California 2026 Free · no login · official-source checked
California guard card 2026: cost, requirements, application and free test
Start with the answer you need: exact fees, the correct application order, current BSIS wait information, or a no-login practice test.
✓ 100 original questions✓ 52-question simulator✓ No registration✓ Updated July 2026
Before paying a course seller: the complete initial 8-hour course must come from one provider and be completed within six months before application. Two cheaper partial courses from different sellers can leave you with unusable training records. Read the 2026 one-provider rule →
DIRECT ANSWER
A California “guard card” is the BSIS Security Guard Registration.
You must be at least 18, complete the full 8-hour entry course with one provider, submit the $60 application, then complete Live Scan. Fixed government charges total $109 before training and the Live Scan operator fee.
18+minimum applicant age
8 hours3-hour Power to Arrest + 5-hour Appropriate Use of Force
$109fixed application + DOJ/FBI fees; other costs extra
60 dayscurrent BSIS target for non-deficient initial online applications
Current California requirements
The numbers that matter
These are not estimates from a training company. They come from current BSIS application materials and agency pages.
Exam center
Do not hunt through PDFs before you know your weak areas
Take a short diagnostic first, then study only the topics you miss.
10
Daily 10
Same 10 questions for the day, with explanations after scoring.
2525-question diagnostic
Find weak categories before you spend time studying.
5252-question simulator
Timed or untimed, with marking and question navigation.
100Complete bank
Complete the full bank and build a saved missed-question queue.
Application command center
Every licensing problem has its own page
No generic article that makes you scroll past unrelated information.
How to get a guard card
The exact step order and official links.
Find and verify training
Who can teach the course, how to check status, what the exam includes, and what certificate to keep.
Eligibility and training
Age, background check, initial and follow-up hours.
Live Scan fingerprints
Correct form, ATI number, cost, and provider search.
Cost breakdown
Mandatory government fee versus variable provider fees.
Processing and status
Current target, delays, approval printout, hard card.
Interactive checklist
Save completed steps on this device without an account.
Renewal dates and fees
File in the right window and avoid cancellation.
Background check
DOJ/FBI Live Scan, ATI tracking, and review limits.
Armed vs. unarmed
Understand the separate firearms-permit path.
PRIMARY SOURCES
We show the official source instead of asking you to trust us.
Use our pages to understand the process, then verify changing fees, forms, and processing times with the state before submitting.