FOI release

People authorised to inspect an SIA licence

Published 14 December 2023

1. Request

When a front line licence holder is working a job that requires him to work covertly (for example, a close protection officer covertly guarding their principal), who must this officer produce his licence to?

The SIA states that during covert activity you do not have to display your licence but you must still carry it and produce it on request.

Please can you:

• specify the SIA definition of “someone” in the following sentence: “The licence holder must have their licence on them and be able to show the licence if someone asks for it”
• specify the SIA definition of “produce it on request” in the following sentence: “You must still carry your licence on you and be able to produce it on request”

There is no mention when working covertly of the officer only having to produce the licence to police or SIA staff. Does this mean that anyone can ask a security officer who is working covertly to produce his licence?

2. Response

I can confirm that the SIA does hold this information. Your request has been split into sections so that it can be accurately answered.

2.1 Who must a security operative produce the licence to?

When an individual is granted an SIA licence, a series of conditions are attached to that licence. These conditions are sent to the licence holder via letter and electronically through their SIA online account. A full list of these conditions can be viewed on our website here: Learn about the SIA licence conditions you must follow. An SIA licence holder must produce their licence for inspection on request of any constable (police officer), any member or employee of the SIA or any other person authorised by the SIA.

2.2 Definition of “someone”

This question has been answered above – police officers, any member or employee of the SIA or any other person authorised by us.

2.3 Definition of “produce a licence on request”

“Produce a licence on request” means that if a police officer, any member or employee of the SIA or any other person authorised by us asks to see your SIA licence then you must show it to them. If an SIA operative is working covertly this still applies to them, as they must still carry their SIA licence with them whilst undertaking the covert activity. This is a condition of holding an SIA licence. Further information on this can be viewed here: covert activity.

2.4 Can anyone ask to inspect the licence of a security operative working covertly?

The link provided in question 1 is to a full list of the conditions attached to an SIA licence. The individuals who can ask you to produce your licence are mentioned within these conditions. If you are working in a covert position, please see this link: covert activity. This explains that you must still carry your licence on you and be able to produce it on request (see the answer above about what produce it on request means).

The idea of covert activity is that the operative does not have to wear their licence where it can be seen if the work they are doing requires that they not be identifiable as a licensed operative. However, they are to carry their licence on them and the law under section 9(c) of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 is that they have an obligation to produce their licence on request of the above mentioned people.

The request to produce the licence is to ensure that the individual undertaking the covert activity is correctly licensed by the SIA to do so. If they were not correctly licensed then this would constitute a criminal offence under section 3 of the Private Security Industry Act 2001.

[Reference: FOI 0475]