A Key Holding licence is required when keeping custody of, or controlling access to, any key or similar device for operating (whether mechanically, electronically or otherwise) any lock.

This does not apply to:

• the activities of a person who holds a key or other device for obtaining access to any premises for the purposes incidental to the provision in relation to those premises, or in relation to an individual present on those premises, or any services that do not consist of or include the carrying out of any of the manned guarding activities.
• activities carried out merely incidentally to the provision of any services in connection with a proposal for the sale of any premises or other property to which the key or similar device gives access.

A Key Holding licence is required only if your services are supplied for the purposes of or in connection with any contract to a consumer

The Key Holding Licence

We normally issue licence holders with one of two licence types:

• A front line licence is required if undertaking licensable 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.

However, the Private Security Industry Act 2001 defines key holding solely as holding keys and does not include activities relating to a security response. Because of this, there can be no front line key holding staff. The key holding licence is therefore in all cases a letter which must be kept and (if required) produced for inspection by authorised personnel.

If you have a key holding licence you do not need to get a non front-line licence if you are involved in another area of licensable activity (for example, if you are a licensed key holder and you are also a manager in a company supplying security guards, you will not need to get a non-front line Security licence).