Fee changes for SIA licensing and approval services

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) has confirmed a series of changes to the fees it charges for individual licensing and its voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS), following the Home Office’s laying of a Statutory Instrument on 27 April. The new fees will take effect from 1 June 2026.

The SIA is required to review its statutory fees annually to ensure they reflect the full cost of delivering its services without generating profit or loss for government. This year’s review has resulted in two key changes.

The first is an increase to the ACS annual registration fee. The amount payable per licensable individual deployed will rise from £15 to £25. This marks the first increase in the ACS fee since the scheme was introduced in 2006. Despite the rise, the SIA notes that the fee remains lower in real terms once inflation is taken into account. The ACS fee structure continues to be based on company size, meaning smaller and medium‑sized businesses pay less than larger organisations.

The second change affects the discount available for individuals applying for additional SIA licences. While the 50% discount remains, it will now only apply when the second licence application is submitted on the same day and on the same application form. Previously, applicants could receive the discount at any time when applying for an additional licence. The SIA explains that, in practice, full checks—including criminal records checks—must be repeated for each application, and the revised approach more accurately reflects the cost of processing.

The SIA emphasises that these fee changes are unrelated to its new responsibilities under Martyn’s Law. Preparatory and future work on Martyn’s Law is being funded separately through Home Office grant arrangements.

The SIA has published further information in Changes to SIA fees: your questions answered for those seeking more detail on the rationale behind the updates.