A Public Space Surveillance (CCTV) licence is required when manned guarding activities are carried out through the use of closed circuit television equipment to:

1. monitor the activities of a member of the public in a public or private place; or
2. identify a particular person.

This includes the use of CCTV in these cases to record images that are viewed on non-CCTV equipment, but excludes the use of CCTV solely to identify a trespasser or protect property.

A Public Space Surveillance (CCTV) licence is required only if your services are supplied for the purposes of or in connection with any contract to a consumer.

Two Types of Licence

There are two types of SIA licence:

• A front line licence is required if undertaking licensable activity, other than key holding activities (this also covers undertaking non-front line activity). A front line licence is in the form of a credit card-sized plastic card that must be worn, subject to the licence conditions.
• A non-front line licence is required for those who manage, supervise and/or employ individuals who engage in licensable activity, as long as front line activity is not carried out - this includes directors* or partners. A non-front line licence is issued in the form of a letter that also covers key holding activities.

*For the purposes of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, "director" means executive and non-executive directors, shadow directors, parent company directors and corporate entities holding a directorship.

If you have a non-front line licence you do not need to get another one if you are involved in another area of non-front line licensable activity (for example: if you are a director of a firm supplying public space surveillance CCTV operatives but you also supply security guards, you will not need to get two licences).