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PRIVATE PATROL OPERATOR OR QUALIFIED MANAGER
FACTSHEET

JULY 2020

Private Patrol Operator - Requirements for Licensure

A Private Patrol Operator licensee operates a business that protects persons or property or prevents theft. In order for a company to seek licensure as a Private Patrol Operator, the applicant must have passed the licensing examination. In addition, each individual applicant, partner, or corporate officer must meet the following requirements:

• Be 18 or older.
• Undergo a criminal history background check through the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Applicants are responsible for paying all Live Scan, FBI and DOJ processing fees at the time of fingerprinting. For more information on the Live Scan process, the associated fees, click here.

  ALERT: Per FBI guidelines, you must submit your application to the Bureau before completing a criminal history background check. To prevent application processing delays, keep a copy of the Live Scan form, which must include the ATI number and the signature of the Live Scan Operator.

  NOTE: You must complete a criminal history background check even if you have previously submitted fingerprints for another BSIS license, registration, certificate, or permit.

• Have committed no offense or violation of the Private Security Services Act that would be grounds for license suspension or revocation
• To apply for a company license, submit the application, the application processing fee^[1]; and one recent passport-quality photograph for each applicant, partner, and officer.

How to submit your application:

• Online through BreEZe^[2]: The Bureau recommends submitting and paying for your application online as it bypasses the Cashiering Office, which can reduce the processing time by up to two weeks.
• By mail: submit all required documents and payment to:

  Bureau of Security and Investigative Services
  P.O. Box 989002
  West Sacramento, CA 95798-9002

If you do not have a qualified manager who already been approved by the Bureau, you must also submit the required forms listed on page 8 of the Private Patrol Operator and Private Patrol Operator Qualified Manager Licensing Packet^[3]; for the qualified manager applicant.

An additional fee does not need to be submitted if you are applying for Private Patrol Operator license and approval as a Private Patrol Operator Qualified Manager at the same time. A Qualified Manager who is also an applicant, partner, or officer should only submit one set of fingerprints or pay one fingerprint processing fee.

Insurance Requirement

ALL licensed Private Patrol Operators must maintain general liability insurance as a condition of licensure. Specifically, Private Patrol Operators are required to have commercial general liability insurance policies which provide minimum limits of one million dollars ($1,000,000) for any one loss or occurrence due to bodily injury, including death, or property damage, or both.

The Bureau recommends that applicants wait until the Bureau provides the applicant with written approval of the Private Patrol Operator's business name to obtain a Certificate of Liability Insurance document since this information is required to be included on the document.

Private patrol operator applicants and licensees must submit a Certificate of Liability Insurance to the Bureau as proof that the insurance requirement is being met. The Certificate of Liability Insurance must include:

• Your company name;
• The insurance policy number; and
• The dates the coverage of insurance commenced and expires.

For additional information, including submission instructions, visit the Private Patrol Operator webpage at https://www.bsis.ca.gov/industries/insurance_ppo.shtml.

Qualified Manager

An individual, partnership, or corporation seeking a license as a Private Patrol Operator must specify in the application the individual who will manage the business on a day-to-day basis.

This individual is called the Qualified Manager. (An owner, partner, or corporate officer may serve as the Qualified Manager, or may hire someone to fill this role.) To be eligible to apply for licensure as a Qualified Manager, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be 18 or older.
• Undergo a criminal history background check through the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Applicants are responsible for paying all Live Scan, FBI and DOJ processing fees at the time of fingerprinting. For more information on the Live Scan process, the associated fees, click here.

  ALERT: Per FBI guidelines, you must submit your application to the Bureau before completing a criminal history background check. To prevent application processing delays, keep a copy of the Live Scan form, which must include the ATI number and the signature of the Live Scan Operator.

  NOTE: You must complete a criminal history background check even if you have previously submitted fingerprints for another BSIS license, registration, certificate, or permit.

• Have committed no offense or violation of the Private Security Services Act that would be grounds for license suspension or revocation.
• Pass a two-hour multiple-choice examination covering the Private Security Services Act^[4]; and other rules and regulations, business knowledge, emergency procedures, security functions, and use of deadly weapons.
• Submit the Personal Identification Form; with one recent passport-quality photograph and the Qualifying Experience Form^[5];.

How to submit your application:

• By mail: submit all required documents and payment^[6]; to:

  Bureau of Security and Investigative Services
  P.O. Box 989002
  West Sacramento, CA 95798-9002

If you are only applying only to become approved as a Private Patrol Operator Qualified Manager, you must include an Examination Fee with the required forms previously listed.

To request an application for licensure as a Private Patrol Operator or qualified manager, call the Department of Consumer Affairs at (800) 952-5210, or visit our Web site: www.bsis.ca.gov.

Firearms Permit

You may not carry a gun on duty without a valid firearms permit or a screen print of the Bureau's approval obtained from the Bureau's web site. Also, a firearms permit issued by the Bureau does not authorize you to carry a concealed weapon. You may not carry a concealed weapon on duty without a Concealed Weapons Permit (CCW) issued by local authorities, nor carry a caliber handgun not listed on your firearm permit.

To apply for a firearms permit, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or have permanent legal alien status.
• Be at least 21 years of age.
• Pass a course in the carrying and use of firearms. The approximately 14-hour (8 hours classroom, approximately 6 hours range) training course covers moral and legal aspects, firearms nomenclature, weapon handling and shooting fundamentals, emergency procedures, and range training. The course must be given by a Bureau-certified firearms training instructor at a Bureau-certified training facility. Written and range exams are administered at the end of the course. Costs of training are determined by the training facility. For a list of certified training facilities, call (916) 322-4000. You can also access a listing of training facilities from the Bureau's webpage^[7]. Search by county for a listing of all the training facilities in that county.
• Submit a firearms permit application^[8] and pay the application fee^[9].
• Undergo a criminal history background check through the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Applicants are responsible for paying all Live Scan, FBI and DOJ processing fees at the time of fingerprinting. For more information on the Live Scan process, the associated fees, click here.

  ALERT: Per FBI guidelines, you must submit your application to the Bureau before completing a criminal history background check. To prevent application processing delays, keep a copy of the Live Scan form, which must include the ATI number and the signature of the Live Scan Operator.

  NOTE: You must complete a criminal history background check even if you have previously submitted fingerprints for another BSIS license, registration, certificate, or permit.

How to submit your application:

• By mail: submit all required documents and payment to:

  Bureau of Security and Investigative Services
  P.O. Box 989002
  West Sacramento, CA 95798-9002

Note: A firearms permit expires two years from the date it was issued. An applicant must requalify four times during the life of the permit: twice during the first year after the date of issuance, and twice during the second year. Requalifications must be at least four months apart.

"Protection of the public shall be the highest priority for the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services in exercising licensing, regulatory and disciplinary functions. Whenever the protection of the public is consistent with other interests sought to be promoted, the protection of the public shall be paramount."