The licence wizard will take you through each of the areas you need to think about when applying for a licence: job type, training required, criminality checks and the documentation you need to send us.

Who Needs a Licence?

You need a Vehicle Immobilisers licence if you undertake any of the following activity:

1. the moving of a vehicle by any means;
2. the restriction of the movement of a vehicle by any means (including the immobilisation of a vehicle by attaching a device to it);
3. the release of a vehicle which has been so moved or restricted, where release is effected by returning the vehicle to the control of the person who was otherwise entitled to remove it, by removing any restriction on the movement of the vehicle by removing the device or by any other means; or
4. the demanding or collection of a charge as a condition of any such release of or for the removal of the device from a vehicle.

Vehicle immobiliser activity only applies to activities carried out for the purpose of preventing or inhibiting the removal of a vehicle by a person otherwise entitled to remove it.

Vehicle immobiliser activity only applies where it is proposed to impose a charge for the release of the vehicle.

Vehicle immobiliser activity applies to any activities carried out in relation to a vehicle while it is elsewhere than on a road within the meaning of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

The requirement to hold a licence when carrying out the immobilisation, restriction or removal activity as defined in the Act applies to anyone e.g. land occupiers, in-house employees, staff supplied for the purposes of or in connection with any contract to a consumer or volunteers.

There are certain exclusions mentioned within the Private Security Industry Act 2001. The Act (paragraphs 2 and 3A of Schedule 2) should be referred to for full details of when a licence is not required.

SIA licensing of vehicle immobilisers does not apply to Scotland.

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 vehicle immobilisers but you also supply security guards, you will not need to get two licences).

Renewing Your Licence

If you already hold a Vehicle Immobiliser licence you will need to apply for a new one shortly before your current one expires. A renewal letter will automatically be sent to you 10 weeks prior to your licence expiry date.

More information >>

Licence Integration

In some cases, we are satisfied that the licensing criteria to be met for one licensable activity are sufficient to allow a licensed individual to carry out other licensable activities.

More information >>