The Security Industry Authority has confirmed that close protection operatives must complete refresher training before they can renew their licence, effective from 1 April 2026.
The new refresher qualification has been available since 1 October 2025. It replaces the accredited top-up awards introduced in October 2022, and unlike the top-up it is not a one-off. Operatives must complete it at every renewal.
The SIA says the qualification refreshes the safety-critical skills most prone to fade: physical intervention, conducting searches, protecting vulnerable people, and terror threat awareness. Operatives must also hold a valid first aid qualification to take it.
The practical point is timing. The refresher must be completed before the renewal application, so a licence lapse now sits on the far side of a training booking rather than a form. Anyone whose card expires after 1 April 2026 should book early, confirm their first aid certificate is current, and treat the refresher as a standing renewal cost rather than a one-time hurdle.
