As a Master licence holder, you can provide licensed security operatives to carry out security activities in NSW.
There are three types of a Master licence you can apply for:
The Security Industry Act 1997 uses the term “providing persons” in reference to Master licences. In relation to the security industry, “providing persons” has a specific meaning and applies to all Master licence holders, whether they’re individuals, corporations or government agencies.
To provide persons, including security operatives, to carry on a security activity means:
In all these circumstances, the Master licensee is “providing” the security operatives to carry on security activities. All security operatives provided by a Master licensee must hold the appropriate Class 1 or Class 2 licence that authorises them to carry on these security activities.
There are several subclasses of Master licence that authorise the number of persons the licensee may provide on any one day:
If you need to temporarily increase the number of security personnel you are allowed to provide, you can apply for a Temporary Excess Provision of Services (TEPS) permit.
Your Master licence will authorise you to carry on the security activities authorised by a Class 2B (Security Seller) licence. You don't need to also hold the Class 2B security operative licence. Find out more about Class 2 licences here.
You need a Master licence if:
There are a few requirements you need to meet to be eligible for a Master licence.
Individual Master licences:
Corporation or Government Agency Master licences:
All Master licences:
Please note: if you intend to provide Class 1D (Dog Handler) or 1F (Armed Guard) security operatives you must have and maintain at least $10 million in public liability insurance cover.
Trusts are not eligible to apply for a master licence as the NSW security industry legislation does not recognise a trust as a legal entity. Where a corporation applying for a Master licence acts as a trustee for a trust, the application for the Master licence must provide the ABN issued to the corporation (not the trust).
If you, or any of your close associates have a criminal record, it could affect your eligibility. You’re not eligible for a NSW security licence if you or any of your close associates have been:
SLED may also refuse your application if:
For all Corporation Master licence applications, a nominated person must be specified during the application process.
The nominated person must be a Close Associate who will be involved in the day-to-day conduct of the business’s security activities.
They must also be an Australian citizen OR Australian permanent resident (includes New Zealand citizens), or hold a visa for a skilled occupation to which the activities authorised by the proposed licence correspond.
As part of the application process, the nominated person must have their fingerprints and palm prints taken and will be subject to probity checks.
You can read more about Close Associates here.
If SLED needs to contact you to get further information or to chase up missing documents, your application will be delayed.
Important: make sure the nominated person’s name, address and contact details are correct on all documentation submitted with the application. Also make sure that you keep your email and telephone contact details up to date. If contact details are incorrect or out of date the nominated person may miss important information SLED will send out as part of the application. You can check and update personal details online via Service NSW.
SLED uses SMS and emails to communicate with applicants throughout the application process. We recommend you regularly check your spam folder and add SLED (sled@police.nsw.gov.au) to your contacts to ensure you don’t miss out on important information.
Conditions are imposed on all security licences. These conditions are classified as Tier 1, Tier 2 or Tier 3 conditions with different penalties for non-compliance based on the seriousness of the offence.
Conditions ensure licences are being used appropriately and help SLED to regulate the industry safely and fairly. Failure to comply with Master licence conditions could result in fines being issued, and the possible suspension or revocation of your master licence. Prison sentences may also apply.
Please note: It is a condition of all NSW Master licences that you ensure all Class 1 security operatives you provide, except for 1E Monitoring Centre Operators, have a current First Aid certificate.
For further detailed information about licence conditions, see the Security Industry Act 1997 and the Security Industry Regulation 2016.
All NSW security licences have certain conditions attached to them. These conditions ensure licences are being used appropriately and help SLED to regulate the industry safely and fairly.
You may receive a fine if you breach any of your licence conditions. Your licence could also be suspended or revoked.
Breach of licence conditions | Maximum fine (individual) | Maximum fine (corporation) |
---|---|---|
Not having and implementing a “fitness for work” policy. | $1,100 | $2,200 |
Failing to tell Police Assistance Line (131 444) within seven days after a security licence is lost, stolen, destroyed or damaged. | $1,100 | $4,400 |
Using, or attempting to use, suggest or imply you can use, your licence for any purpose other than your authorised security activity. | $5,500 | $5,500 |
Providing false or misleading information to SLED at any time, including in applications and any other information, records or details you are asked to provide. | $5,500 | $5,500 |
Advertising security services without a master licence. | $11,000* | $22,000 |
Failing to immediately surrender a suspended or revoked licence. | $11,000* | $22,000 |
Failing to include your master licence number in any advertising (including websites). | $11,000* | $22,000 |
Using false, misleading or deceptive statements, representations or promises or deliberately hiding facts to induce any person to enter into an agreement or contract related to carrying out any security activity. | $11,000* | $22,000 |
Selling, renting or hiring out a security licence, or allowing another person to use someone else’s security licence. | $11,000* | $22,000 |
Failing to submit all firearms in your possession to a police officer for ballistics testing. | $11,000* | $22,000 |
Modifying a firearm to change the characteristics of the firing mechanism. | $11,000* | $22,000 |
Providing a person without a security licence to carry on security activities. | $55,000** | $110,000 |
Please note: SLED may impose additional conditions on licensees as required. Breaching these conditions may result in a fine of up to $22,000 for a corporation or $11,000 and up to six months imprisonment for an individual.
There are certain circumstances in which SLED will be required to suspend or revoke a security licence.
Reasons for licence suspension include:
Reasons for licence revocation include:
When you apply for a security licence, or renew your existing licence, you can choose to have a one year or a five year licence.
There are also fees associated with other aspects of security licensing, including add or deleting subclasses, replacing your Master licence certificate, changing your business or trading name or modifying the nominated person or close associates of the Master licence.
A $120 nonrefundable processing fee is included in the application fee. If you choose to withdraw your application this fee cannot be refunded.
If your application is refused, a refund of your application payment, minus the processing fee, will be provided once the appeal period is completed. Refunds can take up to six weeks to process from the date of refusal.
Click here for a full list of SLED licence fees (PDF).
New Application | 1 Year Term | 5 Year Term |
---|---|---|
MA | $160 | $640 |
MB | $410 | $1640 |
MC | $1250 | $5000 |
MD | $2800 | $11,200 |
ME | $5225 | $20,900 |
On-time Renewals | 1 Year Term | 5 Year Term |
---|---|---|
MA | $140 | $560 |
MB | $375 | $1500 |
MC | $1200 | $4800 |
MD | $2725 | $10,900 |
ME | $5125 | $20,500 |
Late Renewals (within 90 days of licence expiry date) | 1 Year Term | 5 Year Term |
---|---|---|
MA | $160 | $640 |
MB | $410 | $1640 |
MC | $1250 | $5000 |
MD | $2800 | $11,200 |
ME | $5225 | $20,900 |
Amendments to licences | Fee |
---|---|
Upgrade to licence subclass | Fee is the difference between the application fees for the current and new licence subclasses |
Licence replacement or change of name | $65 |
Change of licensee's address, contact details or other personal details | Nil |
Fingerprint and palmprint | $40 |
You can renew your Master licence online from eight weeks before the licence expires.
Once the expiry date passes, you have up to 90 days to submit your renewal Master licence application. Late payment fees apply and must be paid when you submit your application. Your business is unlicensed until your Master licence has been renewed.
You cannot renew your licence once the 90 days have passed. If you want to continue to work in the security industry, you will need to submit a new application.