Do I need a Licence or Certificate of Approval?
Do I need a Licence or Certificate of Approval?
People working in the private security and investigations industry in New Zealand might need to hold a current licence or certificate of approval to do the work legally. Security services include all the following classes of work:
- crowd control, which includes door security, keeping order and removing people from premises (bouncers, door security, or event security)
- personal or property security (bodyguards or property guards)
- destruction of confidential documents
- private investigation
- installation, repair, or removal of security devices such as alarms or safes (security technician)
- provision of advice on the purchase of security devices or services (security consultant).
This section covers the following:
- Who must hold a licence?
- Who must hold a certificate of approval?
- Who doesn’t need to hold a certificate of approval or licence?
Who must hold a licence?
Any individual or company providing private security or private investigation services for money must be licensed.
Any security personnel employed by or contracted to a licence holder must hold an appropriate certificate of approval as must any crowd controller.
Find more information about who needs to be licensed.
What will happen if you need a licence but don’t get one?
Working without a licence is an offence. An individual could be fined up to $40,000. A company could be fined up to $60,000.
As a licence holder, it is also an offence to employ or contract a person who doesn’t hold a current certificate of approval. You could be fined up to $20,000.
Information for employers who held a licence under the old scheme
The following presentation will
- Tell you about differences between the old and new Act
- Things you might think about as an employer
- Key dates
Presentation to employers (PDF, 600 Kb).
Who must hold a certificate of approval?
You must hold a certificate of approval if:
- you are employed by or contracted to a licence holder to do security work or private investigation work as defined here
- you are paid to be a crowd controller.
Find more information about who must hold a certificate.
For more information on certificate of approval and applying.
What will happen if you need a certificate but don’t get one?
Working without a certificate of approval is an offence. You could be fined up to $20,000 for doing so.
Who doesn’t need to hold a certificate of approval or licence?
Some people who do security work do not need to hold a certificate of approval or licence.
- Volunteers who receive no payment for their services.
- Employers of in-house security, except those that hire out that security to another person or organisation.
- In-house security personnel whose services are not hired out to another person or organisation (except crowd controllers).
- Employees of government agencies, for example, the police, armed forces.
- Government agencies.
-
People who carry out their work or business under a practising certificate, licence or permit or any other authority under any other Act.
