Business
A business means any person engaged in the business of providing, or who undertakes to provide, armored car personnel, security officers, personal protection specialists, private investigators, couriers, security canine handlers, security canine teams, detector canine handlers, detector canine teams, alarm respondents, locksmiths, central station dispatchers, electronic security employees, electronic security sales representatives or electronic security technicians and their assistants to another person under contract, express or implied.
Submit these items to DCJS:
- Initial Business License Application after logging into or creating an account at www.dcjs.virginia.gov/online, and pay applicable non-refundable fees.
- For each principal and supervisor of the applying business:
submit a Criminal History Processing Form with the applicable non-refundable processing fee, and schedule an appointment to have your fingerprints scanned at www.fieldprintvirginia.com or call 877-614-4364. DCJS will automatically be notified once you have been fingerprinted.
- Documentation verifying that the applicant has a Certification of Insurance reflecting DCJS as a certificate holder, that shows a policy of comprehensive general liability insurance with a minimum coverage of $1,000,000 of general aggregate liability insurance issued by an insurance company authorized to do business in Virginia.
- Irrevocable Consent for Service for each non-resident applicant.
- Identification number issued by the Virginia State Corporation Commission for verification that the entity is authorized to conduct business in Virginia.
- A physical address in Virginia where records required to be maintained by the Code of Virginia and the Virginia Administrative Code are kept and available for inspection by DCJS, and the physical address for all locations in Virginia in which regulated services are offered. A post office box is not considered a physical address.
- Designate at least one individual as the compliance agent who is certified or eligible for certification. For more information, view the Compliance Agent page.
- Designate on the license application the type of private security business license you are seeking. The initial business license fee includes one category. A separate fee will be charged for each additional category. The separate categories are identified as: Security Officers/Couriers (Armed and Unarmed); Private Investigators; Electronic Security; Armored Car; Personal Protection Specialists; Locksmiths and Detector Canine or Security Canine Handlers. Alarm Respondents crossover into both the Security Officer and Electronic Security categories, therefore if you are licensed in either of these categories, you may provide these services without purchasing an additional category.
Additional Requirements for Electronic Security Services Businesses (Only)
The definition of an Electronic Security Services Employee is one who has access to information concerning the design, extent, status, password, contact list, or location of an end user’s electronic security equipment. The definition of Electronic Security Services Employee does not include Electronic Security Sales Representative, Technicians, Technician Assistants, or Central Station Dispatchers who are individually defined and must already meet the fingerprint requirements for a Private Security Services Registration
Electronic Security Services businesses are required to ensure that anyone who meets the definition of an Electronic Security Employee follow the following steps:
- Log into or create an account at www.dcjs.virginia.gov/online,
- Submit an Electronic Security Personnel or Supervisor Application and pay applicable non-refundable fees
- Schedule an appointment to have fingerprints scanned, and pay the applicable non-refundable processing fee
Applications should be submitted to DCJS at least 30 days prior to expiration.
Submit these items to DCJS:
- Renewal Business License Application after logging into or creating an account at www.dcjs.virginia.gov/online, and paying applicable non-refundable fees.
- For each new principal and supervisor of the applying business:
submit a Criminal History Processing Form with the applicable non-refundable processing fee, and schedule an appointment to have your fingerprints scanned at www.fieldprintvirginia.com or call 877-614-4364. DCJS will automatically be notified once you have been fingerprinted. - Documentation verifying that the applicant has secured a Certification of Insurance reflecting DCJS as a certificate holder, showing a policy of comprehensive general liability insurance with a minimum coverage of $1,000,000 of general aggregate liability insurance issued by an insurance company authorized to do business in Virginia.