How Much Does a Guard Card Cost? Training, State Fees & Fingerprints (2026)

A guard card costs the sum of four things: the state's application or registration fee, a fingerprint and background check fee, the tuition for the required training course, and any extras you add later, such as a firearm or baton permit. The state and fingerprint fees are fixed and published by each regulator. In California, Texas, Florida and New York they add up to roughly $65 to $140 before training and vendor fees. Tuition is the part that varies most, and it depends on the school, the state, and how many hours of training your state requires.

This guide breaks down each piece, shows the official fees for California, Texas, Florida and New York, and explains how people lower the total, including employer-paid training and public workforce funding.

What makes up the cost of a guard card

1. State application or registration fee

Every state that licenses security officers charges a fee to process your application and issue the card or registration. You pay it to the state regulator, not to the school. It is usually the smallest line item, and it is the same no matter where you train.

2. Fingerprint and background check fee

Nearly every licensing state requires a criminal background check based on your fingerprints. This usually includes a state check and an FBI check, and each has its own fee. On top of the government fees, the private company that takes your prints electronically often charges a separate service or "rolling" fee. That vendor fee is set by the vendor, so it varies by location.

3. Training tuition

Most states require training before you can work, after you start, or both. You pay the training school directly. What you pay depends on:

• How many hours your state requires. A short pre-licensing course costs less to deliver than a multi-day course with an exam.
• What the school includes. Some schools bundle fingerprinting help, study materials, or the state application. Others charge separately.
• Format. Some states allow parts of the training online; others require in-person classroom or range time.

We have not yet surveyed school prices, so we don't publish tuition ranges. The reliable way to compare is to ask two or three licensed schools for an all-in quote that lists tuition, materials, exam fees, and anything else you'll owe. You can find state-licensed providers in California on our California schools page or search by course.

4. Extras: permits, renewals and continuing education

Your first card is not your last expense. Common add-ons:

• Firearm permit for armed work, which has its own state fee, its own fingerprint or eligibility check, and a longer, more expensive training course with range qualification.
• Baton or other weapon permits, where your state requires them.
• Renewal fees every time the card comes up for renewal, plus a late fee if you miss the deadline.
• Continuing or annual training, which some states require every year to keep the card active.

Official state fees: California, Texas, Florida and New York

The table below lists only fees we confirmed on each regulator's own website or published fee schedule on the date in the "last verified" field above. Fees change, and California raised many of its fees on October 1, 2025, so check the linked source before you pay.

How these add up before training, for a first unarmed card:

• California: $60 + $49 = $109, plus the Live Scan site fee.
• Texas: $37 + $28.25 = $65.25, per the DPS fee schedule. The schedule document is dated 2019 but is still the one DPS links to; confirm the current fingerprint amount with the vendor when you book.
• Florida: $45 + $42 + $10.75 = $97.75, which is the total FDACS lists for a new Class "D" license. FDACS notes that veterans who apply within 24 months of discharge can have the initial license fee waived.
• New York: $36 + $102.50 = $138.50.

Fingerprint vendor or "site" fees are not included in these totals because the state does not set them.

For the full requirements behind each card, see our state-by-state license requirements guide and, for California, how to get a guard card in California.

How much training each state requires

Training hours drive tuition, so they're worth knowing before you call a school. From the regulators:

• California: Power to Arrest training must be completed before BSIS issues the registration. Another 32 hours of security officer skills training is due within the first six months, and 8 hours of continuing training every year after that (BSIS guard fact sheet).
• Texas: Commissioned (armed) officers must complete the Level III course, a minimum of 45 hours including a course of fire (Texas DPS training page).
• Florida: The Class "D" license requires 40 hours of training at a licensed school (s. 493.6303, Florida Statutes).
• New York: An 8-hour pre-assignment course, 16 hours of on-the-job training within 90 days of employment, and 8 hours of in-service training every calendar year. Armed guards add a 47-hour firearms course and 8 hours of firearms training every year, all at DCJS-approved schools (NY DOS training requirements).

Because training is spread over time in some states, you may not pay all of your tuition up front. In California, for example, the 32-hour course and each year's 8 hours of continuing training are separate costs after your card is issued. For timelines, see how long it takes to get a guard card.

The cost of going armed (or adding a baton)

Armed work usually pays more, but it is the most expensive add-on:

• State permit fee. In California the initial firearms permit application is $110, and renewal is $126 ($88 renewal fee plus a $38 DOJ fee) (BSIS fee schedule). In Florida the Class "G" license fee is $112.
• Extra background screening. California charges a $38 firearms eligibility fee on top of the standard Live Scan fees.
• Training and range time. Firearms courses are longer than unarmed courses and often include range fees and ammunition. Ask whether those are in the quoted price.
• Ongoing qualification. A California firearms permit lasts two years, and renewal requires range qualifications in each 12-month period of that term (BSIS firearms fact sheet). Each qualification session is a cost.

California also requires a separate baton permit if you carry a baton on duty. The initial application fee is $66, and training must come from a BSIS-approved baton training facility. See our guides to the California exposed firearm permit and the California baton permit.

Hidden costs to ask about

When you request a quote, ask specifically about:

• Fingerprint vendor or Live Scan site fees
• Course materials, manuals, and exam or retest fees
• Certificate fees, or charges to reissue a lost certificate
• Range fees, targets, and ammunition for firearms courses
• Whether the school files or helps with the state application
• Replacement cards: California, Florida and Texas each charge a fee to replace a lost card ($25, $15 and $17 respectively, per their fee schedules)
• Late renewal fees, which you avoid entirely by renewing on time

Ways to lower the cost

Ask employers about paid training

Some security companies pay for required training, reimburse it after you've worked a set period, or run the training themselves. In California, many organizations licensed to deliver guard training are employers that train their own staff (that's one reason we verify every school before listing it). If you already have a job offer, ask the employer whether they cover training or state fees before you pay out of pocket. Read any reimbursement agreement carefully, because some require you to stay a minimum time.

Check WIOA funding at your local American Job Center

The federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds training services through a national network of American Job Centers. Under the WIOA Adult program, job center staff must give priority to people receiving public assistance, other low-income individuals, and people who are basic-skills deficient (U.S. Department of Labor). Training is commonly paid through an Individual Training Account, which can only be used for programs on the state's eligible training provider list.

Whether a security officer course qualifies depends on your local workforce board and on whether a nearby school is on that list. To find your nearest center, use CareerOneStop's American Job Center finder or call the Department of Labor at 1-877-US-2JOBS.

Other ways to save

• Veterans in Florida may qualify for the initial license fee waiver if they apply within 24 months of discharge.
• Compare all-in quotes rather than headline tuition.
• Renew on time. In California a late renewal costs $69 instead of $44, and in Texas a non-commissioned renewal up to 90 days late costs $52 instead of $37. In California you can't renew at all more than 60 days after expiration; you have to apply again.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a guard card cost in California?

The state charges $60 for a new security guard registration plus $49 in DOJ and FBI fingerprint fees, for $109 before the Live Scan site fee and training (BSIS fees, BSIS Live Scan). Training tuition is separate and set by each school.

Is the fingerprint fee included in the application fee?

Usually not. California, Florida and New York all list fingerprint fees separately from the license fee, and you often pay them to the fingerprint vendor when you're printed rather than to the state.

Can I get my guard card training for free?

Sometimes. Some employers pay for or reimburse training, and WIOA funding through an American Job Center may cover training for eligible people if the course is on your state's approved provider list. Neither is guaranteed, so ask before you enroll.

Why do training prices vary so much?

Required hours vary by state, and schools differ in what they include. Compare quotes that list every fee, and confirm that the school is licensed by your state.

How often do I pay renewal fees?

It depends on the state. California firearms permits expire two years from issuance. Check your own card's expiration date and your regulator's renewal instructions, and budget for any annual training your state requires.

Sources

• California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, BSIS Licensing Fees (September 2025)
• BSIS, Criminal History Background Check / Live Scan fees
• BSIS, Security Guard Fact Sheet
• BSIS, Firearms Permit Fact Sheet
• Texas Department of Public Safety, Private Security Fee Schedule and Licensing and Registration
• Texas DPS, Training and Continuing Education
• Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Chapter 493 New License Fee Schedule and Renewal License Fee Schedule
• Florida Statutes, s. 493.6303
• New York Department of State, Become a Security Guard and Security Guard Training Requirements
• U.S. Department of Labor, WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker Program
• CareerOneStop, Find an American Job Center