Security Guard Services in Florida
What Florida law requires, what officers earn, and how to find a qualified provider for your site.
Security guard services in Florida at a glance
In Florida, security officers and security agencies are licensed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), Division of Licensing. Every unarmed officer needs a Class D license, which requires 40 hours of training at an FDACS-licensed school. Armed officers also need a Class G statewide firearm license, which requires a 28-hour firearms course and 4 hours of requalification every year. Officers must work for a licensed Class B security agency. Tourism, ports, condominiums, and hurricane season shape much of the work.
Key facts
- Every Florida security officer needs a Class D license, which requires 40 hours of training at an FDACS-licensed school.
- Armed officers also need a Class G license: a 28-hour firearms course, 4 hours of requalification every year, and renewal every two years.
- Security officers must work for a licensed Class B security agency.
- The median wage for security guards in Florida was $17.26 an hour in May 2025, compared with a national median of $18.28.
Florida security licensing
| License | Who needs it | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Class D security officer license | Every security officer | 40 hours of professional training at an FDACS-licensed Class DS school |
| Class G statewide firearm license | Armed security officers | A 28-hour firearms course taught by a licensed firearms instructor, 4 hours of requalification every year, and renewal every two years |
| Class B security agency license | Companies that provide security officers | Officers must work for a licensed agency |
| Class M or MB manager license | Managers of a security agency or branch office | Each agency location needs a licensed manager |
How to check a provider in Florida
Look up the agency and its officers through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Licensing, using the exact legal name or license number, and confirm that the Class B agency license and the officers' Class D licenses are current. For armed posts, also confirm each officer's Class G license and that the annual firearms requalification is up to date. Check again before the first shift.
What security guards cost in Florida
Florida wages are slightly below the national median. At the May 2025 median of $17.26 an hour, officer wages alone come to about $2,990 a month for a 40-hour-a-week post and about $12,570 a month for a 24/7 post, before payroll taxes, insurance, supervision, and the provider's margin. Our security guard cost guide explains how the bill rate is built, and the cost calculator gives a Florida estimate.
Where Florida sites need security
| Industry | Typical needs |
|---|---|
| Hotels, resorts, and tourism | Guest safety, lobby and pool coverage, and night patrols |
| Ports and cruise terminals | Gate control, vehicle records, and cargo protection |
| Condominiums and HOAs | Front desk and gate officers, and community patrols |
| Construction | Site security and protection of materials, especially before and after storms |
| Healthcare | Emergency department coverage and workplace violence prevention |
| Retail, events, and offices | Loss prevention, crowd management, and lobby coverage |
Hurricane season
Hurricane season runs from June through November, and every Florida site should agree with its provider on a written storm plan before it starts: when shutters go up, who stays on site, where officers shelter, how the site is checked for damage, flooding, and looting risks after the storm, and how everyone stays in contact if power and phones fail. Officers who check the site after a storm should never enter flooded areas or damaged buildings.
Security guard services in Florida cities
How we recommend a Florida provider
We recommend security companies that hold a current Florida agency license, carry insurance we confirm with their agent, provide references, have experience with sites like yours, can staff your Florida location, and use Digital Guard Tour patrol verification. These checks reflect the date we made them, so confirm the license and insurance again before you sign.
Records that matter after a storm
After a hurricane, owners, insurers, and adjusters want to know what was checked, when, and what officers found.
The security companies we recommend use Digital Guard Tour, patrol-verification software published by Trinity Guard LLC. Officers scan QR checkpoints on a smartphone and record incidents as they happen, so every round and every report has a time stamp. At gates, officers can also record trucks and vehicles entering and leaving, and every shift ends with a percentage score in the admin dashboard and in the emailed shift report.
Confirm the provider and the terms
This website does not employ guards and has no office in Florida. Any agreement is between you and the company you select. Confirm qualifications, staffing, insurance, and terms directly; see our referral disclosure.
Florida security guard questions
Do security guards need a license in Florida?
Yes. Every security officer needs a Class D license from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which requires 40 hours of training, and must work for a licensed Class B security agency.
What is the difference between a Class D and a Class G license in Florida?
A Class D license allows unarmed security work. A Class G license is an additional statewide firearm license for armed officers, which requires a 28-hour firearms course and 4 hours of requalification every year.
How much does a security guard cost in Florida?
The median wage for security guards in Florida was $17.26 an hour in May 2025. The bill rate you pay is higher because it includes payroll taxes, insurance, supervision, and the provider's margin. Use the cost calculator for a Florida estimate.
How do I check a security company's license in Florida?
Look up the agency and its officers through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Licensing, by exact legal name or license number, and confirm the licenses are current before the first shift.
How should a Florida site plan security for hurricanes?
Agree on a written storm plan before the season starts: when shutters go up, who stays on site, where officers shelter, how the site is checked after the storm, and how everyone stays in contact if power and phones fail.
Can Florida security guards carry guns?
Only with a Class G statewide firearm license in addition to the Class D license, and only when the agency authorizes the armed assignment. Most Florida sites are better served by unarmed officers.
Related pages
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