Pennsylvania Security Guard Vocabulary Game
Exam terms with clues and explanations by OpenExamPrep.
About the Pennsylvania Security Guard Vocabulary Game
A free word game for the Pennsylvania Security Guard exam. Each round shows a clue for one of 20 exam terms across 11 topics. Recall the term, spell it out, then read a short explanation. Rounds pick a random term, so you can keep playing as long as you like.
How to Play
- 1Read the clue and type a term with the right number of letters (3 to 6). Abbreviations count: type the letters only.
- 2Press Check Answer or Enter. Each letter changes color to show how close you are.
- 3You have 6 tries. Stuck? Need a hint? asks the AI tutor for a nudge without giving the term away, and Skip moves to a new term.
- 4After the round, read the explanation, ask the AI to explain it, share your result, or press Next.
- ARight letter, right spot
- AIn the term, wrong spot
- ANot in the term
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Topics in the Pennsylvania Security Guard Vocabulary Game
Course introduction
PA Crimes Code
Principles of justification
Legal authority
Limited authority
Constitutional restrictions
Incident investigation
Court testimony
Skills training
Firearms module
Training and testing
Sources for these terms (21)
- 37 Pa. Code § 21.1. Definitions · Source checked 2026-11-04
- 37 Pa. Code § 21.5. Certified agent/applicant responsibilities · Source checked 2026-11-04
- 37 Pa. Code § 21.19. Training enrollment · Source checked 2026-11-04
- 37 Pa. Code § 21.20. Agent certification · Source checked 2026-11-04
- 37 Pa. Code § 21.26. Certified agent prohibitions/restrictions · Source checked 2026-11-04
- 37 Pa. Code § 21.32. Applicant qualification requirements · Source checked 2026-11-04
- 37 Pa. Code § 21.36. Operating provisions · Source checked 2026-11-04
- 18 Pa.C.S. § 106. Classes of offenses · Source checked 2026-11-04
- 18 Pa.C.S. § 3301. Arson and related offenses · Source checked 2026-11-04
- 18 Pa.C.S. § 3929. Retail theft · Source checked 2026-11-04
- 18 Pa.C.S. § 505. Use of force in self-protection · Source checked 2026-11-04
- 18 Pa.C.S. § 508. Use of force in law enforcement · Source checked 2026-11-04
- 18 Pa.C.S. § 6102. Definitions · Source checked 2026-11-04
- 18 Pa.C.S. § 6109. Licenses · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Lethal Weapons Training Program · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Positional Asphyxia—Sudden Death · Source checked 2026-11-04
- United States v. Jacobsen, 466 U.S. 109 (1984) · Source checked 2026-11-04
- U.S. Attorneys | Legal Terms Glossary · Source checked 2026-11-04
- chain of custody - Glossary · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Pennsylvania State Police 2024 Firearms Annual Report · Source checked 2026-11-04
- Criminal Justice Restraints Standard, NIJ Standard-1001.00 · Source checked 2026-11-04
About the PA Act 235 Exam
The Pennsylvania Act 235 Lethal Weapons Training Certification is the mandatory credential for privately employed agents — security officers, armored car personnel, watch guards, and private investigators — who carry a lethal weapon as an incidence of their employment in Pennsylvania. Under 22 P.S. §§ 41-50.1 and 37 Pa. Code Chapter 21, lethal weapons include firearms (a pistol, revolver, rifle or shotgun) and billy clubs, whether concealed or not; chemical mace and similar substances are expressly excluded from the definition. The program consists of a 40-hour course at a PSP-certified school: a 26-hour academic module covering course introduction, legal authority, constitutional restrictions, principles of justification, the Pennsylvania Crime Code, limited authority, incident investigation reports, testifying in court, skills training, and the final examination; plus a 14-hour firearms module covering firearms introduction, combat shooting, handgun familiarization and qualification, and shotgun introduction and familiarization. A candidate must score at least 70% on the academic examination and, for firearms certification, at least 75% in the firearms module. Certification is valid for five years and is renewed through an 8-hour program for firearms agents or a 3-hour program for nonfirearms agents.
Exam sponsor: Pennsylvania State Police - Lethal Weapons Certification Unit. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Questions
50 questions
Time Limit
2 hours for the academic module final examination (37 Pa. Code § 21.36(1)(ii))
Passing Score
70% academic module; 75% firearms module (37 Pa. Code § 21.19(3)(i))
Exam / Certification Fees
$104.95 in PSP fees ($50 application + $24.95 fingerprints + $30 certification), plus school tuition
Exam sponsor websiteReported exam pass rate: Not published. The Pennsylvania State Police do not publish an Act 235 pass rate. Under 37 Pa. Code § 21.19(3)(i) a candidate must attain a minimum score of 70% in the academic module and, if applicable, 75% in the firearms module; a candidate who fails a module must repeat that entire module before the Commissioner's approval to attend training expires. Exam sponsor website
Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the PA Act 235 vocabulary game free?
Yes. The game is free to play with no sign-up. Signing in adds AI explanations for any term.
How does the PA Act 235 vocabulary game work?
Each round shows a clue for one of 20 PA Act 235 terms. Guess the term in six tries: green means the right letter in the right spot, yellow means the letter is in the term but in another spot, and gray means it is not in the term. After the round, read the explanation and play the next term.
Where do the PA Act 235 terms come from?
OpenExamPrep researched each term from the Pennsylvania State Police - Lethal Weapons Certification Unit content outline and primary sources, listed under Sources on this page. The game is independent study material, not an official exam resource.
What is PA Act 235 and who administers it?
PA Act 235 is the Lethal Weapons Training Act of 1974 (22 P.S. §§ 41-50.1), administered by the Pennsylvania State Police under 37 Pa. Code Chapter 21. It certifies privately employed agents — watch guards, protective patrolmen, detectives, and criminal investigators — who carry a lethal weapon as an incidence of their employment.
What counts as a lethal weapon under Act 235?
Under 22 P.S. § 43, lethal weapons include but are not limited to firearms and other weapons calculated to produce death or serious bodily harm, and a concealed billy club is named specifically. 37 Pa. Code § 21.1 defines firearm as a pistol, revolver, rifle or shotgun and adds that a nonconcealed billy club is also a lethal weapon. Chemical mace or any similar substance is expressly excluded from the definition.