About the Security & Door Supervision tests
~8 min read · Updated April 2026
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence is a legal requirement for anyone working in the UK private security industry. To get one, you must complete an approved training course and pass a series of multiple-choice exams set by an Ofqual-recognised awarding body such as Highfield, Pearson, Industry Qualifications or BIIAB. The pass mark is 70% on most papers and the exams are unforgiving — one missed regulatory point can be the difference between a job offer and another £200 on a re-sit.
Our free SIA practice tests cover the four most common licence routes: Door Supervisor, CCTV Operator, Close Protection and the Door Supervisor Top-Up that existing licence holders need before renewal. Every question follows the current SIA specification, including the 2021 syllabus updates around terror awareness (ACT), emergency first aid and physical intervention, so you train on what's actually being tested today.
What the tests actually involve
SIA exams are typically delivered on paper or on a tablet at the end of your training course. Door Supervisor sits four short multiple-choice papers — Working in the Private Security Industry, Working as a Door Supervisor, Conflict Management, and Physical Intervention Skills (theory). CCTV Operator sits two papers; Close Protection sits four. Each paper is 30–40 questions with a 30–45 minute time limit and a 70% pass mark.
After passing, you apply to the SIA for the licence itself via gov.uk. The licence fee in 2026 is £190 and the licence lasts three years. You must also pass a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and confirm your right to work in the UK.
The Top-Up qualification is a one-day course and short exam introduced in 2021 to update existing Door Supervisors on terror threat awareness, emergency first aid and the latest physical intervention guidance. You cannot renew your Door Supervisor licence without it.
What's covered in the syllabus
Door Supervisor covers the Private Security Industry Act 2001, the SIA's role, behavioural standards, search procedures, the Licensing Act 2003, drug awareness, crime scene preservation, queue and crowd management, conflict management (the LEAPS model), de-escalation, and the legal framework for using physical intervention as a last resort.
CCTV Operator covers the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR, the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice, control room operation, target acquisition and tracking, evidence preservation and the powers and limitations of the operator.
Close Protection covers threat and risk assessment, route reconnaissance, embus/debus drills, venue security, the law on the use of reasonable force, and the operational tactics used to keep a principal safe in public.
How to study and pass first time
Trust the official handbook your training provider gives you — the questions are written directly from it. Re-reading each chapter once and then drilling mock papers is faster than highlighting the book to death.
Memorise the LEAPS conflict model (Listen, Empathise, Ask, Paraphrase, Summarise), the four conditions for using force (lawful, reasonable, proportionate, necessary), and the Door Supervisor's five legal powers of search.
For CCTV, learn the seven UK GDPR principles and the difference between a 'data controller' and a 'data processor' — these come up in nearly every paper.
Sit at least three full mocks under timed conditions before your real exam. Most candidates fail on pace, not on knowledge.
Common mistakes to avoid
Confusing 'reasonable force' with 'minimum force'. The legal test is whether the force was reasonable in the circumstances — proportionate, necessary and used as a last resort.
Getting the Licensing Act 2003 age limits wrong: 16 for beer/wine/cider with a table meal accompanied by an adult, 18 for everything else off the premises.
On CCTV, candidates often forget that any covert surveillance triggers RIPA / IPA considerations and needs documented authorisation, not just a verbal nod from a supervisor.
Why active practice testing works
SIA exams are short, dense and procedural. The questions reward exact recall of legal definitions and named models — exactly the kind of content that retrieval practice locks in faster than re-reading.
Each re-sit costs £30–£60 depending on the awarding body, plus the inconvenience of returning to your training centre. Twenty minutes a day of free mocks for a week is one of the highest-return revision activities in UK vocational training.
Mocks also normalise the dry, formal phrasing used in SIA papers. Once you've seen 'Which of the following best describes the role of the SIA?' five times, you stop second-guessing the question stem and answer it on instinct.
Applying for your SIA licence
Once you've passed your training exams, you apply for the licence on gov.uk. You'll need your training certificate reference number, a DBS check, proof of right to work, and a passport-style photo. The fee is £190 and applications are usually processed within six weeks.
Your licence arrives as a credit-card-sized card that must be displayed on the outside of your clothing whenever you're working in a licensable role. Working without a valid SIA licence is a criminal offence carrying a fine of up to £5,000 or six months in prison.
Renew at least four months before expiry. Late renewals mean you cannot legally work in the meantime, even if your application is sitting in the SIA's queue.