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Security guard business - apply for a permit

If you want to guard the lives or property of other people on a professional basis, you need a permit. Guarding requires an active custodial activity (supervision or control). The guarding activity must be aimed at protecting persons from danger to life, limb or freedom or at protecting property against loss, destruction or damage. The care must consist of human activity. Simple security, observation or investigative activities (e.g. detective agencies) or the simple provision of space (e.g. a safe deposit box) do not require a licence.

The concrete activities covered by the term "guarding" are broadly diversified. They include

  • the traditional guarding of bicycles, motor vehicles and buildings,
  • event services,
  • passenger screening,
  • the transport of money and valuables..,
  • personal security or
  • the guarding of industrial and military facilities as well as nuclear power plants.

A guarding contractor may be a natural person or a legal entity. In the case of partnerships (e.g. OHG, KG), each managing partner is a trader. In the case of legal entities (e.g. GmbH, AG), the permit is granted to the legal entity.

Online processing

Service provided online

Prerequisites

  • Personal reliability
    Reliability is checked on the basis of various forms of evidence. For this purpose, the competent public order office obtains at least one unrestricted information from the Federal Central Register and one information from the Central Commercial Register as well as a statement from the authority of the state police responsible for the place of residence, a central police station or the competent state criminal investigation office.
  • Orderly financial circumstances
    It is checked whether the applicant has debts (private or public) or whether insolvency proceedings are known.
  • Expert knowledge
    Proof of having successfully passed the expert knowledge examination before a Chamber of Industry and Commerce or a comparable recognised professional qualification.
  • Sufficient insurance cover
    Proof of professional liability insurance for the business operation

Documents required

  • Application for a permit according to § 34a of the Trade Regulations
    Possible online; or you can use the form.
  • Identity document
    Identity card or other official identification document with photo (not required for electronic application).
    Residence permit if the applicant is not a national of an EU country.
  • Proof of expertise
    Chamber of Industry and Commerce (Industrie- und Handleskammer or IHK) proof of professional qualification or another comparable recognised professional qualification.
  • Information from the record of debtors (central enforcement centre)
    Information on entries can be requested online at the Central Enforcement Portal of the Federal States. (see "More information")
  • Information from the insolvency register
    • For insolvency proceedings of natural persons residing in Berlin, two certificates are required as proof. The first for consumer insolvency proceedings is to be applied for at your local court and the second for regular insolvency proceedings at the Charlottenburg Local Court Amtsgerichtsplatz 1, 14057 Berlin.
    • The Charlottenburg Local Court, Amtsgerichtsplatz 1, 14057 Berlin, is responsible for insolvency proceedings of legal entities and trading partnerships with their place of business in Berlin.
    • Applicants with their place of residence/business outside of Berlin should inform themselves about the respective jurisdiction of the insolvency courts via the central local and court directory (see "More information").
  • Certificate in tax matters ("Bescheinigung in Steuersachen")
    Certificate of no objection from the local tax office.
  • Professional liability insurance
    Confirmation from an insurance company of the existence of professional liability insurance for the security guard business.
  • Up-to-date excerpt from the Trade Register
    Registered companies please submit a current excerpt from the commercial register when applying. Legal entities in the process of formation (e.g. GmbH, AG) submit the articles of association.

Forms

Fees

EUR 84.00 to EUR 2,045.00 Fee framework

Legal basis

Average time to process request

1 month

More information

Responsible authorities

The permit must be applied for at the public order office responsible for the place of business. If a place of business is not yet known, the permit can also be applied for at the public order office responsible for the applicant's place of residence.

You can also access this service online via the Business Portal of the Single Point of Contact.
Online business services

Single Point of Contact

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