Updated August 2026. Launching a security guard and manned guarding company in the UAE is one of the most regulated — and most lucrative — paths in the professional services sector. The UAE’s rapidly expanding real estate portfolio, record post-Expo 2020 tourism, and a government mandate to professionalise private security have combined to create a market estimated at AED 4.2 billion annually, growing at 8 % per year. This guide walks through every regulatory step, cost item, and compliance requirement you need to know before filing your first application.
- Every manned guarding company operating in the UAE must hold a SIRA (Security Industry Regulatory Agency) Private Security Company (PSC) licence — no exceptions, including free-zone entities servicing mainland clients.
- A DED contracting trade licence is required alongside the SIRA licence; the two applications are submitted concurrently.
- Total setup investment ranges from AED 150,000 to AED 500,000 depending on headcount, emirate, and whether armed or unarmed guards are deployed.
- UAE nationals must meet Emiratisation (Nafis) quotas — currently 2 % of total workforce and 10 % of supervisory roles by end-2026.
- Guards must complete a Ministry of Interior-approved 120-hour training course; armed guards require an additional Federal Arms Authority weapons permit.
- ISO 18788:2015 (Private Security Operations Management System) is increasingly mandatory for government facility contracts above AED 5 million.
1. The Regulatory Landscape: SIRA and Its Authority
The Security Industry Regulatory Agency (SIRA) was established under Dubai Law No. 24 of 2008. While SIRA is a Dubai authority, its licensing standards have been adopted across all seven emirates through federal coordination with the Ministry of Interior (MOI). Any entity wishing to provide physical guarding services — to a mall in Dubai, a petrochemical plant in Abu Dhabi, or a hotel in Ras Al Khaimah — must hold a valid SIRA PSC licence.
SIRA issues three licence categories relevant to manned guarding: (a) the PSC licence for the business entity; (b) a Security Guard Card for each individual guard; and (c) a Supervisory/Management endorsement for senior roles. The PSC licence is renewed annually at a fee of approximately AED 15,000; guard cards cost AED 550 per guard per year. SIRA conducts surprise inspections and non-compliant operators face fines from AED 5,000 per incident up to full licence revocation.
It is worth noting that SIRA has a dedicated Inspection and Compliance Division that performs both scheduled and unannounced audits. Common non-compliance findings include expired guard cards, absence of training documentation, inadequate site posts, and uniforms not meeting SIRA’s standards. Companies are required to maintain a compliance register that is made available to inspectors within two hours of a request.
2. DED Contracting Licence: Your Commercial Foundation
Before approaching SIRA, you must obtain a valid trade licence from the relevant Department of Economic Development. In Dubai this is the DED; in Abu Dhabi it is ADDED (Department of Economic Development Abu Dhabi); in Sharjah it is the SEDD. The activity code for security guarding falls under “Security Guard Services” (activity 7400.01 in Dubai’s classification). The licence must carry “Contracting” as its commercial category because guarding is a service-at-client-premises activity.
Initial DED licence cost in Dubai ranges from AED 12,000 to AED 25,000 depending on the number of business activities added. You will also need an establishment card (AED 3,200) from MOHRE (Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation) and a labour quota sufficient to hire your guard workforce. Budget an additional AED 20,000–AED 35,000 for office tenancy (an Ejari-registered lease of at least 200 sq ft is mandatory), PRO service fees, and initial visa processing.
3. Armed vs Unarmed Guarding: Requirements and Restrictions
The vast majority of manned guarding contracts in the UAE involve unarmed guards. Armed guarding is a separate, more tightly regulated segment. To deploy armed guards you must obtain a federal weapons permit from the Federal Arms Authority (FAA) — a subsidiary of the Ministry of Interior — in addition to your SIRA PSC licence. Guards carrying firearms must have completed a weapons-handling training programme approved by the FAA, and each weapon must be individually registered with a serial-number record maintained by your company and auditable at any time.
Practical constraints: banks, gold souks, jewellery stores, cash-in-transit operations, and certain government facilities represent the bulk of armed-guarding demand. New entrants without at least two years of proven operation are rarely awarded armed-guarding contracts. The recommended route is to start with unarmed operations, build a three-year SIRA compliance record, and then apply to expand into armed services.
4. Nationality Requirements and Emiratisation (Nafis)
Under Ministerial Decree No. 52 of 2013 and its 2022 amendments, private security companies must meet Emiratisation quotas for supervisory and management roles. The Nafis programme sets quarterly targets: security firms with over 50 employees must ensure at least 2 % of their total workforce — and 10 % of supervisory roles — are UAE nationals by end-2026, scaling to 5 % and 15 % respectively by 2030. Failure to meet targets results in fines starting at AED 6,000 per unfilled Emirati position per month.
On guard nationality diversity: while no minimum quota exists for specific nationalities among non-Emirati guards, SIRA historically requires guards be sourced from countries maintaining bilateral security agreements with the UAE. Common source countries include India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Kenya, and Uganda. Recruitment agencies must be MOI-registered, and all guards must present police clearance certificates authenticated via the UAE embassy in their home country.
5. Training Requirements: The SIRA-Approved Curriculum
Every guard must complete an MOI/SIRA-approved basic security training course before receiving a guard card. The standard course is 120 hours covering UAE law and guard legal powers, the use-of-force continuum, access control procedures, emergency response, CCTV monitoring basics, first aid (UAE Red Crescent-certified), and customer service communication skills. Approved training centres include the National Security Group (NSG) Academy, G4S Training Academy, and Al Ameen Training Institute. Course fees range from AED 800 to AED 1,500 per guard.
Supervisors must complete an additional 40-hour supervisory skills programme. For armed-guard roles, a specialist 60-hour weapons-handling course certified by the Federal Arms Authority is mandatory. On-site refresher training (minimum 8 hours annually per guard) must be documented in each guard’s personal file — absence of refresher records is one of the most common SIRA inspection findings.
6. ISO 18788 PSMS and Government Facility Contracts
ISO 18788:2015 (Management System for Private Security Operations) is the global standard for private security companies. While SIRA does not make it a licence condition, the UAE federal government’s procurement portal (Etimad) has required ISO 18788 certification for security contracts above AED 5 million since January 2025. Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), and ADNOC facility-management tenders now specify this standard.
Achieving ISO 18788 takes 6–12 months and requires an accredited third-party audit; leading UAE auditors include Bureau Veritas (Dubai), SGS Gulf, and DNV GL. Certification costs range from AED 35,000 to AED 80,000. The investment is typically recouped within one contract cycle: ISO-certified companies command premiums of 10–15 % above market rate and face far fewer bid disqualifications on government RFPs.
7. AED Cost Breakdown and Setup Timeline
The table below breaks down the primary cost categories for a manned guarding startup deploying 50 unarmed guards in Dubai. Costs scale materially with headcount and emirate.
| Cost Item | Estimated AED | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DED Trade Licence (1 yr) | 12,000–25,000 | Dubai; higher in Abu Dhabi/Sharjah |
| SIRA PSC Licence (annual) | 15,000 | Plus AED 550/guard card/year |
| Office Rent (200 sq ft, 1 yr) | 20,000–40,000 | Ejari registration required |
| SIRA Bank Guarantee | 50,000–150,000 | Scales with guard headcount |
| Guard Training (50 guards) | 40,000–75,000 | AED 800–1,500 per guard |
| Staff Visa & Medical (50 guards) | 75,000–100,000 | Includes residency stamp |
| Uniforms, Equipment & Radios | 30,000–60,000 | Per 50-guard cohort |
| ISO 18788 Certification | 35,000–80,000 | Recommended for govt bids |
| PRO & Miscellaneous | 15,000–30,000 | Legal, notarisation, attestation |
| Total (unarmed, 50 guards) | 292,000–560,000 | Scale with headcount and location |
8. Winning Government Facility Contracts
Government facility security contracts — covering ministries, courts, hospitals, schools, and transport infrastructure — represent the highest-margin segment of the UAE manned guarding market. These contracts are typically tendered through Etimad (federal), BidExpress (Dubai Municipality), and Abu Dhabi Government eSupply (ADNOC group). Bid qualification typically requires: two or more years of SIRA-compliant operation, no MOHRE violations in the preceding 24 months, a valid ISO 18788 or ASIS PSC.1 certificate, and three audited financial years showing net equity above AED 1 million.
The Dubai Police Outsourcing Programme (DPOP) subcontracts guarding of lower-risk public facilities to SIRA-licensed firms and is a key entry point for new companies. Applications open annually in Q1; successful firms are placed on the DPOP approved-vendor list and receive direct contract assignments. Contract durations are typically three years with annual performance reviews and KPI-based fee adjustments.
FAQ: UAE Security Guard Company Setup
Can a free zone company provide manned guarding services on the UAE mainland?
No. A free zone commercial licence alone does not permit on-mainland service delivery. You must establish a DED mainland entity or appoint a SIRA-licensed local service agent. Free zone companies may provide security consultancy to mainland clients, but physical deployment of guards requires a mainland SIRA PSC licence.
How long does SIRA licence approval take?
SIRA processes new PSC licence applications within 30–45 working days, assuming all documents are complete. Common delays arise from incomplete insurance certificates (minimum AED 5 million public liability), missing bank guarantees, or discrepancies between DED activity codes and SIRA’s permitted-activity list. Using a UAE-registered PRO specialising in security licensing typically reduces the process to 25–30 working days.
What is the minimum share capital required?
SIRA does not specify a separate minimum share capital for the PSC licence, but DED requires a minimum paid-up capital for contracting companies (AED 300,000 for a Limited Liability Company in Dubai). The more binding financial requirement is the performance bond/bank guarantee lodged with SIRA — typically AED 50,000 for companies with fewer than 100 guards, scaling to AED 150,000 for 100–500 guards.
Are female security guards permitted in the UAE?
Yes. Female security guards are permitted and increasingly deployed in gender-sensitive environments such as airports, women’s sections of malls, healthcare facilities, and government service centres. SIRA issues guard cards to female candidates meeting the same 120-hour training requirements. Female guards must be assigned female supervisors in segregated environments per SIRA directive.
What happens if a guard commits an assault or security breach?
Under UAE Federal Law No. 35 of 1992 (Penal Code), unlawful assault by a security guard exposes both the individual and the company to criminal prosecution. The PSC licence holder bears vicarious civil liability. SIRA may suspend or revoke the PSC licence pending investigation. Companies must carry third-party liability insurance of at least AED 10 million and include de-escalation training in their annual refresher curriculum as a contractual safeguard.