- A security company director deployed 26 staff on fraudulent licences across 832 shifts (June 2020 to October 2021).
- He received a nine-month sentence suspended for 12 months and a five-year director disqualification on 15 November 2024.
- A genuine licence has an embossed name, a hologram and UV logos.
- Report suspected fakes to the SIA online, or to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
What cloning means
A cloned licence uses a real licence holder's details, with a different photo. It can pass a quick look, but not a check against the SIA register, which is what employers and security providers are expected to do.
Cases published by the SIA
| Case | What happened |
|---|---|
| Guard who bought a cloned licence | Found guilty in absence at Dudley Magistrates' Court on 13 December 2024 and sentenced at Walsall on 9 January 2025 to 120 hours of unpaid work, £3,903 costs and a £114 surcharge. The employer found the licence during routine checks and reported it to the SIA. Reported price: £300. |
| Director who supplied cloned licences | Southwark Crown Court, 15 November 2024: 26 untrained staff on fraudulent licences across 832 shifts between June 2020 and October 2021. Nine months' imprisonment suspended for 12 months, 80 hours' unpaid work and a five-year director disqualification. Found after SIA investigators discovered a fraudulent licence holder at Box Park, Wembley on 7 July 2021. |
| Officer on NHS premises | Westminster Magistrates' Court, 12 May 2023: six months suspended for 18 months, 120 hours' unpaid work and a £128 surcharge. The defendant used a cloned licence repeatedly at NHS premises in north London between June 2021 and January 2022. A security firm raised the irregularity, and when SIA investigators asked about the licence the defendant ran off, leaving behind shoes, phone and the cloned document. |
How it unfolds
- A person who cannot, or will not, get a licence obtains a card carrying someone else's details.
- They are deployed at a venue or site, sometimes for many shifts.
- A routine employer check, a client complaint or an SIA inspection spots the irregularity.
- The SIA investigates and prosecutes the user and, where relevant, the company.
Two-minute checks on a licence card
- Name: run a finger over it. On a genuine card it is embossed, not printed.
- Hologram: tilt the card back and forth and look for the hologram.
- UV: under UV light, SIA logos appear in the top right and bottom left corners.
- Back: the address section shows the postcode E14 1UG, and the barcode in the top-left corner matches the licence number on the front.
- Person: check photo and name, and ask for secondary ID. The SIA's investigation manager said security features help employers and that they should also request secondary identification.
These features come from GOV.UK's guidance, published on 27 September 2024. A cloned card may copy some of them, so also check the holder's details against the SIA register of licence holders.
Who is at risk
The person using the licence faces prosecution, and so does the business that deploys them. Section 5 of the Act makes using an unlicensed operative an offence, with defences for those who did not know and took reasonable precautions. See employing unlicensed security staff.
Who to contact
| Need | Contact |
|---|---|
| Report a suspected fake or unlicensed operative | The SIA's online form on GOV.UK |
| Report anonymously | Crimestoppers, 0800 555 111, 24 hours |
If you work in private security, the SIA says not to use your own SIA account to report a crime, because the incident would be recorded against your account.
The legitimate route
A licence costs £204 and lasts three years, and front-line roles need a licence-linked qualification: see SIA licence cost. The wider offences are on UK law on fake documents.
Frequently asked questions
What is a cloned SIA licence?
A copy of a real holder's licence details, used with a different photo.
How do employers detect a cloned SIA licence?
By checking the licence against the SIA's register, comparing the card's security features and asking for secondary ID.
Can a company be prosecuted for using a fake SIA licence?
Yes. Section 5 of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 covers using an unlicensed operative, and a company director has been convicted and disqualified for five years.
What security features does an SIA card have?
GOV.UK lists an embossed name, a hologram, UV logos in two corners, the postcode E14 1UG on the back and a barcode that matches the licence number.
How do I report a suspected fake licence?
Use the SIA's online form, or report anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
What penalty did the guard who bought a cloned licence get?
A community order of 120 hours of unpaid work, £3,903 prosecution costs and a £114 victim surcharge, according to the SIA.
Sources and official links
- GOV.UK: security guard convicted for using fake licence
- GOV.UK: security boss convicted for deploying staff with cloned licences
- Security Journal UK: fake security officer used cloned licence
- Private Security Industry Act 2001, section 5
- GOV.UK: how to check SIA licence cards
- GOV.UK: report security staff or companies