If you want to work on the door at a pub, club, bar, event or festival in Luton, you need a front line SIA Door Supervisor licence. This guide walks you through each step, from checking you’re eligible to having the licence in your hand. It covers what it costs in 2026, how long it takes and what to bring. All training takes place at our Highfield-approved centre at Marlborough House, 33 Park Street West, Luton LU1 3BE.
Quick summary
- Who can apply: anyone aged 18 or over with the right to work in the UK who can pass the SIA’s identity and criminal record checks.
- Training: the Highfield Level 2 Award for Door Supervisors in the Private Security Industry. At Skills Pad this runs over 6 weekdays, 9.30am to 4pm, and costs £350.
- First aid: you need an Emergency First Aid at Work certificate before the course starts. If you don’t have one, add our 1-day course for £95.
- SIA licence fee: £204 if you apply directly to the SIA, or £250 if Skills Pad handles the application with you. The licence lasts 3 years.
- Re-sits: your first re-sit is free on all our SIA courses.
Step 1: Check you’re eligible
To hold an SIA licence you must be 18 or over, and in most cases you must have the right to work in the UK. The SIA will check your identity and your criminal record. If you have lived outside the UK for 6 months or more in a row in the last 10 years, you will also need to provide an overseas criminal record check. Because the exams are written and taken in English, you need English at around B1 / Level 1 standard.
Not sure if you qualify? Call us on 01582 958844 before you book and we’ll talk it through with you.
Step 2: Get your first aid certificate
The SIA requires a first aid qualification before you start door supervisor training, and it must be valid for at least another 12 months. If you already hold an Emergency First Aid at Work certificate, bring it with you on the first day. If you don’t, add our Emergency First Aid at Work course for £95 when you book. It runs as one extra day before your Door Supervisor course starts.
Step 3: Complete the Door Supervisor course
The SIA Door Supervisor course is the licence-linked qualification you must pass before you can apply. At Skills Pad it runs over six weekdays with the weekend off, from 9.30am to 4pm each day. We’re a few minutes’ walk from Luton town centre and Luton railway station, so it’s easy to reach from Dunstable, Houghton Regis and the rest of Bedfordshire.
The course covers working in the private security industry, working as a door supervisor, conflict management and physical intervention skills. The knowledge units are assessed by multiple-choice exams at our centre, and physical intervention by practical demonstration. If you don’t pass first time, your tutor will go through what went wrong with you, and your first re-sit is free.
On day one, bring: original photographic ID (for example a passport, a UK photocard driving licence, or an EEA national identity card) and your first aid certificate if you already have one.
Step 4: Receive your certificate
Once you pass, Highfield issues your certificate. Standard processing is 10 to 14 working days. If you need it sooner, our speed service processes your certificate and paperwork in 5 to 7 working days for £44.95, and you can add it when you book.
Step 5: Apply to the SIA
With your certificate, you can apply for your front line Door Supervisor licence. You have two options:
- Apply directly to the SIA: the SIA charges £204 for one licence.
- Let Skills Pad handle it: £250, which includes the SIA fee and our administration fee for preparing and submitting the application with you.
For the application you’ll need identity documents: one document from the SIA’s Group A list (such as a passport or a DVLA photocard driving licence) plus two from Group B (such as bank statements or utility bills). At least one must show your current address. The licence lasts for 3 years.
Step 6: Wait for your licence, then start work
You can’t work in a front line security role until the SIA has granted your licence. Passing the course isn’t enough on its own. The SIA doesn’t give a fixed processing time, because it depends on your checks, so apply as soon as your certificate arrives. Anyone who promises you can start work straight after a course is misleading you.
How much does it cost in total?
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| SIA Door Supervisor course (6 days) | £350 |
| Emergency First Aid at Work (only if you don’t already hold it) | £95 |
| Certificate speed service (optional) | £44.95 |
| SIA licence: direct to the SIA, or via Skills Pad | £204 / £250 |
| First re-sit | Free |
Travel, parking and refreshments aren’t included.
Already licensed? Renewing or adding CCTV
If your door supervisor licence is due for renewal, you’ll need the Door Supervisor Refresher, which takes 2 to 3 days and costs £215. First aid is required for this course too. To work in a CCTV control room, take the CCTV Operator course, which runs over 3 days and doesn’t need first aid.
Book your course in Luton
Courses run regularly throughout the year, and each date is limited to 12 places. See the next course dates and book online, or call 01582 958844. You can also WhatsApp the same number. For more answers, see our SIA training FAQs.
SIA fees and rules are taken from GOV.UK and were correct as of September 2026. Always check GOV.UK for the latest SIA requirements.