The Bureau of Security and Investigative Services requires every firearm permit holder to comply with the requalification or guard card renewal policies to keep their firearm permit valid. The security professional carrying a firearm permit must complete a total of four every two years.

Can I Renew My Security License After It Expires?

Yes, you can still process a renewal for your California security guard license up to 60 days after the expiration date, but expect that there’s an increase in the fee. If you don’t include the applicable delinquency fee with your application, your renewal will be delayed.

If you renew your guard card before the expiration date, you only need to pay $40 in BSIS. The form must be postmarked before the expiration date that appears on your guard card.

What Happens If My Guard Card Expires?

If you don’t process your guard card renewal, your employer CANNOT put you on a post without a valid guard card.

If you don’t follow the appropriate procedures to your guard card renewal or if you don’t renew within 60 days after the expiration date, you’ll have to apply for a new guard card, which means paying for license requirements, guard card training, fingerprinting, and all the necessary BSIS fees for a new application.

How Do I Renew My Security / Guard Card License?

You need to keep in mind that continuing education training is mandatory for security guards. BSIS requires you to confirm that you’ve completed ALL of your continuing security training before the security license renewal. That includes 32 hours of additional training required for your first year and 8 hours of refresher courses required in your second year.

Once your continuing education training is out of the way, the following tips will help you avoid complications and get your license renewed as fast as possible.

1. Keep your address up-to-date with the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services – BSIS will send a guard card renewal application to the address they have on file for you approximately 60 days before the expiration of your guard card.
2. Use the most current BSIS renewal application form for your license type.
3. Make sure you sign the renewal form – Application forms for renewal without the proper signature verifying that you have finished your continuing education training are considered deficient, which could delay your renewal.
4. Pay the correct guard card renewal fee. The California guard card renewal fee is $40 if renewed before the expiration date. You can still renew your security license after the expiration date, but the fee increases to $65.
5. Mail your application to BSIS between 60 and 90 days before the expiration date of your current guard card.
6. After you submit your guard card renewal application – Once BSIS is already processing your renewal application, you can use a printout of your renewed license from the BSIS website while you wait for your actual guard card to arrive in the mail.

When it comes to your Firearms Permit, requalification could be filed four months from the issuance date of your license. Continuous renewal is required every four months since then. 60 days before the expiration of your license, you should have gone through 4 requalifications after completing all four bi-annual requalifications and must comply with the $118 Renewal Application Fee. Each time you completed the requalification requirements, you will be issued with the appropriate documentation required for Firearms Permit renewal. 

Getting A Guard Card Online

You can only take the course online and not field training. Online guard card courses are available anywhere as long as there’s an internet connection.

Once you have completed your guard card training course and passed the written examination, you still need to get your fingerprints taken at a Live Scan location. At the same time, you may submit your applications for a guard card to the California Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS). You can apply for your guard card, either online at the BSIS website https://www.bsis.ca.gov/ or by postal mail.

Avoid the hassle of going through all the initial courses again, take your requalifications at the right time, and file your Renewal Application accordingly. Complete your requalifications or start your security guard registration as a Security Professional in Los Angeles, and contact Luna’s Training Academy now!