Are you interested in pursuing a job as a security guard in the state of Texas? Considering acquiring your certification as a security guard after completing your training?
You can go on the correct path toward obtaining your security guard license with the help of METRO Security Academy, which can also provide you with professional training and guidance along the way.
We are well aware of how essential it is for you, the person thinking about beginning a career in security, to have full faith in the training facility that you decide to enroll in. To become an excellent security officer, applicants need to not only pass their training course, but also truly need to understand the security-related topics, laws, and procedures that they may encounter daily. Only then can they hope to achieve their goal of becoming an excellent security officer.
Security Guard Training
Through participation in our training program for security guards, security officers can adapt to a variety of jobs and deliver a comprehensive set of security guarding services. The training that security professionals receive teaches them to comprehend the significance of safeguarding all aspects of a company without interfering with or disrupting the provision of customer service.
20-Hour Basic Training (Unarmed)
Anyone who wants to work as a security officer in the state of Texas is required to complete a basic security guard training course lasting twenty hours at a state-licensed training school like METRO Security Academy is affiliated with.
40-Hour Firearm Training
The fundamental qualifications for anyone who would like to work as an armed security officer in Texas are comparable to those in other states, with the exception that applicants must be at least 21 years old and complete a 40-hour weapons training course.
However, for a candidate to be eligible to complete the Firearms course, they must first already be employed by a security company and have a valid certification for completing 20 hours of basic training. The course completion certificate is required to apply for a firearm control card, which is necessary to obtain a license to carry a weapon.
How to Become a Security Guard in Texas
An individual who works in the security industry in the state of Texas is required to be registered with the Texas Department of Public Safety. Unless a person has been employed by a security company, it is impossible to accomplish this task. After being hired, a person is required to complete the essential steps, which include having their fingerprints taken, receiving training, and submitting an application for registration. From the time a person is hired until the time they obtain their registration card (pocket card) from the state, the full process of training and licensing a security guard can take between one and two months. This time frame includes both the training and the licensing.
Applying for vacant positions as a security guard with Texas security businesses is the initial step in the process of becoming a security guard in the state of Texas. These opportunities are frequently posted on local job search engines, and some individuals choose to apply directly through corporate websites rather than through any other method. Before applying for a job with a security business in Texas, the majority of these companies need applicants to be at least 18 years old and to have graduated from high school with honors. They also need to have the ability to pass a fingerprint and background check screening.
After being hired by a Texas security company, a person is required to complete either level II or level III training, depending on the organization’s requirements. You will be informed by the organization regarding the needs that they have. In the state of Texas, training for security guards can take place in the location where an individual was hired, however, in other cases, security guards are obliged to complete their training in another location. A person will be awarded a certificate of completion once they have completed the course for levels II or III. When applying for a registration card through the Texas Department of Public Safety, this is going to be one of the materials that will be required from you. You will need to present a receipt proving that you have successfully passed a fingerprinting and background check in addition to the certificate proving that you have successfully finished training to become a security guard in the state of Texas. On this website, www.dps.texas.gov, you can find information on how to book an appointment for fingerprinting in the state of Texas.
To be eligible for a security guard registration card (pocket card) in the state of Texas, an applicant needs to provide a photocopy of their driver’s license or state ID card in addition to the certificate and the receipt proving that they have been fingerprinted. After that, you can apply for the license online at the website www.txdps.state.tx.us, or you can print out the necessary paperwork and mail them in. Even if you submit your application and payment for the fee online, you will still be needed to mail in the supporting documentation.
The Texas pocket card has a validity period of two years. When that time comes, you will be required to renew it, and you can do so either by mail or online. Renewing a subscription online is only possible beginning sixty days before the subscription’s actual expiration date. If you want to renew your license, you have until ninety days before it expires to do it through the mail. User can renew their pocket card for up to a year after it has expired; however, they will be subject to late fees. In that case, the individual will have to start the process from the very beginning again.
For more information on unarmed security guard training and certification in Texas, visit: www.txdps.state.tx.us
Texas Department of Public Safety
Private Security Bureau
5806 Guadalupe, Building I
Austin, Texas 78752
Houston Texas Security Guard Requirements
The qualifications needed to work as a security guard in Houston are identical to those needed in the rest of the state. Before a person can apply for their registration and pocket card, they are required to have a job. Before they even consider looking for jobs, some individuals decide to get their certificates for being security guards first. Keep in mind that these courses come at a cost, and even after being hired by a security business, a person may still be required to go through additional personalized training provided by the organization. Having said this, a person may become a more desirable candidate by finishing a training course for the position of security guard in Houston before applying for the job.
The city of Houston is home to many reputable security guard training schools and programs. People who want to start their careers in law enforcement at the security level can take advantage of these opportunities, which are provided them. A person will acquire the fundamental information and skills necessary to operate in security by attending one of these training institutes. Even if there are additional requirements for persons who wish to work as armed security guards, some of the sites offer training on how to use weapons. However, other sites do not offer training on how to use weapons. There is a significant shortage of security personnel in Houston. There are many commercial establishments, educational institutions, and medical facilities that require the services of security guards. Guards are provided by security companies in Houston and are employed to work at these locations.
Armed Security Guard Training in Texas
The fundamental standards that must be met by armed guards in Texas are identical to those that must be met by unarmed guards in Texas. Both employment with a security company and registration with the Texas Department of Public Safety are prerequisites for one to qualify for the position. Additionally, in the state of Texas, a person must be at least 21 years old to work as an armed security guard, and they must have successfully finished their firearms training classes, which must cover topics such as firearms safety, use, and laws. The state of Texas requires the acquisition of a gun permit, and the individual’s registration card through the state must demonstrate that they are authorized to carry a weapon while on the work. A person must complete all three levels of training to be eligible for armed guard clearance in Texas, which is one of the state’s training requirements for armed security guards.
Training and Continuing Education
Level II
Under TAC 35.141 the Level II Training Course and test are required of all* non-commissioned security officers, commissioned security officers, and personal protection officers. This training course must either be administered by a licensed Level III or Level IV Training School and taught by a licensed Level III or Level IV Instructor, or it may be administered by a licensed guard company and taught by a representative or employee of the company.
Level III
The Level III Training Course (minimum 45 hours) and test (including course of fire) are required for all* commissioned security officers and personal protection officers. This training course must be administered by a licensed Level III Training School and taught by a licensed Level III Instructor. The demonstration of firearm proficiency must be completed within 90 days of the application date.
Level IV
The Level IV Training Course (minimum 15 hours) and test are required for all* personal protection officers. This training course must be administered by a licensed Level IV Training School and administered by a licensed Level IV Instructor.
Firearm Proficiency
Commissioned security officers shall submit a firearms proficiency certificate along with the renewal application. Commissioned security officers and personal protection officers shall complete six (6) hours of continuing education. This training course must be administered by a licensed Level III Training School and taught by a licensed Level III Instructor. The demonstration of firearm proficiency must be completed within 90 days of the renewal application date.
Continuing Education
An application to renew an individual license, may not be submitted until the required minimum hours of department-approved continuing education credits have been earned per TAC 35.161. Proof of the required continuing education must be maintained by the employer and contained in the personnel file of the individual license holder’s employing company. All individual license holders shall indicate they have completed the required minimum hours of department-approved continuing education credits on their application for renewal.
All continuing education credits must be earned through department-approved continuing education schools. Additionally, licensed companies with ten (10) or more licensed employees may make a written request for a letter of exemption allowing them to provide continuing education to those employees.
