• Every licensed guard must complete 8 hours of annual refresher training each year.
  This is a state mandate tied to the Guard Card itself.
• This requirement follows the officer, not necessarily the employer.
  So if an officer changes jobs during the year, the training requirement still applies, the guard must complete the training in that calendar year to stay compliant.
• Employers can provide training to their guards, but the obligation is on the officer to complete the training and maintain the certification and on the employer to retain records while the officer is employed.

Under California law, licensed security guards (those holding a valid Guard Card) are required to complete eight (8) hours of annual refresher (continuing education) training as part of their professional obligations. This requirement is mandated by the Business and Professions Code (BPC) and the California Code of Regulations (CCR):

• The California Business and Professions Code (BPC) § 7583.6 requires continuing training for security guards, and
• Title 16, California Code of Regulations (CCR) § 643 specifies the annual training requirement and that the 8-hour annual course must be completed each year.

According to the BSIS Security Guard Registration fact sheet:

“Eight (8) hours of continuing training must be completed annually … pursuant to Business and Professions Code § 7583.6 and California Code of Regulations § 643.”

This means:

• Every licensed security guard in California must complete 8 hours of annual training every year after their initial training for the Guard Card.
• This requirement is tied to the individual guard’s BSIS registration, not solely to their employment with one specific company.
• The training may be provided by:
  • the security guard’s current employer (a Private Patrol Operator),
  • a Bureau-certified training facility, or
  • another BSIS-approved training provider.

Timing

• The annual training must be completed once every year.
• It is not retroactive: you cannot go back and count training done in a prior year toward the current year’s requirement.

Who It Applies To

• All licensed security guards in California must meet this requirement regardless of employer.
  This means even if a guard changes jobs during the year, they are still required to complete 8 hours of annual training for that calendar year to remain compliant.

• Security guards should keep their certificates of completion for each year’s training.
• Employers are also required to keep these records for at least the duration of the guard’s employment, and may be asked to produce them for compliance checks.

While the exact annual curriculum can vary by provider, BSIS guidance indicates that the refresher training must include a review of updated topics relevant to the security role. At least 2 hours of the 8-hour annual training must cover a review of the appropriate use of force topics, with the remaining hours made up from mandatory or elective subjects approved by BSIS.