Security compliance guide 2026.

Who needs a PSARA license?

Any proprietorship, partnership, company, or society providing private security guards, armed or unarmed, must hold a valid PSARA license. This includes agencies providing security manpower to government, corporate, residential, and institutional clients.

Key requirements for PSARA compliance

• Application to the Controlling Authority (typically the state Home Department or DCP Licensing)
• Background verification of the proprietor/directors and all security personnel
• Prescribed training hours completed by every guard
• Proof of registered office, financial stability, and operational infrastructure
• Renewal every 5 years with continuous compliance monitoring

Why it matters for clients

Engaging a non-PSARA licensed agency exposes your organisation to legal risk. Government departments, PSUs, and institutional clients are mandated to verify PSARA compliance before awarding security contracts. On the GeM portal, PSARA license details are mandatory for security service listings.

ISO 9001:2015 — Quality Management System (QMS)

The most widely recognised quality standard. ISO 9001 ensures consistent service delivery through documented processes, regular internal audits, and continuous improvement cycles. For security agencies, this covers recruitment, training, deployment, supervision, and client communication protocols.

ISO 45001:2018 — Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S)

Addresses workplace health and safety risks. For agencies deploying staff across very different sites, from government offices to defence installations and hospitals, ISO 45001 requires documented hazard identification, risk assessment and incident management.

ISO 14001:2015 — Environmental Management System (EMS)

Covers waste management, resource efficiency and the environmental impact of operations. It is less obviously relevant to a security agency, but government procurement evaluations ask for it more and more often.

Why all three together

• One audit cycle can cover all three standards
• Procurement committees read it as evidence of a mature, documented management system
• Surveillance audits (typically annual) check compliance between certifications
• GeM and CPPP tenders often award technical evaluation points for ISO-certified agencies

Service categories relevant to security agencies

• Security Manpower Service: physical guarding, access control, surveillance
• Human Resource Outsourcing Service: MTS, DEOs, administrative staff
• Cleaning and Sanitation Service: housekeeping, pest control, pantry management
• Technical Manpower Service: nursing orderlies, librarians, IT specialists
• All Categories of Office Staff: receptionists, front desk, back office

GeM compliance requirements

Sellers must maintain valid GST registration, PAN card, bank account details, and relevant licenses (PSARA for security). Service quality ratings, order fulfilment history, and client feedback directly affect search ranking and bid eligibility on the portal.

What to check on an agency’s GeM profile

• It is registered in the category that matches the work you are buying
• Catalogue entries describe the service and pricing clearly
• The PSARA, ISO and statutory documents uploaded are current
• Its order fulfilment history and buyer ratings on the portal

GST Registration & compliance

All service providers with annual turnover exceeding the threshold must maintain active GST registration. Security and manpower services attract 18% GST (SAC 9985). Proper GST invoicing, timely return filing, and Input Tax Credit (ITC) management are essential.

ESI — Employees' State Insurance

The Employees' State Insurance Act provides health insurance and medical benefits to workers earning below the prescribed wage ceiling. The employer contributes 3.25% and employee 0.75% of gross wages. ESI coverage includes medical care, sickness benefits, maternity benefits, and employment injury benefits.

EPF — Employees' Provident Fund

Under the Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, both employer and employee contribute 12% of basic wages to the provident fund. This provides retirement savings, partial withdrawal for emergencies, and pension benefits for deployed manpower.

Minimum wages compliance

• Wages must be paid as per the Minimum Wages Act applicable to the state/UT of deployment
• Delhi’s rates are revised periodically by the Government of NCT of Delhi; Haryana and Uttar Pradesh issue their own orders for Gurugram, Noida and other NCR districts
• Service charges to clients must be transparently revised when new minimum wage orders are issued
• Non-compliance with minimum wages can result in contract termination, penalties, and debarment from government procurement portals