SIA ACS Assessment: How to Prepare Your Security Company in 2026

Operating a security business in the UK requires more than just ensuring your staff hold the right licenses; it demands a demonstrable commitment to high standards, operational excellence, and continuous improvement. For many security providers, achieving the Security Industry Authority (SIA) Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) accreditation is the ultimate hallmark of quality. As we move through 2026, the landscape of security compliance continues to evolve, making thorough preparation for your SIA ACS assessment more critical than ever.

Whether you are a new security firm aiming for your first accreditation or an established business preparing for reassessment, understanding the intricacies of the SIA ACS requirements is paramount. This guide provides a detailed, practical roadmap on how to prepare your UK security company for the SIA ACS assessment in 2026, covering eligibility, the seven core criteria, expected evidence, assessment timelines, what auditors ask your staff, common pitfalls, and a day-before verification checklist.

In this guide

• What is the SIA Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS)?
• Is Your Security Company Eligible? (2026 GOV.UK Conditions & Fit and Proper Checks)
• The 7 ACS Assessment Criteria & Evidence Matrix at a Glance
• The ACS Assessment Process: Standard Route vs ISO 9001 Passport Route
• ACS Assessment Timeline: How Long Does ACS Assessment Take After Eligibility?
• What Evidence Will Your Assessor Check? (Including BS 7858:2019 & LDN Controls)
• What Will the Assessor Ask Your Officers and Managers on Assessment Day?
• 2026 Workbook Updates: Labour Provision and Payroll
• Common Gaps Consultants Find During Preparation
• Day-Before & Pre-Assessment Checklist: What Documents Do ACS Auditors Verify First?
• How Long Does ACS Preparation Take?
• ACS Costs Breakdown (2026 Application Bands & £25 Annual Officer Fee)
• Can a Consultant Guarantee SIA Approval?
• Frequently Asked Questions

What is the SIA Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS)?

The Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) is a voluntary quality assurance scheme operated by the Security Industry Authority (SIA), the regulator of the UK’s private security industry, established under Sections 14 and 15 of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (PSIA 2001). Section 14 requires the SIA to maintain a public Register of Approved Contractors, while Section 15 sets out the arrangements for granting approvals. While individual licensing is mandatory under Section 3 of the PSIA 2001 and corporate ACS approval in the UK is voluntary, holding ACS status has become a de facto requirement for public sector contracts, NHS frameworks, and large commercial tenders. It serves as an independent, rigorous verification that a security company operates to high standards of quality and best practice.

The ACS is designed to raise performance standards and to assist the private security industry in developing new opportunities. Under Section 16 of the PSIA 2001, approved companies gain the right to advertise approved status for their assessed security activities (falsely claiming approved contractor status is a criminal offence under Section 16). Approved contractors may also request separate permission from the SIA to use a Licence Dispensation Notice (LDN) under Section 4(4) of the PSIA 2001. Under the current post-February 2025 rules, a personal LDN is generated by the SIA’s online system for a maximum of 5 weeks (within a usual limit of 15% of your deployed licensable workforce) for a direct employee whose renewal/application is at ‘checks in progress’, who held an active SIA licence when they applied, and who has never had a licence refused, revoked, or suspended.

When a buyer chooses an ACS-approved contractor, they are selecting a company that has been assessed against 7 overarching criteria, broken down into 33 sub-criteria and further detailed by 78 specific indicators of good practice. To learn more about the scheme’s fundamentals, visit our SIA ACS overview and our foundational guide on how to get SIA ACS approval. Buyers can confirm a supplier’s status on the SIA’s public register; our guide explains how to check if a company is SIA approved.

Is Your Security Company Eligible? (2026 GOV.UK Conditions & Fit and Proper Checks)

Before investing time and resources into SIA ACS assessment preparation, it is crucial to determine if your organisation is eligible to apply. The SIA sets strict eligibility criteria that must be met before an assessing body can conduct a standard route verification.

Firstly, your company must provide at least one of the licensable activities regulated by the SIA under Schedule 2 of the PSIA 2001: security guarding, door supervision, close protection, cash and valuables in transit (CViT), public space surveillance (CCTV), or key holding. In addition, you must have been providing these services under contract in the UK for a minimum period—at least 12 months of trading history is required to demonstrate a track record of operational practice and financial stability. Additionally, your company must be properly registered, whether as a limited company, sole trader, or partnership, and all directors or partners must hold a valid SIA front-line or non-front-line licence where required.

The 6 Core GOV.UK Eligibility Prerequisites (Updated July & October 2026)

Under the current GOV.UK guidance on applying for ACS approval, you cannot become an SIA approved contractor unless you meet all six core conditions:

• 1. UK Regulated Security Services: You must provide private security services in the UK in one or more of the activities the SIA licenses.
• 2. Contracted Delivery: You must provide those regulated security services under formal client contract.
• 3. Minimum 12 Months Trading History: You must have provided those contracted security services for at least 12 months.
• 4. Minimum Operative Headcount: You must supply at least 2 licensable operatives in each security activity for which you seek approval.
• 5. Employee Tax Status (1 July 2026 Rule): Following the 1 July 2026 GOV.UK update, all people you deploy on regulated security activity must be employees or employees for tax purposes (aligned with HMRC PAYE and IR35 off-payroll working rules).
• 6. Full Director Licensing & Fit and Proper Checks: All directors—including executive directors, non-executive directors, shadow directors, parent company directors, and corporate entities holding a directorship—must hold a valid SIA licence. The SIA also checks the identity, criminality, financial probity (HMRC PAYE, VAT, Corporation Tax, Companies House alignment, and County Court Judgment disclosures), and integrity of all controlling minds and Persons with Significant Control (PSCs).

There are two routes to approval: the Standard Route, where your business is assessed directly against the ACS Self-Assessment Workbook, and the Passport Route (via the SIA-accredited NSI ACS Passport Scheme). The passport route allows companies that hold ISO 9001:2015 alongside sector British Standards (such as BS 7499, BS 7960, and BS 7984-1) to streamline their ACS application, as overlapping criteria are already verified.

The 7 ACS Assessment Criteria & Evidence Matrix at a Glance

The ACS assessment is structured around seven core criteria. Partnered assessing bodies (which are UKAS-accredited) evaluate your business against these areas using the SIA ACS Self-Assessment Workbook (SAW) and Self-Assessment Report. Here is a practical summary of what each criterion entails, followed by the documentary evidence matrix assessors verify on the day:

1. Strategy (Commitment to Quality)

This criterion looks at your organisation’s strategic direction. Do you have a clear business plan? Is there a defined vision and mission? The assessor will want to see that the leadership team is committed to delivering quality services, managing risks, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the business. You must demonstrate how this strategy is communicated to all staff.

2. Processes (Working Practices / Service Delivery)

Here, the focus is on how you deliver your services. Do you have robust, documented operational procedures? This includes everything from site-specific Assignment Instructions (aligned with BS 7499 for static guarding, BS 7960 for door supervision, and BS 7984-1 for key holding) and risk assessments to incident reporting and lone worker protection. Your processes must be consistent, legally compliant, and actually followed by your staff on the ground.

3. Commercial Relationship Management (Customer Service)

How do you interact with your clients? This criterion evaluates your processes for understanding customer needs, agreeing on service level agreements (SLAs), and measuring customer satisfaction. It also covers your procedures for handling complaints effectively and ensuring that any issues are resolved promptly to the client’s satisfaction.

4. Financial Management

The SIA needs to know that approved contractors are financially sound. You must demonstrate robust financial planning, clear accounting practices, up-to-date HMRC PAYE, VAT, and Corporation Tax records, and adequate insurance cover (such as public liability, employer’s liability, and efficacy cover). Proper management of payroll and tax obligations under Indicator 4.2.1 is also scrutinised here.

5. Resources (Personnel Management)

This is a critical area for security companies. It covers the complete lifecycle of your staff, starting with stringent recruitment and pre-employment vetting to BS 7858:2019 standards across Clauses 4 to 11. It also encompasses employee welfare, communication, and ensuring that all deployed staff hold the correct and active SIA licences for the tasks they perform.

6. People (Training and Development)

Beyond initial licensing, how do you develop your team? You need to show that staff receive adequate induction training, site-specific training, Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) verification, and ongoing developmental support. Records of training, appraisals, and continuous professional development (CPD) must be meticulously maintained.

7. Leadership (Continuous Improvement, Governance and CSR)

The final criterion assesses your commitment to governance, ethical labour supply chains (including Modern Slavery Act 2015 transparency), and getting better. Are you monitoring your performance against key performance indicators (KPIs)? Do you conduct internal audits and management reviews? You must provide evidence that you learn from mistakes, actively seek feedback, and implement changes to improve your service delivery continuously.

The ACS Assessment Process: Standard Route vs ISO 9001 Passport Route

Understanding the assessment journey helps clarify the process and prevents delays. The typical ACS assessment process follows these stages:

1. Self-Assessment & Application: You complete your Self-Assessment Workbook (SAW), submit your online ACS application form and non-refundable application fee to the SIA, and—if you want the SIA to include an independent consultant, accountant, or solicitor in correspondence—request this directly on your application form (per the 16 October 2026 GOV.UK update).
2. Choosing an Assessing Body: You must appoint one of the three independent, UKAS-accredited assessing bodies partnered with the SIA: NSI (National Security Inspectorate), SSAIB (Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board), or British Assessment Bureau (a subsidiary of Amtivo Group Limited). Under the standard route, you must wait until the SIA confirms you are eligible and instructs you to arrange your assessment.
3. Desktop Assessment: The assessor starts by reviewing your application details (shared by the SIA), your completed Self-Assessment Workbook and Report, and your documented policies, procedures, and quality management system.
4. Head Office & Operational Site Visits: The core of the assessment is the live audit. The assessor visits your head office to sample at least 10% of operative BS 7858:2019 vetting files, check payroll and HMRC records, and interview management. Crucially, they also visit operational sites to inspect Assignment Instructions and interview security officers and clients to verify that your documented procedures happen in practice.
5. Assessor Report & 30-Day Remediation Window: The assessing body compiles an assessment report for you and sends a copy to the SIA. If the assessor raises any Improvement Needs or Action Plans, you have a strict 30-day remediation window to submit root-cause corrective evidence.
6. SIA Approval Decision & Annual Fee: The SIA reviews the assessor’s report and recommendation, makes the final approval decision, adds your business to the Register of Approved Contractors, and charges the annual registration fee (£25 per licensable individual deployed).

ACS Assessment Timeline: How Long Does ACS Assessment Take After Eligibility?

Once you submit your online ACS application and fee, the timeline from application to accreditation follows a clear statutory sequence:

• Stage 1 — SIA Eligibility & Fit-and-Proper Gateway Checks (Typically 4 to 8 Weeks): The SIA verifies your Companies House filings, HMRC PAYE/VAT/Corporation Tax compliance, director SIA licences, and criminality/financial probity checks on all controlling minds. Under the Standard Route, do not book your audit until the SIA confirms in writing that you have passed this gateway.
• Stage 2 — The Assessment Arrangement Window (Up to 6 Months After Eligibility): Once the SIA confirms your eligibility and tells you to arrange your assessment, you coordinate dates with NSI, SSAIB, or British Assessment Bureau. Most well-prepared security companies schedule their audit within 4 to 8 weeks of receiving SIA eligibility confirmation, within the SIA’s six-month progression window.
• Stage 3 — Assessment Duration (Typically 1 to 3 Audit Days): For a small security company (up to 25 licensable officers), the assessment typically takes 1.5 to 2 auditor days split between head-office document/vetting sampling and live client site visits. Larger multi-site or multi-sector contractors require additional auditor days based on headcount and scope.
• Stage 4 — Closing Improvement Needs (30-Day Remediation Window): If the assessor raises any Improvement Needs, you have 30 calendar days to close them and submit documentary proof to your assessing body before the final report goes to the SIA.
• Stage 5 — Post-Approval Governance (21-Day Material Change Rule): After approval, you must renew annually and report any material changes in company control, directorships, or Persons with Significant Control (PSCs) to the SIA and your assessing body within 21 days.

What Evidence Will Your Assessor Check? (Including BS 7858:2019 & LDN Controls)

Preparation is all about evidence. An assessor cannot simply take your word that you operate well; they need documented proof. When working with SIA ACS consultancy services, a large part of the work involves preparing this evidence portfolio. Key documents and records include:

• Operational Records: Client-signed Assignment Instructions (aligned with BS 7499:2020), site risk assessments, incident logs, daily occurrence books, welfare check-call logs, and patrol records.
• Staff Vetting & BS 7858:2019 Files: Assessors sample at least 10% of your personnel files against BS 7858:2019 security screening across Clause 4 (top management commitment and governance), Clause 5 (risk management, including signed risk assessments for conditional starts), Clause 6 (individuals employed in screening), Clause 7 (the screening process: original identity, address, and Home Office right-to-work verification, continuous 5-year career history with independent evidence for any gap over 31 days, financial probity/CCJ checks, and conditional screening controls), Clause 8 (sub-contractors), Clause 9 (ancillary staff), Clause 10 (acquisitions and transfers), and Clause 11 (records and secure retention). See our guide on verifying BS 7858 references to prevent SIA prosecutions.
• Active SIA Licensing & Section 4(4) LDN Logs: Proof of pre-deployment and daily checks against the SIA Register of Licence Holders (PSIA 2001 ss.3, 5, 12), roster blocks for expired or suspended licences (s.10), and—where separate SIA dispensation permission has been granted—strict Section 4(4) personal Licence Dispensation Notice logs proving no more than the usual 15% of your licensable workforce is on an LDN, no personal LDN exceeds the 5-week validity limit, and each operative is a direct employee at ‘checks in progress’ who held an active licence when applying.
• Client Documentation: Signed contracts proving at least 12 months of contracted security delivery, agreed SLAs, minutes of review meetings, customer satisfaction surveys, and a documented complaints log with resolution details.
• Subcontractor Controls: Approved contractors may only subcontract licensable work to other SIA approved contractors (unless prior SIA dispensation is granted). If you use approved subcontractors, you must have evidence of how you assess their suitability under BS 7858:2019 Clause 8 and BS 10119:2026, verify that all deployed operatives are employees for tax purposes, and confirm their SIA licences before every shift.
• Quality Management: Your quality manual, internal audit reports (consider professional internal audit services to ensure these are robust), management review minutes, and a non-conformance log showing corrective actions.
• Financial and Performance Data: KPIs, financial health checks, insurance certificates, and HMRC PAYE payroll records.

What Will the Assessor Ask Your Officers and Managers on Assessment Day?

Many security companies prepare immaculate head-office folders yet stumble when the assessor interviews operational staff during the site visit. Assessors test whether your policies are lived on the ground by asking front-line officers and operations managers practical questions:

• Questions Asked to Front-Line Security Officers on Site:
  • “Can I see your SIA licence and where are the site Assignment Instructions kept?” (Checking PSIA 2001 Section 9 overt licence display conditions and whether the officer has read and signed the current BS 7499 Assignment Instructions.)
  • “What is the emergency escalation procedure and how often do you make lone-worker welfare check-calls?” (Verifying that site welfare and incident logs match the control room schedule.)
  • “What training did you receive before starting at this site, and who is your line manager?” (Confirming site-specific induction records, EFAW validity, and supervisory support under Criteria 2 and 6.)
  • “How do you report a health and safety hazard, near-miss, or service complaint?” (Checking that officers know the reporting forms and escalation chain.)
• Questions Asked to Directors, Vetting Officers & Operations Managers:
  • “Show me how your roster system prevents an officer with an expired, suspended, or wrong-sector SIA licence—or a student visa hour cap—from being booked onto a shift.”
  • “Walk me through how this operative’s 31-day career gap in 2024 was independently verified under BS 7858:2019 Clause 7, and who signed off their Clause 5 conditional screening risk assessment.”
  • “How do you verify that every operative deployed (including any approved subcontractor cover) is paid through PAYE as an employee or employee for tax purposes?”
  • “Show me an internal audit finding or client complaint from the past six months and the root-cause corrective action you took to stop it happening again.”

2026 Workbook Updates: Labour Provision and Payroll

Compliance is never static. The ACS workbook is periodically updated to reflect current industry risks and best practices. In recent updates and moving through 2026, there is a heightened focus on the integrity of labour provision and payroll practices. Our guide on how to complete the SIA ACS self-assessment workbook and our detailed breakdown of SIA ACS payroll compliance and Indicator 4.2.1 explain the 2026 changes to the subcontractor and payroll indicators.

The SIA and HMRC are increasingly scrutinising how security companies manage their workforces, particularly regarding the use of self-employed contractors, Personal Service Companies (PSCs), umbrella companies, and complex subcontracting chains. The updated workbook indicators and the 1 July 2026 GOV.UK eligibility rules demand clear evidence that all deployed operatives are employees or employees for tax purposes, paid at least the National Minimum/Living Wage without unlawful uniform or licensing deductions, and fully accounted for under HMRC PAYE and National Insurance.

Practically, this means assessors will look closely at your payroll records, RTI submissions, and subcontractor agreements. If you use approved subcontractors, you must take all reasonable steps to verify that those partners are also compliant. This focus aligns closely with the requirements of standards like BS 10119 (Provision of Labour in the Security and Events Sector, developed from NSI’s NCP 119), and companies holding or working towards that standard will find significant crossover in the required evidence.

Common Gaps Consultants Find During Preparation

When ESC Support conducts gap analyses for security companies, we frequently encounter the same recurring issues. Addressing these early is key to a smooth assessment:

• Incomplete Staff Vetting: BS 7858:2019 vetting is rigorous. Missing employment references, unexplained gaps over 31 days in 5-year employment history, missing CCJ/financial probity reviews, or exceeding conditional screening limits under Clause 7 without a documented Clause 5 risk sign-off are very common causes for failure.
• Generic Procedures: Having a “template” quality manual that hasn’t been tailored to your specific business operations. Assessors want to see how you work, not what a generic template says.
• Lack of Implementation: Having a great policy on paper, but finding that staff on the ground are completely unaware of it. The site visit will expose this quickly.
• Missing Performance Data: Claiming to monitor performance but having no documented KPIs or data to show trends over time.
• Poor Subcontractor Oversight: Failing to adequately check the ACS status, PAYE compliance, and live SIA licensing of subcontracted labour. Under Section 5 of the PSIA 2001, you remain criminally and contractually responsible for taking all reasonable steps to prevent unlicensed conduct on your behalf.
• No Evidence of Continuous Improvement: Not having a formal mechanism for logging issues, investigating root causes, and implementing preventative actions.

Day-Before & Pre-Assessment Checklist: What Documents Do ACS Auditors Verify First?

Before your NSI, SSAIB, or British Assessment Bureau auditor arrives, run this 8-point day-before verification checklist across your head office and operational sites:

• 1. Completed SIA ACS Self-Assessment Workbook (SAW) & Report: Cross-referenced against all 7 Achievement Indicators (incorporating the 2025/2026 workbook updates), with every claim pointing to a live document ID and dated record.
• 2. HMRC PAYE, Companies House & Financial Probity Pack: Up-to-date HMRC PAYE, VAT, and Corporation Tax records, aligned Companies House director/PSC filings, active Employer’s and Public Liability insurance certificates, CCJ disclosures, and payroll proof that all deployed operatives are employees or employees for tax purposes (Indicator 4.2.1).
• 3. BS 7858:2019 Vetting File Audit Sample (10% Pre-Checked): Complete screening files across Clauses 4 to 11 covering Clause 7 identity and Home Office right-to-work checks (including student visa hour caps), five-year continuous history with zero unexplained gaps over 31 days, financial probity/CCJ checks, conditional screening trackers with Clause 5 risk sign-offs, and Clause 11 retention logs.
• 4. Master SIA Licence & Section 4(4) LDN Register: Live register confirming valid SIA licences for all directors (executive, non-executive, shadow, parent company, and corporate directors) and deployed operatives, at least 2 licensable operatives per sought activity, daily Register check logs, and—where separate SIA dispensation permission is held—personal LDN tracking within the usual 15% cap and 5-week maximum validity limit.
• 5. Site-Specific Assignment Instructions & Control Room Logs: Current, client-signed Assignment Instructions at every operational site aligned with BS 7499, BS 7960, or BS 7984-1, plus daily occurrence books, key registers, and lone-worker welfare check-call logs.
• 6. Client Contracts & SLA Review Pack: Signed client contracts proving at least 12 months of contracted security delivery in the UK, alongside client KPI review minutes, customer satisfaction surveys, and the complaints register.
• 7. Subcontractor & Supply Chain Governance File: BS 7858:2019 Clause 8 verification packs confirming any labour suppliers hold active SIA ACS approval, anti-subcontracting clauses, pre-shift SIA badge verification logs, IR35/PAYE evidence, and Modern Slavery Act 2015 statements.
• 8. Site Briefing for On-Duty Security Officers: Confirm that officers on duty during the assessment window are wearing their SIA licence overtly (or, where covert duties require that they not be immediately identifiable, carry their licence on their person to produce on request), know where the site Assignment Instructions and emergency procedures are kept, and have signed their site induction records.

How Long Does ACS Preparation Take?

A common question is how long the preparation process will take before you are ready for assessment day. The honest answer is that it varies significantly depending on your starting point. If you are starting from scratch with few formal procedures, the process can take anywhere from 3 to 6 months. This allows time to write policies, implement them, remediate BS 7858:2019 vetting files, and crucially, generate enough historical records to prove they are working (assessors usually want to see at least 3 months of operational evidence).

If your company already holds an ISO 9001 certification for security companies or operates to a very high standard informally, the timeline can be shorter, perhaps 1 to 3 months. It is important to understand the division of responsibilities: an external consultant can write your manuals, design your forms, audit your vetting files, and guide your management team, but the business itself must implement the processes and ensure staff are using them daily.

ACS Costs Breakdown (2026 Application Bands & £25 Annual Officer Fee)

Budgeting for SIA ACS approval requires understanding the three distinct financial components involved:

1. SIA Application & Annual Registration Fees: Paid directly to the SIA. Under the current GOV.UK fee structure, you pay a non-refundable one-off application fee based on the number of licensable staff in your organisation: £400 (up to 10 licensable staff), £800 (11 to 25 licensable staff), £1,600 (26 to 250 licensable staff), or £2,400 (over 250 licensable staff). Once approved, you also pay a non-refundable annual registration fee of £25 per licensable individual deployed (updated on 1 June 2026).
2. Assessing Body Fee: This is paid directly to the independent, UKAS-accredited assessing body you choose (NSI, SSAIB, or British Assessment Bureau). This fee covers the cost of the auditor’s time for the desktop review and site visits. This cost varies depending on the size of your business, the number of operational sites, and whether you use the Standard or Passport route.
3. Consultancy Fees (Optional but Recommended): If you choose to engage a compliance consultancy like ESC Support to prepare your business, this is normally a separate fee paid to the consultant for their expertise, gap analysis, documentation creation, and ongoing support. ESC Support is currently providing full SIA ACS consultancy at no consultancy fee. See our ACS consultancy cost breakdown for details.

If you are weighing those fees against the contracts approval opens up, read our breakdown of whether SIA ACS accreditation is worth it for a small security company, with worked cost examples for 8, 25 and 60 officers.

Can a Consultant Guarantee SIA Approval?

This is a critical point of ethics in compliance consultancy. No consultant can or should guarantee SIA ACS approval.

At ESC Support, our role is to prepare your business to the highest possible standard, identify and fix gaps, and provide you with the tools and knowledge to succeed. However, the assessing body conducts an independent evaluation under the SIA’s ACS assessor code of conduct, and the final decision rests solely with the Security Industry Authority. Your business and its senior decision makers remain solely responsible for meeting all ACS terms and conditions. A consultant guaranteeing approval is making a promise they do not have the authority to keep. We guarantee our commitment, our expertise, and our thorough support, but the outcome is determined by your ongoing operational compliance and the SIA’s independent assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all my staff need an SIA licence?

Any staff performing licensable activities under Schedule 2 of the PSIA 2001 (guarding, door supervision, close protection, CViT, public space surveillance CCTV, or key holding) must hold a valid, active front-line SIA licence. Under GOV.UK ACS eligibility rules and Section 3(2) of the PSIA 2001, all company directors—including executive, non-executive, shadow, parent company, and corporate directors—and managers who oversee licensable staff must also hold a valid SIA licence.

What happens if the assessor finds improvement needs or we fail the assessment?

If the assessor identifies non-conformances (Improvement Needs or Action Plans) against any of the 7 Achievement Indicators, you are given a formal 30-day remediation window to implement root-cause corrective actions and submit documentary evidence to your assessing body before their final recommendation goes to the SIA. If you fail outright, you can reapply once gaps are fixed, though application fees are non-refundable.

How long does an ACS assessment take?

The on-site assessment itself typically takes 1.5 to 2 auditor days for a small security firm (up to 25 officers), split between head-office record sampling (BS 7858:2019 files, payroll, Self-Assessment Workbook) and operational client site visits. End-to-end, allowing 1 to 6 months for internal preparation plus 4 to 8 weeks for SIA eligibility checks and audit scheduling, most firms complete the journey in 3 to 6 months.

Do assessors visit client sites during an SIA ACS audit?

Yes. Alongside inspecting your head office and interviewing senior management, your NSI, SSAIB, or British Assessment Bureau assessor will visit a sample of live operational sites. They verify that client-signed Assignment Instructions are on site, check that guards are displaying valid SIA licences, and interview officers and clients to confirm your documented procedures happen in practice.

What is the difference between the Standard Route and the Passport Route to SIA ACS approval?

Under the Standard Route, you complete the SIA ACS Self-Assessment Workbook, submit your online application and fee (£400 to £2,400), wait for the SIA to confirm eligibility, and then arrange an assessment with NSI, SSAIB, or British Assessment Bureau. Under the Passport Route, you first achieve certification under the SIA-accredited NSI ACS Passport Scheme (aligning ISO 9001:2015 and sector British Standards such as BS 7499) and submit proof of certification with your online ACS application.

Do we need to renew our ACS status every year?

Yes. Under Section 17 of the PSIA 2001, maintaining ACS approval requires an annual assessment by your chosen assessing body, ongoing compliance with SIA fit-and-proper and HMRC tax rules, reporting any material changes in control or directorships within 21 days, and paying the annual SIA fee of £25 per licensable individual deployed.

Sources: GOV.UK: Apply for SIA Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) approval (updated July & October 2026); Private Security Industry Act 2001 (Sections 3, 4, 5, 9, 14–17, 19, 22 & 23); BSI Group: BS 7858:2019 Screening of individuals employed in a secure environment & BS 7499:2020 Static site guarding; National Security Inspectorate (NSI): SIA Approved Contractor Scheme & ACS Passport Route. Last checked: October 2026.