What is required at renewal?

An 8-hour refresher course is required for renewal. A guard who did not take the 12-hour initial course must complete it before renewal.

Does ATPS training issue a Maryland certification?

No. MPTSC approves the training; the Maryland State Police issues security guard certifications. Course completion is not itself an MSP-issued certification.

Is Maryland SPO training available?

SPO Certification Prep is in development, pending MPTSC instructor certification. No course hours or enrollment offer are published while it is pending.

Maryland Security Guard Training

MPTSC-approved training — MSP-issued certification. Training completion does not itself issue a Maryland State Police security guard certification.

Maryland Requirements

Initial training

12 hours of initial security training approved by the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission (MPTSC).

Md. Code, Bus. Occ. & Prof. §19-402 · retrieved 28 Aug 2026

Renewal training

8 hours of refresher training at renewal. Guards who did not complete the 12-hour initial course must complete it before renewal.

MSP Security Guard Certification · retrieved 28 Aug 2026

Available training

Basic Security Officer Course — 12 hours of initial training — $150
8-Hour Refresher Training — Renewal training — $100
SPO Certification Prep — In development, pending MPTSC instructor certification. Join the waiting list. — Coming Soon

Multi-Course Bundle: two different initial courses $275; initial + renewal for different courses $225; two different renewals $175. Each saves $25. Less-Lethal Force Tools is a $75 add-on and is excluded from all bundles.

Official source

Requirements verified 28 Aug 2026 against the Maryland State Police. Requirements change—confirm with the regulator before relying on this page.