Door Supervision

SIA Door Supervision: What Venues Must Verify Before Every Shift

A Compliance Primer on SIA Door Supervisors for UK Late-Night Venues

Under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 every door supervisor at licensed premises in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland must hold a current SIA licence. The Security Industry Authority issues, monitors, and revokes those licences. Venues are legally responsible for verifying that every individual on their door has a valid badge, and for keeping a record of that verification. This guide walks through what door supervisors do, what to verify, how the Approved Contractor Scheme works, and how to operationalise SIA compliance without spreadsheets.

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Key takeaways

Every door supervisor at licensed premises needs a current SIA Door Supervisor licence. Other SIA licence types are not authorised for door work.

Verify each badge against the SIA public register before every engagement and record the verification.

ACS-approved providers reduce the operator's due-diligence burden and are often expected by local authorities.

Body cams require a written policy under the UK GDPR. Capture digital acknowledgement from each door supervisor.

Casual door supervisors carry the same verification obligations as contracted staff. Use self-fill links to avoid spreadsheet drift.

What licensable conduct means for door supervisors

The Private Security Industry Act 2001 defines licensable conduct as a set of activities including the manned guarding of licensed premises. A door supervisor controls or restricts entry, presence, or departure at premises licensed under the Licensing Act 2003 (or its Scottish or Northern Irish equivalents). Anyone carrying out that conduct without a current SIA Door Supervisor licence is committing an offence carrying up to 6 months imprisonment and an unlimited fine. Crucially, knowingly using unlicensed personnel is a more serious offence carrying up to 5 years imprisonment. Even unknowing use can trigger a premises licence review against the operator. Verification is therefore not optional.

How to verify an SIA badge

The SIA provides a public register at services.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/rlr where you can look up an individual's licence by badge number or by name and date of birth. Verify three things: the licence number matches the holder, the licence type is Door Supervisor (other categories such as Security Guard or CCTV Operator are not authorised for door work), and the expiry date is in the future. A licence is normally valid for three years. Record the verification with the date you checked, the staff member who verified, the badge number, and the expiry. This becomes your evidence at any licensing review or police follow-up. Do not rely on a verbal confirmation or a photograph of the badge alone.

The Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS)

The ACS is a voluntary quality scheme run by the SIA for security businesses. ACS-approved companies must meet a published standard covering management quality, training, deployment, conduct, and continuous improvement. They are independently assessed annually. Many local authorities, particularly in cities with significant night-time economies, expect or require venues to engage ACS-approved providers for door supervision. Using an ACS provider reduces the operator's due-diligence burden because the SIA has already validated the firm's management systems. When negotiating with security firms, ask for their ACS membership number, when their last assessment was, and what scope it covers. Smaller firms not yet on the ACS can still supply licensed individuals, but the operator carries more responsibility for verification and conduct oversight.

Body cams and other technology

Body-worn video (BWV) on doors has become standard at many venues. Cameras can deter conflict, support incident investigations, and provide evidence for prosecutions. They also create data protection responsibilities under the UK GDPR. If door staff carry body cams, you need a written policy covering when recording starts (typically when the supervisor decides an interaction needs recording), how subjects are notified (a clear sign at the door is the standard approach), how long footage is retained (usually 30 days unless tied to an incident), how subject access requests are handled, and where footage is stored securely. Train every door supervisor on the policy and capture acknowledgement digitally. The Information Commissioner's Office publishes guidance on overt surveillance that is worth reading.

Casual door staff and one-off events

Many venues hire casual door supervisors for big nights, festivals, or one-off events. The verification obligation does not change because the engagement is short. You still need to verify the SIA licence and record it. A pragmatic approach is to issue a self-fill link to each casual door supervisor before their shift: they enter their badge number, expiry, and body cam ID into a secure form, and the system verifies it against the SIA register or asks for a photograph of the badge for the records. The record stays in your system permanently and you build a roster of trusted casual staff over time. This avoids creating user accounts for staff you may never see again.

What to do next

Build a door supervisor profile for every individual

Profile each door supervisor with badge number, expiry, ACS provider details, body cam ID, and shift history. Set automatic expiry alerts at 60 days and 30 days.

Use self-fill links for casual staff

Send a 12-hour self-fill link before a shift. The casual supervisor enters their badge details and acknowledges your body cam policy before they start.

Verify against the SIA register at engagement

Use services.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/rlr to confirm each badge. Record the verification date and the staff member who did it.

Keep records of every shift

Tie each door supervisor profile to the shifts they have worked. This becomes the audit trail at licensing review and the evidence base if an incident is investigated.

Frequently asked questions

What is an SIA licence?

An SIA licence is the credit-card-sized badge issued by the Security Industry Authority that authorises an individual to carry out licensable conduct in the private security industry. Door supervisors at licensed premises require the SIA Door Supervisor licence, which is valid for three years and is granted on completion of an approved training qualification and a criminality check.

Are venues responsible if a door supervisor works without a valid badge?

Yes. Knowingly using unlicensed security personnel is a serious offence under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 carrying up to 5 years imprisonment. Even unknowing use can trigger a premises licence review. Verify every badge before engagement and record it.

How long is an SIA Door Supervisor licence valid?

Three years from grant. Holders renew by retaking the relevant qualification (or completing top-up training where eligible) and reapplying. Set alerts 60 days ahead of expiry to avoid lapses.

Do my door staff need separate SIA licences for different sites?

No. The SIA Door Supervisor licence authorises the individual, not the site. A door supervisor with a valid badge can work at any licensed premises. Some local authorities require additional accreditation through Pubwatch or local schemes, but these sit on top of the SIA licence rather than replacing it.

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