Class D — unarmed officers
Required for every unarmed security officer in Florida. Requires 40 hours of state-approved training, a criminal background check, and fingerprinting through FDACS. Valid for two years and renewed with continuing education. An officer working unarmed without an active Class D is working illegally, and the hiring agency is liable.
Class G — armed officers
Required in addition to the Class D for any officer carrying a firearm. Requires 28 hours of firearms instruction on the specific caliber carried, plus a 4-hour requalification every year. A Class G is only valid while the underlying Class D remains active.
Class B — the security agency
Only a licensed Class B agency may contract security officers to third parties in Florida. If a vendor cannot give you a Class B number, they cannot legally bill you for guard services. Always request the number and verify it before signing a contract.
Renewal timelines for Class D and Class G
Class D and Class G licenses are issued for two-year terms. Class D renewal requires completing state-approved continuing education before the expiration date. Class G holders must additionally complete a 4-hour firearms requalification every year of the two-year term, for the specific caliber listed on the license — miss the annual requalification and the Class G lapses even though the printed expiration date has not passed. FDACS publishes current application and renewal fees on its Division of Licensing pages; confirm the fee schedule there at the time you apply, because amounts are set by rule and change.
Where applications and license records are handled
All private security licensing in Florida runs through the FDACS Division of Licensing in Tallahassee, with fingerprinting and application intake handled through its regional offices and approved Livescan vendors around the state. The Division publishes the current regional office list and the public license search on the official FDACS website, which is the only authoritative source for a license's status. Third-party directories are frequently out of date.
How to verify a Florida security license
Ask for the agency's Class B number and each assigned officer's Class D (and Class G, if armed) number, then check them in the FDACS Division of Licensing public search. Confirm the status reads active and that the expiration date covers your contract period. Ranger provides license numbers and certificates of insurance with every proposal.
Related questions
- How do I verify a Florida security license?
- Ask the agency for its Class B number and check it against the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services licensing search. Ranger's is B3200150.