A Cash and Valuables in Transit licence is required when guarding property against destruction or damage, against being stolen or against being otherwise dishonestly taken or obtained, involving the secure transportation of property in vehicles specially manufactured or adapted so as to have secure transportation as their primary function. This applies 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 cash and valuables in transit operatives but you also supply security guards, you will not need to get two licences).