wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 2422 > Original Bill
The legislature finds that private security guards are required to pay an initial licensing fee of $101 and an annual license renewal fee of $95. These recurring out-of-pocket costs create a significant barrier for workers entering and remaining in the security guard profession, particularly in an industry characterized by modest wages, irregular hours, and high turnover.
The legislature recognizes that private security guards frequently serve as frontline responders, working in challenging and high-risk environments to protect people, property, and public safety. Ensuring that qualified individuals are not excluded from this profession due to licensing costs strengthens workforce stability and improves public safety outcomes across Washington.
The legislature further finds that the private security industry is dominated by large, well-capitalized corporations with substantial revenues and extensive workforces. Six of the major employers in the industry have a workforce of thousands of employees and each report annual revenues of over $1,000,000,000, with the two largest reporting revenues of $15,000,000,000 and $20,000,000,000. These employers are far better positioned than individual security guards to absorb the cost of licensing and renewal fees.
The legislature concludes that requiring security guards to shoulder these licensing costs places a disproportionate burden on frontline security guards while providing a financial benefit to large corporate employers. Therefore, the legislature intends to rebalance responsibility within the industry by promoting fairness, improving worker retention, and supporting a stable and professional private security guard workforce that serves the public interest by shifting the cost of the licensing fees to the employer.
An applicant must meet the following minimum requirements to obtain a private security guard license:
Be at least eighteen years of age;
Be a citizen of the United States or a resident alien;
Not have been convicted of a crime in any jurisdiction, if the director determines that the applicant's particular crime directly relates to his or her capacity to perform the duties of a private security guard, and the director determines that the license should be withheld to protect the citizens of Washington state. The director shall make her or his determination to withhold a license because of previous convictions notwithstanding the restoration of employment rights act, chapter 9.96A RCW;
Be employed by or have an employment offer from a licensed private security company or be licensed as a private security company;
Satisfy the training requirements established by the director;
Submit a set of fingerprints; however, if an applicant has been issued a license as a private investigator under chapter 18.165 RCW within the last twelve months, the applicant is not required to undergo a separate background check to become licensed under this chapter; and
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Submit a fully completed application that includes proper identification on a form prescribed by the director for each company of employment, including the private security company's billing pin.
An applicant must meet the following minimum requirements to obtain an armed private security guard license:
Be licensed as a private security guard;
Be at least twenty-one years of age; and
Have a current firearms certificate issued by the commission
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A licensee who transfers from one company to another must submit a transfer application on a form prescribed by the director .
A private security company shall pay the respective application, license renewal, and endorsement fees required for all private security guards employed, or who have received an offer of employment, by the company. The private security company must provide a billing pin to the employee or potential employee for submission on their application, license renewal, or endorsement forms.
A private security company is prohibited from requiring a private security guard employed by the company to reimburse the application, license renewal, or endorsement fees, including deducting such costs from the employee's wages. A private security company found to be in violation of this section is subject to a monetary penalty of $500 per violation to be enforced by the department. A private security company found to have subsequent violations of this section may be subject to license suspension or revocation at the determination of the director.