To establish yourself or your business in South Africa’s lucrative security industry, you must complete your PSiRA registration. PSiRA was established based on the Private Security Industry Regulation Act 56 of 2001. The organisation’s purpose is to regulate the security industry and ensure that people who provide security services are doing so according to industry standards. Not only does PSiRA ensure that security companies and security officers can do their jobs according to predetermined standards, but it also gives residents and businesses who rely on security services peace of mind.

Step 1: Determine If You’re Registering As A Business or Individual

Your PSiRA registration process will depend on whether you register as an individual or a business. An employer will require that you register with PSiRA to work as a private security officer. If you’re a business, you need PSiRA registration to lawfully provide security services.

These are the documents you’ll need depending on the type of entity you’re registering as:

Business Documentation

• To register your business with PSiRA, you’ll need the following:
• One-year business plan
• Lease agreement
• CIPC registration documents
• TAX clearance certificate from SARS
• Specimen Resolution on Your Business letterhead
• Resolution to say you’ll be operational for at least one year

Individual Documentation

• To register as an individual, you’ll need the following:
• Certified copy of your training certificates (you should also bring the original certificate)
• Certified copy of your ID (you should also bring along your original ID document)
• Two colour ID photos
• Proof of residence
• Set of fingerprints

Step 2: Print And Fill In Your PSiRA Registration Form

Now that you know how to register, you will need to print the form for your entity. Businesses should print and fill in the business registration form, and security officers will print and fill in the individual form.

Step 3: Pay Your Registration Fee

Once you have printed and filled in the relevant form, you will be required to pay a registration fee. This registration fee doesn’t mean PSiRA will approve your registration. The fee is to process and determine your credentials. Therefore, the fee is non-refundable. Since the PSiRA registration fee is non-refundable, be sure you meet their basic requirements before applying.
As of 2025, the fee for individuals is R230, and for businesses, it is R6,500. You can pay the fee using PSiRA’s banking details, using either your ID number as the reference for individuals or a director’s ID number as the reference for businesses. You can find their banking details on your registration form.

Step 4: Visit Your Local PSiRA Office

To complete your PSiRA registration, you must visit your local PSiRA offices. You can find their locations on their site; each province has one office.

When you’re applying, remember the process can take up to 12 business days (business days exclude public holidays and weekends). After that, you can expect to have feedback on whether your application was approved or declined. If your application is approved, you must pick up your certificate from your local PSiRA office.
If you’re not satisfied with the outcome, you can also dispute it. However, that comes at an additional fee.