Regulatory Authority
Primary Regulator
How Licensing Works in New York
New York maintains a centralized, statewide licensing regime for private investigation and private security services administered by the New York Department of State, Division of Licensing Services.
Article 7 of the General Business Law governs private investigators and watch, guard, or patrol agencies. Licensure is required for private investigators and for watch, guard, or patrol agencies operating in the state.
Article 7-A, known as the Security Guard Act, governs the registration and training requirements for individual security guards. Security guards must be registered at the state level and meet statutory training standards.
Licensure or registration is required prior to engaging in regulated services. Both business entities and individual security guards are regulated at the state level.
Firearms licensing is governed under separate provisions of New York Penal Law and is not itself a private security or private investigation license.
Regulation of private investigation and private security services is centralized at the state level.
Licenses Issued by the State
Security Services
- New York Watch, Guard or Patrol Agency License
- New York Security Guard Registration
Private Investigation Services
- New York Private Investigator License
Operational Notes for Multi-State Firms
New York regulates private investigation and private security under separate articles of the General Business Law.
Watch, guard, or patrol agencies must be licensed under Article 7. Individual security guards must be registered under Article 7-A.
Private investigators are licensed under Article 7.
Firearms licensing is governed under separate statutory provisions and does not substitute for required licensure or registration under the General Business Law.