Guard Card Guides · Applying

How to Apply for Your California Guard Card

Short answer

After your 8-hour course, apply for your initial Security Guard registration with the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS). The fastest way is online through BreEZe, the state's licensing system: register a free account, submit the application and pay the $60 fee, then complete Live Scan fingerprinting.

What You Need Before You Start

Have these ready and the whole application takes about 15 minutes:

  • Your Power to Arrest & Appropriate Use of Force certificate (for the serial number and completion date)
  • A valid government photo ID and your driver's license number
  • Your Social Security Number
  • Your current home address and an email you check often
  • A credit or debit card for the $60 application fee

Step 1 — Register for BreEZe

Create your free account on BreEZe, the state's online licensing system.

  • Go to breeze.ca.gov and click BreEZe Registration under New Users.
  • Enter your profile details: legal name, email address, and the User ID you want.
  • Check your email. BreEZe sends a message with a temporary password (check your spam or junk folder if it does not arrive).
  • Log in for the first time with your User ID and the temporary password.
  • Create your own password. You are now registered and can start your Security Guard application.
  • VideoStep-by-step walkthrough: creating a BreEZe account
Tips
  • Use an email you check often. BSIS sends updates there.
  • Write down your User ID and password.
  • Use your legal name exactly as it appears on your ID.

Step 2 — Submit Your Initial Application (How to Fill Out the BSIS Guard Card Application)

Here's how to fill out the BSIS Security Guard application in BreEZe. Log in at breeze.ca.gov with your User ID and password, then start a new application. You must be at least 18, and your Power to Arrest & Appropriate Use of Force certificate must be dated within the six months before you apply.

  • Choose the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, License Type Security Guard, Application Initial Security Guard Registration.
  • Work through each page, entering your personal information and answering every question, then click Next.
  • Enter your training in the Powers to Arrest Course Certification section, using your certificate. If you trained with us, enter:
FieldWhat to enter
Name of Course InstructorMario Galvan
School or Business NameNocturnal Protective Services LLC
License Number2995
PTA Certificate Serial NumberThe serial number on your certificate
Training Completion DateThe date on your certificate (mm/dd/yyyy)
  • Upload any supporting documents the application asks for.
Tips
  • Have your certificate next to you before you start.
  • You can save your application and come back to it later.
  • Use the same legal name as on your ID and Live Scan form.

Step 3 — Review, Pay, and Save Your Receipt

  • Review your answers, then pay the initial application fee (currently $60; check the BSIS fee schedule) by card.
  • Save your PDF receipt — it is your proof that you applied.
  • Applying online bypasses the BSIS Cashiering Office and can cut processing time by up to two weeks.

Step 4 — Complete Live Scan Fingerprinting (How to Fill Out the Guard Card Live Scan Form)

Here's how to fill out the guard card Live Scan form. Download the official Security Guard Request for Live Scan Service form — using the wrong form is a common cause of delay. You only fill out one part of it.

  1. Fill out the Applicant Information section only (the highlighted block below). Complete every field, including Social Security Number and Driver's License Number.
  2. Sign and date the form.
  3. Leave everything else alone. The top is pre-filled by BSIS, and the bottom is for the Live Scan operator.
  4. Take the form and your photo ID to a Live Scan location.
  5. Pay the fee: $49 ($32 DOJ + $17 FBI), plus the provider's rolling fee. Verify current DOJ & FBI fees at oag.ca.gov — amounts can change and the rolling fee varies by provider.
  6. Keep your copy with the ATI number — it's how you track your fingerprints.
BSIS Request for Live Scan Service form with the Applicant Information section highlighted — the only part the applicant completes
Fill in only the highlighted Applicant Information section, then sign and date. Open full size.
Leave blank
  • Billing Number and Misc. Number
  • Your Number (OCA)
  • Employer
  • Re-submission / Original ATI Number (only if earlier prints were rejected)
Tips
  • Other Name (AKA or Alias): fill in only if you've used another name, such as a maiden name.
  • Use the same legal name as on your ID and BreEZe application.

That's it — now you wait to hear back from BSIS. Allow about 4–6 weeks for processing (current timeframes). Check your status anytime on the Verify a License page.

Related Questions

How do I fill out the BSIS guard card application?
Log in to BreEZe, start a new application, and select Bureau of Security and Investigative Services → License Type Security Guard → Initial Security Guard Registration. Enter your personal information exactly as it appears on your ID, then complete the Powers to Arrest Course Certification section from your certificate — instructor Mario Galvan, Nocturnal Protective Services LLC, license 2995, your certificate's serial number, and your training completion date. Review, pay the $60 fee, and save your receipt. See Step 2 above for the full field list.
How do I fill out the Live Scan form for a guard card?
Fill out only the Applicant Information section of the Security Guard Request for Live Scan Service form — name, date of birth, sex, height, weight, eye and hair color, place of birth, Social Security Number, Driver's License Number, and home address — then sign and date it. Leave the Billing Number, Misc. Number, Your Number (OCA), Employer, and Original ATI Number fields blank; the top is pre-filled by BSIS and the bottom is for the Live Scan operator. See the annotated form in Step 4.
What do I enter in the Powers to Arrest Course Certification section?
If you trained with us: Name of Course Instructor Mario Galvan, School or Business Name Nocturnal Protective Services LLC, License Number 2995, the PTA Certificate Serial Number from your certificate, and your Training Completion Date (mm/dd/yyyy).
I already have a BreEZe account — or it says I can't register. What do I do?
BreEZe allows only one account per person, tied to your Social Security Number, so you can't create a second one. If you already have an account (even from another DCA license) or get an error saying you're already registered, don't make a new one — use Forgot User ID and Forgot Password on the BreEZe login page to recover it. If you no longer have access to the email on file, call BSIS at (800) 952-5210 or BreEZe technical support at (855) 227-9633 to regain access.
Where does the ATI number come from on the Live Scan form?
You leave it blank. The ATI (Automated Transaction Identifier) number is written on your form by the Live Scan operator after they scan your fingerprints and submit them to the DOJ and FBI. Keep your stamped copy — that ATI number is how you and BSIS track your fingerprint results.
Do I need the 8-hour course before I apply?
Yes. Your Power to Arrest and Appropriate Use of Force certificate must be dated within the six months before you apply. See what the course covers.
What happens after I apply?
After approval you must complete 32 hours of skills training within six months of registration. See the full four-step guide.

Verified against the BSIS Security Guard Registration Fact Sheet. Questions? Contact BSIS at (800) 952-5210 or bsis@dca.ca.gov.

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