Licensing
Are you a company or a sole trader?
- You must have a licence for each class of service that you provide.
- All staff that you employ who provide a private security service must hold a valid COA (Certificate of Approval) or licence for that class of service.
- You cannot employ staff to perform private security services that you are not licensed for.
- Companies and sole traders must file an annual return each year they hold a licence.
Are you a security employee?
- You must hold a valid COA for the service you provide.
- You cannot be employed for a service without a COA
- You need to prove that you have the training or skills required for the class of service you are providing
- You must clearly display your COA badge at all times when working, unless you have a reasonable and genuine reason to believe this would make you and/or others unsafe.
Temporary COA’s and Emergency Appointments
- The PSPLA (Private Security Personnel Licencing Authority) can issue temporary COA’s that last three months to allow staff to complete mandatory training.
- Applications can be declined if training is not completed by the end of the three month period.
- The PSPLA can issue an emergency appointment COA that lasts two weeks to allow you to employ more staff.
- Emergency appointment COA’s will only be granted in a genuine emergency. Special approval by the Authority is required.
You must let the PSLPA know immediately if:
- Your registered office changes.
- You want to add or remove a place of business.
- You want to add or remove an officer of a company.
- You want to add or remove a class of service to your licence.
- You are no longer eligible for your licence or certificate under ss62-63.
- You have misplaced your licence and need a replacement.
- You are the holder of a COA and you change your name or residential address.
The Private Security Personnel and Private Investigators Act 2010 (the PSPPI) applies to these services:
- Property Guard – guards, property and/or monitors burglar alarms, warning devices and cameras.
- Security Technician – installs, removes or repairs burglar alarms, warning devices, special locks and cameras.
- Security Consultant – sells burglar alarms, warning devices, special locks, cameras and guard services.
- Personal Guard Service – guards a specific person.
- Crowd Controller – screens entry, keeps order, and removes people if necessary.
- Repossession Agent – repossesses consumer goods on behalf of a creditor.
- Confidential Document Destruction – collects and destroys confidential documents.
Click here for a PSPLA fact sheet
For all forms, more information, or to make a complaint visit the PSPLA page on the Ministry of Justice website: https://justice.govt.nz/tribunals/licences-certificates/pspla/