Hiring security in Texas? 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.
If you're hiring a security company in Texas, confirming its license is the single most important check you can make. It tells you the provider is lawful, insured, and accountable — and it protects you from the negligent-hiring liability that comes with putting an unqualified, uninsured operation on your property. This guide covers who regulates private security in Texas, what a company and its guards must hold, how armed guards are licensed, and exactly how to verify a license yourself.
In Texas, security is regulated by Texas DPS. A company must hold a Class B Security Contractor license, and guards hold a Level II non-commissioned security officer registration. Verify a license through Texas DPS — Texas Online Private Security (TOPS).
In Texas, private security is regulated at the state level by the Texas Department of Public Safety, Private Security Program. A legitimate security company must hold a valid Class B Security Contractor license, and — in most cases — its officers must hold an individual guard credential. Hiring an unlicensed provider is both a legal risk for the operator and a liability risk for you, so verifying the license is the first step before you sign anything.
Texas is a large, relatively affordable market. It arms guards at 18 (not 21), and its public TOPS portal lets you search both companies and individuals.
The company license
The credential that authorizes a business to sell security services in Texas is the Class B Security Contractor license, issued by Texas DPS. This is the license to confirm first — it means the company has met the state's ownership, background-check, insurance, and record-keeping requirements. Ask the provider for its license number in writing and verify it yourself rather than trusting a logo or a claim.
Guard registration and training
Individual officers in Texas typically must hold a Level II non-commissioned security officer registration. The state requires a state-approved Level II training course before or shortly after an officer begins work. When you hire, confirm that the guards actually assigned to your site hold current registrations — a valid company license doesn't guarantee every officer on the roster is properly credentialed and trained.
Behind the license: what Texas actually requires
A license isn't just a certificate — it represents a set of standards the company had to meet and must keep meeting, overseen by Texas DPS. In practice that typically means a background-checked owner or qualified manager with documented industry experience, at least $100,000 per occurrence in liability coverage, and adherence to training and record-keeping standards for the officers the company deploys. The license also creates accountability: the licensing authority can suspend or revoke it for misconduct, and — where a public record exists — you can inspect that history. An unlicensed operator in Texas has none of that structure: no vetted ownership, no guaranteed insurance floor, no training oversight, and no regulator to answer to when something goes wrong.
Armed guards in Texas
Armed security in Texas requires more than the base credential. An armed officer must hold Commissioned Security Officer (Level III), which involves an approximately 45-hour Level III course including firearms and self-defense, and the minimum age is 18. Because armed work carries far higher liability and insurance requirements, only hire armed coverage when a documented threat justifies it — and always confirm the specific armed credential, not just the guard registration. Our national guide to armed vs. unarmed guards covers the decision in depth.
What armed coverage means for your liability in Texas
Hiring armed officers in Texas raises your exposure, not just the provider's. Armed work carries far higher insurance requirements, and if an officer uses force, a claim can reach the client through vicarious liability and negligent-hiring theories — so the firm's actual coverage limits matter as much as the guard's permit. Confirm the provider carries firearms and use-of-force coverage with real limits (standard general-liability policies often exclude firearms incidents), verify the officer's armed credential rather than assuming the base registration covers it, and reserve armed coverage in Texas for situations a documented threat assessment actually justifies.
How to verify a security license in Texas
Verification takes only a few minutes:
- Get the license number. Ask the provider for its state license number in writing.
- Open the official lookup. Go to Texas DPS — Texas Online Private Security (TOPS) — the official source, not a third-party site.
- Search and confirm. Look up the company by license number or exact legal name, and confirm the record is active, unexpired, matches the business, and shows no disciplinary action.
- Verify the guards. Confirm the officers assigned to you hold current registrations, plus the armed credential if applicable.
- Confirm insurance. Request a current certificate of insurance and check it against your needs.
Our national guide on how to verify a security company's license walks through the process for every state and explains what to look for on the record.
Renewal & re-verification. A Texas license typically renews every two years, and can be suspended between renewals — so verification isn't one-and-done. Re-check on Texas DPS — Texas Online Private Security (TOPS) at renewal time and before signing a new contract.
Common ways providers slip through in Texas
Asking "are you licensed?" isn't enough, because the ways a provider can look legitimate without being legitimate are predictable. Watch for: an expired or suspended license presented as current — check the live status on Texas DPS — Texas Online Private Security (TOPS), not a framed certificate; a license number that doesn't resolve to the exact legal business name, address, and status you expect; officers deployed without proper registration or training, which is why you verify the guards and not just the company; and subcontracting, where your posts are quietly handed to a cheaper, possibly unlicensed firm you never vetted. Ask in writing whether any work will be subcontracted, and require any subcontractor to meet the same standard.
Insurance and bonding in Texas
Licensed providers in Texas are generally expected to carry at least $100,000 per occurrence in liability coverage. That's a floor, not a ceiling — for your own protection, require a current certificate of insurance and confirm the coverage meets your contract's needs regardless of the state minimum. See our guide to security contracts and insurance for what else to require before you sign.
A hiring checklist for Texas
- Verify the company license on Texas DPS — Texas Online Private Security (TOPS) — active, unexpired, and matching the legal business name.
- Verify the officers hold a current Level II non-commissioned security officer registration.
- For armed posts, confirm Commissioned Security Officer (Level III) and the minimum age of 18.
- Confirm insurance — request a current certificate and check it against at least $100,000 per occurrence in liability coverage, plus workers' compensation.
- Check training — the standard here is a state-approved Level II training course.
- Compare at least three licensed providers on identical scope; see our national guide to hiring a security company and our cost guide.
What makes Texas distinctive
Texas is a large, relatively affordable market with a couple of features worth knowing. It arms guards at 18, not 21 — a commissioned "Level III" officer can be younger than in most states — and HB 3424 (effective 2024) tightened the commissioned course with in-person handgun-proficiency and self-defense requirements. The public TOPS portal is unusually useful: you can search both companies and individual registrants, so you can confirm the firm and the specific officer in one place. Note the tiers — Level II is the non-commissioned (unarmed) registration and Level III is the armed commission — so "licensed" alone doesn't tell you whether an officer is cleared to carry.
Before you hire in Texas
Once you've confirmed a provider is licensed and insured, the rest of the vetting is the same everywhere — check training, supervision, references, and pricing, and compare at least three licensed companies on identical scope. Our guide to hiring a security guard company covers the full process, and our cost guide explains what security should cost.
Ready to hire in Texas? Get free quotes from licensed security companies, or browse verified security companies in your area.
Frequently asked questions
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