PSARA Licence for a Private Security Agency

The application fee is set by Section 7(3) of the Act and depends on your area of operation. It is ₹5,000 for one district, ₹10,000 for more than one and up to five districts, and ₹25,000 for the whole State. The renewal fee is whatever the State rules prescribe, and we confirm the current figure before you pay. Choose the area carefully, since the fee and the licence go together.

The law gives the Controlling Authority 60 days from a complete application under Section 7(4). That period includes the inquiries and the no-objection certificate from the police. In practice, police verification is usually the slowest step, so a consistent application with correct addresses saves the most time. We check every document against the others before filing.

A PSARA licence is valid for five years under Section 7(5), unless it is cancelled earlier. It can be renewed for further five-year periods on payment of the prescribed fee. Section 8 requires the renewal application at least 45 days before the expiry date, and the Authority decides within 30 days. Put the date in your diary on the day the licence arrives.

Section 6 bars a person convicted of fraud or misfeasance connected with a company, an undischarged insolvent, anyone convicted of an offence carrying at least two years’ imprisonment, anyone linked to a banned organisation, and anyone dismissed from government service for misconduct or moral turpitude. A company or firm also needs to be registered in India with Indian citizens as proprietor, majority shareholder, partners or directors. We screen for all of this before filing.

Yes. Section 7(2) requires your affidavit to confirm that training is available for your guards and supervisors, and Section 9(2) requires you to give them the prescribed training. Most agencies meet this by signing an agreement with a training institute. Section 10 also requires every guard to have completed the training, so the tie-up keeps working long after the application.

Both can apply. The Act licenses a person carrying on the business, and Section 6(2) adds conditions for a company, firm or association of persons: it must be registered in India and controlled by Indian citizens. The choice comes down to liability and the clients you want. We help you decide, and can register the company or LLP first if that suits you.

A private security guard must be between 18 and 65 years of age under Section 10. The guard must also be an Indian citizen, have had character and antecedents verified, have completed the prescribed training and meet the physical standards. Breaching Section 10 can attract a fine of up to ₹25,000 under Section 20(2). A simple check at hiring keeps the roster within the rules.

That is an offence under Section 20(1), punishable with imprisonment of up to one year, a fine of up to ₹25,000, or both. Section 4 says no person shall carry on the business of a private security agency without a licence, so even one trial deployment is a risk. Wait for the licence before signing contracts that need guards on site. If you file early, the wait stays short.

No. Each State’s Controlling Authority licenses operations in that State, and the fee slabs in Section 7(3) are for districts of a State or the whole State. If you want guards at a Delhi site as well, you need a licence from the Delhi Controlling Authority too. We can prepare both applications together, since most documents are common.