Relaxation of Upper Age Limit for Category B Security Personnel Permit

Licences / Permits

A Government Notice was published in the Gazette on 18 December 2015 to relax the age limit for Category B Security Personnel Permit (SPP) from 65 to 70 with immediate effect. New criteria and conditions for issuing SPP have been formulated by the Administration accordingly.

The new permit issuing criteria and conditions provide that a holder of a Category A and / or a Category B SPP undertaking security work is required to demonstrate his fitness for the job by submitting to the Police Licensing Office (PLO) a medical certificate (Medical Examination Report for Security Personnel Permit Applicant/Holder (Pol.993) can be obtained from District Offices or downloaded here) issued by a registered medical practitioner (a registered medical practitioner means a person who is registered under the Medical Registration Ordinance, Cap 161) in the following manner:

  1. If at the time of application the applicant was under 65, he is required to submit a medical certificate when he reaches the age of 65 and thereafter every two years; and
  2. If at the time of application the applicant was 65 or above, he is required to submit a medical certificate when he lodges the an application and every two years after being issued a permit.

Non-compliance with the permit conditions by security personnel shall be deemed to be a breach of section 10 of the Ordinance and the security personnel will be liable to prosecution.

If you wish to apply for a new permit, please submit a completed application form - Application for Security Personnel Permit (Pol. 966), the medical certificate and other required documents to the PLO. The application form can be obtained from District Offices or downloaded here. Application fee is $160. Application can be made via the following channels:

By Post :

For speedy processing of application, please apply by post and pay the application fee by attaching a crossed cheque payable to “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region”.
In Person : (maximum 200 applications per day)

You may apply in person and pay the application fee by cash at the PLO, 12/F, Arsenal House, Police Headquarters, No. 1 Arsenal House, Wan Chai, Hong Kong during our office hours:

Monday to Friday :
9:00 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. and
2:00 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
(Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays)

Before making an application, please make sure that you satisfy the “Proficiency in Security Work” criterion, i.e. having passed a trade test or sat and passed a course-end examination of a security training course recognized and announced by the Security and Guarding Services Industry Authority within one year prior to application; or having accumulated sufficient working experience in performing security work. For details, please refer to the Guidance Notes attached to the application form.

We will process your application as quickly as possible and the new permit will be sent to your registered address by post upon approval of the application.

Frequently Asked Questions About Relaxation of Age Limit for Category B Security Personnel Permit (SPP)

Q1:

When will the relaxation of age limit for Category B SPP take effect?

A1:

A Government Notice was published in the Gazette by the Security and Guarding Services Industry Authority on 18 December 2015 to relax the age limit for Category B Security Personnel Permit (SPP) from 65 to 70 with immediate effect.
Q2:

What are the major changes to the policy?
A2:

There are three major changes to the policy：

  1. To revise the upper age limit for Category B SPP from 65 to 70;
  2. To require Category A and/or Category B SPP applicants and holders to produce medical certificates when they reach 65 and thereafter every two years; and
  3. To make the above requirement for medical certificates a criterion and a condition for issuing SPP that must be satisfied by applicants.
Q3:

How to obtain a medical certificate for a medical check?
A3:

A standard medical examination report can be downloaded here. You can also obtain it through the Police Licensing Office hotline 2860 2973 via fax. The medical examination report can be completed by any local registered medical practitioner after the examination to certify whether you are fit to perform security work.
Q4:

When should an SPP holder submit a medical certificate?
A4:

According to the “Conditions for issuing a Security Personnel Permit”, an SPP holder should submit a medical certificate:-

  1. within the 3-month time prior to his/her 65th birthday if he/she reaches 65 during the validity period; or
  2. within the 3-month time from 1 year and 9 months to 2 years following permit issuance if he/she is 65 years of age or above at the time of application and has once submitted such certificate.
Q5:

How long before submission of the medical certificate should a medical check be done?
A5:

An applicant who has reached the age of 65 or an SPP holder who is due to submit his/her medical certificate should, within 4 months prior to such submission (see A. 4), arrange to have a medical check done and a medical certificate issued by a registered medical practitioner.
Q6:

Under the new policy, what are the penalties for failure to submit medical certificates?
A6:

The requirement for submission of medical certificates has been made one of the conditions for issuing SPP.  Pursuant to the Security and Guarding Services Ordinance, Cap. 460, any person who contravenes the SPP conditions is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $10,000 and to imprisonment for 3 months.
Q7:

I am holding both Category A and Category B SPP.  The validity of my Category B SPP is shorter than that of Category A SPP and will expire when I reach 65.  If I want to carry on performing Category B security work after 65, do I have to apply for a new permit?
A7:

Yes, you do.  The validity period of your current Category B SPP will not be automatically extended.  If you wish to continue with your Category B security work after your SPP expires, you should apply to the Police Licensing Office for a new permit 3 to 6 months prior to the Category B SPP expiry date.  If you have not applied for a new licence after reaching 65, you will have to stop performing Category B security work.
Q8:

I am holding both Category A and Category B SPP.  The validity of my Category B SPP is shorter than that of Category A SPP and will expire when I reach 65.  As I can apply for a new permit after the new measures have been put in place, do I have to pay for the application?
A8:

An applicant who has reached the age of 65 or an SPP holder who is due to submit his/her medical certificate should, within 4 months prior to such submission (see A. 4), arrange to have a medical check done and a medical certificate issued by a registered medical practitioner.
Q9:

How to obtain SPP application forms (Pol. 966)？
A9:

Application forms can be obtained from District Offices or downloaded here. You can also obtain the application forms through the Police Licensing Office hotline 2860 2973 via fax.

Q10:

If I can apply for a new SPP under the new policy, do I have to meet the standards of proficiency in security work at the time of application?
A10:

Yes, you do.  At the time of application, an applicant must satisfy one of the followings:

  1. He/She must have sat and passed a trade test recognized by the Authority and announced in a manner that it thinks fit, within 1 year before submitting his/her application; or
  2. He/She must have not less than 3 years of cumulative working experience in performing security work lawfully in Hong Kong over the past 5 years immediately before submitting his/her application (Note 4); or
  3. He/She must have not less than 1 year of cumulative working experience in performing security work lawfully in Hong Kong over the past 2 years immediately before submitting his/her application (Note 4); or
  4. He/She must have sat and passed a course-end examination, within 1 year before submitting his/her application, of a security training course that has met the requirements of a scheme for quality assurance that has been endorsed by the Authority and announced in a manner that it thinks fit.
Q11:

Under the new policy，the Police Licensing Office will start issuing new SPP (Pol. 1080A).  Are the old SPP (Pol. 1080) still valid？
A11:

Yes.  Within the validity period shown on the permit, the old SPP are still valid, but the validity period of the SPP will not be automatically extended.
Q12:

What is the validity period of the new SPP?
A12:

The new SPP is valid for 5 years, or such shorter period as the Commissioner of Police may specify, beginning on the date on which it was issued.