" can itself mean a lapsed or revoked license — not that you mistyped the name. The individual PERC is a three-year credential requiring an Illinois State Police background check, and armed work layers on a Firearm Control Card plus a valid FOID card. The armed firearm course runs 28 hours (20 classroom or online plus 8 on the range); don't be misled by third-party sites citing "40" or "48," which conflate the separate 20-hour PERC course with the firearm course. Every agency must also designate a full-time "licensee-in-charge" who is personally responsible for training, recordkeeping, and contract review.
Who regulates security in Illinois
Private security in Illinois is regulated at the state level by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). A legitimate firm holds a Private Security Contractor Agency license from Illinois IDFPR, 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 Illinois IDFPR — License Lookup 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 Illinois
"Licensed" alone doesn't tell you what an officer is actually cleared to do — Illinois uses more than one credential, and they aren't interchangeable. Here's what each one authorizes:
| Credential | What it authorizes |
|---|---|
| Permanent Employee Registration Card (PERC) | Baseline unarmed security-officer registration required of every individual guard employed by a licensed agency; prerequisite for all higher credentials |
| Firearm Control Card (FCC) / "Tan Card" | Adds authorization to carry a firearm on duty; requires an active PERC plus a valid Illinois FOID card, 21+ age, IDFPR-approved firearms training, and annual firearm refresher/requalification (card renews triennially) |
| Licensed Private Security Contractor | Individual-level license for a person who manages/owns a security operation; obtained by passing the IDFPR contractor exam plus qualifying supervisory/managerial experience |
| Licensed Private Security Contractor Agency | The company-level license allowing a firm to contract out guard services to the public; requires an underlying licensed contractor and a fixed business address (no P.O. Box) |
Guards and training
Individual officers in Illinois generally must hold a Permanent Employee Registration Card (PERC), and the state requires a 20-hour basic course within 30 days of hire, 8 more hours within six months, and 8 hours of annual refresher training. 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 Illinois
Arming a guard in Illinois takes more than the base credential: an armed officer needs a Firearm Control Card plus a valid FOID card, 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.
Armed security officers in Illinois must hold both a valid Illinois FOID card and a security-specific Firearm Control Card (FCC), historically called the "Tan Card," issued by IDFPR under 225 ILCS 447 and 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1240.530. This is separate from a civilian concealed-carry license (a CCL does not exempt a guard from the FCC requirement) and is employment-tied: an active Permanent Employee Registration Card (PERC) is a prerequisite. Applicants must be 21 or older and complete an IDFPR-approved firearms training course before initial issuance (IDFPR's security-professions materials reference a 48-hour course while the current FCC application packet still references 40 hours, so the exact figure should be confirmed with IDFPR). Armed guards must complete annual firearm refresher/requalification training — the rules require a refresher completed within the year preceding renewal, certified by a registered firearm instructor — even though the FCC card itself renews on a triennial cycle. The FCC is issued to the employer, and upon termination of employment it must be returned to the employer, who terminates it in the Division's online system, so it is not portable like a personal CCL.
| On-duty carry | On-duty armed carry only, contingent on an active Firearm Control Card; authorization is employment-tied (the FCC is issued to the employer and requires an active PERC) rather than a personal carry license |
| Armed permit | Security-specific Firearm Control Card (FCC, "Tan Card") issued by IDFPR under 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1240.530 — requires an underlying valid FOID card plus an active PERC; a civilian concealed-carry license (CCL) does not substitute for or exempt a guard from the FCC |
| Requalification | Annual firearm refresher/requalification required — a refresher completed within the year preceding renewal, certified by a registered firearm instructor (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1240.510/.550); the FCC card renews on a triennial cycle |
| Other weapons | No separate statewide IDFPR credential identified for batons/OC spray/tasers beyond base PERC registration and required basic training; the FCC is issued to the employer and, upon termination, must be returned to the employer and terminated in the Division's online system |
What security guards can and can't do in Illinois
Illinois lets any private person make an arrest under the general citizen's-arrest statute (725 ILCS 5/107-3) when there are "reasonable grounds to believe" a non-ordinance offense is being committed, but security guards and merchants more often rely on the retail-specific shopkeeper's privilege, 720 ILCS 5/16-26, which authorizes a merchant — a term the Criminal Code defines at 720 ILCS 5/16-0.1 to include "any agent, employee, lessee, consignee, officer, director, franchisee, or independent contractor of the owner or operator," so a contracted guard firm is squarely inside the statutory word "merchant" rather than covered only by extension — with reasonable grounds to detain a suspected retail thief on or off premises (off-premises only during immediate pursuit) in a reasonable manner and for a reasonable length of time — to request or verify identification, investigate unpurchased merchandise, or turn the person over to police — and this detention is statutorily not deemed an "arrest" or unlawful restraint, shielding the merchant from liability. Illinois has no general "Special Police Officer" commission statute comparable to some other states; use of force is bounded by ordinary reasonable-force/self-defense principles under 720 ILCS 5, Article 7, not a security-specific standard.
How to verify a security license in Illinois
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.
- Open the official source — Illinois IDFPR — License Lookup, not a third-party directory.
- 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 Permanent Employee Registration Card (PERC), plus the armed credential for any armed post.
- Confirm insurance and subcontracting — request a current certificate of insurance and confirm it meets or exceeds general liability coverage as required for the contractor license, plus workers' compensation, and ask in writing whether any of your posts will be subcontracted to another firm.
Re-verify at renewal. Renewal in Illinois: every three years for the individual PERC. 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 for a first violation; Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent violation. Practicing as, or operating an agency as, a private security contractor without the required IDFPR license is a Class A misdemeanor on first offense and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent violation; IDFPR may also assess a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per offense, payable within 60 days after the order becomes effective. (225 ILCS 447/45-50 (Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004)). 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.
Find and compare licensed security companies in Illinois
Once you know what Illinois requires, comparing licensed providers is the next step. Browse security companies in Illinois by city — Chicago, Springfield, Rockford, Peoria, Belleville, Bloomington, Champaign, Decatur, and check each firm's license status on its profile before you shortlist.
Get free quotes from licensed Illinois security companies, or estimate pricing first with our security cost calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Who licenses security companies in Illinois?+
How do I verify a security company's license in Illinois?+
What do armed security guards need in Illinois?+
Can security guards carry guns in Illinois?+
Can a security guard detain or arrest you in Illinois?+
What's the penalty for hiring an unlicensed security company in Illinois?+
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