Current SIA Security Officer Licence Holders
From 1 April 2025, you must have a ‘refresher’ qualification before you can renew your Security Officer licence.

Expired, but Within 3 Years of Expiry
If you have an expired SIA Security Officer Licence and it is within 3 years of expiring, you can also take the Refresher qualification to renew your SIA Security Officer Licence.

Expired, Beyond 3 Years of Expiry
If it has been more than 3 years since the expiry of your last Security Officer Licence, you will need to start from scratch.

Entry Requirements
Learners must hold a current and valid First Aid or Emergency First Aid at Work certificate. This must meet the requirements of the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 and have a minimum of 12 months’ validity from the start date of the course.

Overview
The Refresher qualification will support licence holders in ensuring their skills, knowledge, and practice are up to date, helping them to stay safe and protect the public whilst they are working.

Course Length
The Minimum Contact Time (MCT) stipulated by the SIA for this qualification is 7 hours. The SIA defines the MCT as the minimum time that a learner must spend under the immediate guidance or supervision of a trainer, assessor, or invigilator (including assessment).

The SIA permits all theory elements to be delivered using approved ‘Self-Study’. This means the MCT can be reduced from 7 hours to just 3 hours.

Although 3 hours may be unrealistic to cover the module and assessment, using the ‘Self-Study’ option means the course can easily be delivered in just half a day.

If done correctly, attendees should prepare to complete approximately 4 hours of pre-course self-study before attending the physical portion of the course.

It is mandatory that all associated ‘self-study’ is fully completed by the start of the course. Those who do not complete it will be turned away, as this is an SIA requirement.

It is further noteworthy that the subjects covered within the ‘Self-Study’ cannot be delivered during the face-to-face portion of the course due to time constraints, so those who do not take the ‘Self-Study’ seriously risk failing and needing to return to resit.

Modules for the Refresher Qualification for Security Officers
The following modules are delivered using approved ‘Self-Study’:

Principles Of Working As A Security Officer in the Private Security Industry (Refresher) – (PWSOPSIR)

  • Know how to conduct effective search procedures
  • Understand how to keep vulnerable people safe
  • *Understand terror threats and the role of the security operative in the event of a threat

*ACT Awareness and ACT Security e-learning programmes are the only permitted self-study methods that can be used for this unit. If you already have these, they must be dated within 6 months of the course start date. 

Assessment

Principles Of Working As A Security Officer in the Private Security Industry (Refresher) – (PWSOPSIR)

  • An externally set and marked multiple-choice exam with 28 questions. You have 45 minutes to complete it, and you need to answer at least 20 questions correctly to pass (70%).
  • Internally assessed observation of a search of a person and their property, which will be video recorded. The videoed assessment is expected to take approximately 15 minutes.

Timings
13:00 to 18:00* – (08:00 start for those who also require First Aid)

Content summary:
– English Assessment and Course Administration (30 min)
– Search recap and  practice (2.5 hours)
– PWSOPSIR Theory exam (45 min)
– Video Search Practical Assessment (15-min)

* The precise finish time will depend on the dynamics and abilities of your peers and the order in which you take your final practical assessment.

Combining with First Aid (EFAW)
For those requiring First Aid, this will be completed using a blended approach consisting of approximately 2 hours of ‘Self-led’ study, followed by 4 hours of practical and theory assessment on the morning before the SORT begins at 08:00.