BSIS Security Guard Firearms Permit Assessment Requirement
Effective JULY 1, 2018
Please be advised that BSIS has contracted with PSI Services LLC (PSI) to administer the assessment required for a BSIS security guard registrant seeking an initial BSIS firearms permit on or after July 1, 2018. Specifically, Business and Professions Code (BPC) Section 7583.23 requires that the security guard complete the assessment, specified in BPC Section 7583.47, for the purposes of determining whether he/she possesses, at the time of the assessment, appropriate judgement, restraint, and self-control to carry a firearm while on duty. PSI is an industry leader in administering licensing, credentialing and public safety tests and has 23 locations throughout California where the assessment will be offered.
The assessment that will be administered is the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16pf), which is a personality test widely used in various settings including employers of protective services personnel (e.g., police officers, firefighters and security guards), with scoring standards designed for the attributes specified in BPC Section 7583.47: appropriate judgment, restraint and self-control.
Given that other BSIS license types (e.g., private investigator license, private patrol operator license, alarm company operator license, etc.) can be associated with a BSIS firearms permit, in addition to a security guard applying for an initial firearms permit, under certain circumstances an individual seeking to associate a firearms permit to a security guard registration will need to complete/pass the assessment as a condition for the association.
The fee to take the assessment will be $60.00 and will need to be paid as part of the assessment appointment scheduling process.
The bureau is in the process of mailing letters to all Private Patrol Operators, Firearms Training Facilities, and Firearms Training Instructors which will include more information regarding the assessment. Also, additional assessment-related information can be found on the bureau's website at