FOI release

SIA licensing: timescales, performance indicators and complaints

Published 11 May 2026

Request

Please provide:

• the average processing time for SIA licence applications (new and renewal), broken down by month, for the period April 2023 to the present
• the number of licence applications outstanding (that is, not yet determined) at the end of each month for the same period
• the number of formal complaints received by the SIA concerning licensing delays, broken down by month, for the same period
• any internal targets or key performance indicators (KPIs) relating to licence application processing times currently in force, and the SIA’s recorded performance against those targets for each quarter since April 2023

Response

We can confirm that we hold this information.

We have attached a CSV file containing the relevant data for all questions above. Data provided is up to date as of 14 April 2026.

Average processing time for SIA licence applications

Please see attached a CSV file showing data relating to the average processing time for SIA licence applications by month from April 2023 to present. The data contains the average number of working days from the ‘checks in progress’ stage (defined in question 2 below) to the initial licensing decision. The data has been categorised as:

• new application
• renewal
• additional sector

For clarity, the above categories are defined as follows.

New application

This term refers to individuals who have not previously held an SIA licence or who missed the 4-month renewal window before their licence expired. Please note that licence holders can apply to renew their SIA licence up to 4 months before their licence expires.

Renewal

This term refers to individuals who applied to renew their SIA licence within the 4-month window as described above.

Additional sector application

This term refers to individuals who already hold a valid SIA licence and have applied for an additional licence in a different sector before their existing licence expired. For example, a licence holder with an active door supervision licence applies for a public space surveillance (CCTV) licence.

Please note that our current KPI target on application processing times for the financial year 2026 to 2027 is for all individual licence applications to be processed within an average of 10 working days from when they reach the ‘checks in progress’ stage of the application process until a licensing decision is made.

Number of applications outstanding at the end of each month

Please see attached a CSV file showing data relating to the licence applications not yet determined from April 2023 to March 2026. The data has been categorised as:

• total applications at ‘next steps’
• total applications at ‘checks in progress’

For clarity, the above terms are defined as follows.

Next steps

Once an individual has applied for a licence, they will be required to complete ‘next steps’. This means that there are outstanding actions required from the applicant before their application can proceed to the ‘checks in progress’ stage. These actions typically require identity verification and payment of the licence application fee. A licence application will remain in the ‘next steps’ stage until all required actions have been satisfactorily completed by the applicant.

Checks in progress

Following satisfactory completion of the ‘next steps’ stage, the application progresses to the next stage which is ‘checks in progress’. This means that the application is being assessed by the SIA and third parties, which includes background and suitability checks such as: criminality checks (UK disclosure bodies and if relevant, overseas criminal record checks), applicant’s right to work status where information is obtained through Home Office records, and other necessary checks to indicate whether an applicant is fit and proper to hold a licence. A licence will not be granted unless all criteria have been met.

Number of complaints concerning licensing delays

Please see attached a CSV file showing data relating to the number of complaints received by the SIA concerning licensing delays by month from April 2023 to present. The data contains:

• numbers where an applicant has lodged a complaint in relation to the time the SIA has taken to process and reach a decision on a licence application
• numbers in relation to all complaints received, not just upheld complaints

KPIs relating to licence application processing time

Please see attached a CSV file showing data relating to our performance against the KPIs that were in place between April 2023 and March 2026 for simple and complex applications.

For clarity, we have defined what is meant by simple and complex applications.

Simple applications

This term refers to applications that can be processed largely through automated or standardised checks with little or no requirement for manual reviews. These applications typically progress through the system swiftly without complications.

Complex applications

This term refers to applications that require additional checks or manual review before a decision can be made which can lengthen the application process. These additional checks and manual reviews may include:

• additional verification (for example, right to work checks for applicants from outside the UK)
• criminal record checks where criminality is returned and must be assessed
• further information or documents needed from the applicant (for example, an overseas criminal record check)
• other circumstances which may require additional assessment

As noted above, our current KPI target on application processing times for the financial year 2026 to 2027 is for all individual licence applications to be processed within an average of 10 working days from when they reach the ‘checks in progress’ stage of the application process until a licensing decision is made.

[Ref: FOI 0600]