Getting your security company licensed:
The first task that you must accomplish in order to legally begin security operations in most states is getting your license. State requirements vary greatly and you may have a test to take, file an application, and/or have some relevant law enforcement, security officer or military experience. There are still a few states remaining that do not require a license to operate but the large majority of them have some type of process/oversight agency in place. It is imperative that you reach out to your state licensing agency before spending any time or effort on your endeavor as it will all be in vain if you don’t qualify for a license. We have taken on the painstaking task of compiling a map that contains contact info for all state licensing agencies, simply click here to view it.
There may be a lag time in processing your paperwork once submitted, so get the process started while you’re building your infrastructure that way you have some continuity in your execution and can minimize downtime. Once you are confident you qualify for a license, begin with tasks such as incorporating your company, getting quotes for liability insurance (contact Mechanic Group Insurance for this by clicking here) or starting your website and logo design (we can do that for you, click here for info). If you hire us to build your company for you (click here for info on our Security Start Up Package) we can do that while you are going through the licensing process. If you wait until you have your license in hand you will have wasted valuable time that could have been used for company set up, and considering that the process can take upwards of a few months in some states, it can equate to a significant amount of down time.
If you happen to be in a state that requires a certain level of industry experience in order to get a license and you do not yourself qualify, you may consider finding someone who can qualify and bring them on board as the license holder, offering them some type of payment or percentage of the business. It may not be ideal, but at least you will still be able to move forward with getting a company started.