1.2 Eligibility, Application & Fees

Eligibility, Application & Fees for Florida's Class D License

Quick Answer: To qualify for a Florida Class D license you must be at least 18, be a U.S. citizen or legal resident alien (or hold DHS/USCIS work authorization), complete the 40-hour training and pass the 170-question exam, and clear an FDLE/FBI fingerprint-based background check. Expect roughly $45 in FDACS application fees plus about $42–$53 in fingerprint processing and retention fees, on top of training tuition that varies by school. Veterans discharged within the past 24 months can have the license fee waived.

Who Can Apply: The Baseline Eligibility Requirements

FDACS sets a short, non-negotiable list of qualifications before it will even consider a Class D application:

• Age — you must be at least 18 years old. There is no upper age limit.
• Citizenship or work authorization — you must be a U.S. citizen, a legal resident alien of the United States, or have been granted authority to work in the country by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
• Training — you must complete a minimum of 40 hours of professional training at a security officer school or training facility licensed by FDACS (a Class DS school), and pass the 170-question exam covered in section 1.1.
• Background check — you must clear a fingerprint-based criminal history check with no disqualifying convictions under Chapter 493.

There is no education requirement (no diploma or degree needed) and no prior security or law enforcement experience required — the license is designed to be reachable by any qualifying adult who completes the training.

The Fingerprint and Background Check Requirement

Every Class D applicant must submit electronic fingerprints through an FDLE-approved Live Scan provider. Those prints are transmitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the FBI to screen for disqualifying criminal history. When you complete your application, you must also disclose all convictions, guilty pleas, and pleas of nolo contendere — omitting a conviction, even an old or minor one, is treated far more seriously by FDACS than the underlying offense itself, because it raises a separate honesty issue. If you have already submitted fingerprints and paid the fingerprint fee for another Chapter 493 license within the past six months, you generally don't need to repeat that step or pay the fee again.

Step-by-Step: From Classroom to Licensed Officer

1. Enroll and complete the 40-hour curriculum at a Class DS-licensed school, following the FDACS-P-01878 curriculum guide.
2. Pass the 170-question exam administered by that school (128 correct answers required — see section 1.1).
3. Receive your Certificate of Security Officer Training, Form FDACS-16103, within 3 business days of passing.
4. Get Live Scan fingerprints taken through an FDLE-approved provider.
5. Complete the Class D license application, Form FDACS-16007, and gather supporting documents: your training certificate, a color passport-style photograph, proof of identity, proof of work authorization if you're not a citizen, and your fingerprint submission.
6. Submit the application and fees to the FDACS Division of Licensing — by mail to P.O. Box 5767, Tallahassee, FL 32314-5767, in person at a regional office, or online.
7. Wait for review while your background check clears; FDACS then mails your Class D license.

What It Costs

The application and fingerprint-related state fees together typically run just under $100, separate from whatever your training school charges for the 40-hour course. Fees paid to FDACS are nonrefundable and nontransferable, so double-check your application package before submitting.

Special Circumstances Worth Knowing

• Veteran fee waiver — if you apply within 24 months of being discharged from any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, your initial license fee is waived if you include a copy of your DD Form 214 (or another acceptable form of ID specified by the Department of Veterans' Affairs) with your application.
• Law enforcement exception — currently employed law enforcement, correctional, or correctional probation officers certified by the Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission can satisfy the 40-hour training requirement with a valid employer-issued ID card or a copy of their certification, instead of completing the civilian course.

Processing Timeline and License Validity

Once FDACS receives a complete application, typical review time runs a few weeks, assuming the background check clears without complications and no documents are missing. A Florida Class D license does not require annual requalification the way an armed Class G endorsement does — it is issued for a multi-year term and renewed periodically through FDACS, rather than by retaking the 170-question exam each cycle.

Official Resources

• FDACS Class D Security Officer License Requirements — official eligibility rules and how to apply
• FDACS Division of Licensing — regional office locations and general licensing contact