Everything a South African security company must have to stay compliant

Security compliance is checked in two places: at PSiRA, and on your client's site. This checklist covers both — the registrations that make you lawful, the records that prove your officers are lawful, and the employment and equipment evidence that survives a client audit.

Reviewed by TefCo Compliance Research — last verified 7 September 2026.

In short

The business and every officer must be registered with PSiRA (Private Security Industry Regulation Act 56 of 2001, section 20).
Client audits fail on records, not on intent — keep per-officer files that can be produced on the day.
Wages, hours and allowances follow the sector's bargaining council agreement, not just the Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997.
Firearms, if you carry them, bring a separate licensing and control regime under the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000.

1. Registration and standing

Current PSiRA registration for the security business, in the correct legal entity name.
PSiRA registration for every director, member or partner as required.
Current PSiRA registration and ID card for every deployed security officer.
Annual PSiRA fees paid and receipts on file.
Current PSiRA letter of good standing — the document clients and bid packs ask for.
Annual industry compliance self-assessment completed for the current cycle.

2. The per-officer file

Identity document and proof of PSiRA registration and grade.
Training certificates for the grade the officer is deployed at.
Signed employment contract with the correct wage grade and area.
Appointment and deployment record showing the site and shift pattern.
Issued equipment record: uniform, radio, body armour, firearm where applicable.
Disciplinary and incident record.

Deploying an officer at a grade above their registered grade is one of the fastest ways to lose a contract. Check grade against post before deployment, not after.

3. Employment conditions

Private security wages, allowances, overtime and shift conditions are set by the sector's main collective agreement through the National Bargaining Council for the Private Security Sector, on a wage year running from 1 March. The Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997 sets the baseline that the agreement builds on.

Payroll aligned to the current wage table from 1 March each year.
Provident fund and council levies deducted and paid over.
Attendance and overtime records per site.
Unemployment Insurance Fund and Compensation Fund registration and returns.
Letter of good standing under the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act 130 of 1993.

4. Firearms and controlled equipment

Firearm licences held in the correct name under the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000.
Firearm register: issue, return, ammunition and safe custody.
Competency certificates for every officer who carries.
Safe and armoury compliance, with inspection records.

Firearm rules for the private security industry have been under active review. Confirm current requirements with PSiRA and the South African Police Service before changing any armoury procedure.

5. Operations and client-facing evidence

Signed service level agreement per client, matching the deployed post schedule.
Occurrence book and incident reporting per site.
Vehicle and patrol records where response services are provided.
Health and safety appointments and risk assessments under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993.
POPIA-compliant handling of visitor, biometric and CCTV data under the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013.

6. The pack that ends an audit quickly

Build one downloadable pack per client site: PSiRA business registration and letter of good standing, the officer register for that site with registration numbers and grades, training certificates, the current wage table applied, the COIDA letter of good standing, insurance, and the last three months of occurrence records.

Clients ask for the same set every time. Producing it in an hour instead of a week is, in practice, what keeps the contract.

Frequently asked

What does a client usually ask for first?

A current PSiRA letter of good standing for the business, followed by proof that each deployed officer is registered at the correct grade.

Are private security wages set by government?

They are set through the sector's bargaining council main collective agreement, on a wage year that starts 1 March, with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997 as the statutory baseline.

Do I need a COIDA letter of good standing?

Most clients and all public-sector bids require one. It depends on your Return of Earnings being filed and your assessment being paid, under the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act 130 of 1993.

Sources

TefCo Corporate Compliance (Pty) Ltd is a compliance management platform, not a legal, tax or advisory firm. This guide is general information, not advice. Fees, dates and thresholds change — confirm current figures with the regulator before you rely on them.