Licensing & regulation
What is a front line licence?
A front line licence permits an individual to carry out licensable security activity in person. A non-front line licence covers managing, supervising or employing those who do, without doing it themselves.
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<img src="https://secureoptix.co.uk/glossary/front-line-licence/diagram.svg" alt="front line licence — diagram from SecureOptix" width="880" height="620" loading="lazy">
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<a href="https://secureoptix.co.uk/glossary/front-line-licence">What is a front line licence?</a> — diagram by
<a href="https://secureoptix.co.uk">SecureOptix</a>
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</figure>The distinction is about what the person does rather than their seniority. A director who occasionally covers a shift is carrying out licensable activity and needs the front line licence for it.
Front line licences require the licence-linked qualification; non-front line ones do not, which is why the two are not interchangeable and why upgrading is not a formality.
A front line licence must be displayed while working. A non-front line licence is not displayed, which is a visible difference on site and a common thing for an auditor to check.
What goes wrong in practice
- A manager covering a shift on a non-front line licence.
- Licences not displayed while working, which is checkable on sight.
- Assuming a front line licence covers every activity rather than its own category.