How to Renew a CA State Guard Card

Step 1: Determine Your Guard Card Status: "Current" or "Expired"

  1. Go to the CA State License Search page and determine if your guard card status with the BSIS is "Current" or "Expired."
  2. If your guard card is "Current", or is less than 60 days past its expiration date, follow the instructions below to Renew a "Current" Guard Card.
  3. If your guard card is more than 60 days past its expiration date, follow the instructions below to Renew an "Expired" Guard Card.

Note: A guard card status of "Cancelled" is similar to that of "Expired" in that it needs to be renewed the same way.


Step 2: Perform the option that applies to you:

A) How to Renew a Current Guard Card (Required every 2 years)

To renew a current guard card, you need to submit the BSIS renewal application with the fee, and obtain proof of having completed the required BSIS continuing education training.

If you have not completed the required BSIS annual CE training within the last 12 months, you can take the course from us:

8-Hour BSIS Annual CE Refresher Course - $24.00

There are two ways to renew a current guard card:

To renew online: Your guard card has to be within 60 days of the renewal date in order to renew online. For example, if your guard card expires Dec 31, 2022, the online renewal will be available on Nov 1, 2022.

To renew online, go to the CA State License Registration website, at https://www.breeze.ca.gov and log in. If you don't already have a Breeze account, you will need to create one, and then log in. If you don't have your password, you can try to retrieve it online on the Breeze website login page with the "Forgot Password and/or Username" feature, or you can call the BSIS directly at (800) 952-5210.

Once logged in to the Breeze system, and if it is within 60 days of your guard card expiration date, or within 60 days after your guard card expiration date, there will be a link that says "Renewable Licenses." Follow that link to complete the renewal online. Once you pay the fee, you are done with the renewal. The BSIS will mail you the new guard card.

To renew by mail: Print, fill out, and mail in the form linked below with the renewal fee:

https://www.bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/renapp_sec.pdf

The form contains detailed instructions on page 2. Follow the instructions to mail in the filled out form, with a check or money order for the state license renewal fee. Make sure to fill out the form correctly. The state will process your application and then mail you the a new guard card.


B) How to Renew an Expired Guard Card (Over 60 days past expiration date)

To renew an expired guard card, you have to follow the exact same 3 steps as if you never had a guard card. The only difference is that on the CA State Security Guard Application, you need to enter your expired guard card number. You can find that number on our Guard Card Search page.

You will be required to submit the certificate for the 8-hour Power to Arrest (PTA) course with the application. You can use the same one you used to originally get your guard card because the certificates never expire. If you don't have the certificate, you can obtain one by taking the course from us:

8-Hr BSIS Guard Card Course (Power to Arrest) - $24.00

You will also be required to have your fingerprints done by Live Scan again, unless you have had it done in the last 12 months.

Follow these instructions to renew your expired guard card: How to get a CA State Guard Card


CA State Guard Card License Search

The State of CA has a search page that allows to check if your license (guard card) has been approved, or updated in the case of an expired license:

  1. Go to the CA State Breeze License Search Page.
  2. Select Security and Investigative Services, Bureau Of in the BOARDS AND BUREAUS box, then select Security Guard from the LICENSE TYPE Box (shown in the diagram to the right:)
  3. Enter your first name and last name into the First Name and Last Name boxes.
  4. Click the Search button.


Your license will only appear in the search results if you have a existing guard card. If you do not have an existing guard card, you name won't show up until you have applied, and the BSIS has approved your guard card.

If you lost your card, or have not yet received your guard card in the mail, you can print that page an use it as a temporary card, until your replacement card or initial card arrives in the mail.

Please note that if your guard card is expired, that license will show up in the search results, with a staus of Cancelled, Expired, or Suspended, until you are approved again, at that point, the status will change to "Current."

CA DCA Breeze License Search Dialog Box with example info

You can also call the BSIS directly at: (800) 952-5210 to inquire about application processing, they are available from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM on weekdays, excluding holidays.

CA State BSIS

Security Guard Requirements & Fact Sheet

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