2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 40 - Professions and Occupations › Chapter 18 - Private Security And Investigation Agencies › Section 40-18-80. Security officer registration certificates; application; qualifications of applicants; report of arrests; exemptions.

(A) Persons performing the duties of security officers must also obtain valid security officer registration certificates. Except as provided in Section 40-18-90, a licensee may not authorize a person to perform the duties of a security officer unless that person holds a valid security officer registration certificate or has applied for a security officer registration certificate and meets the requirements of Section 40-18-80(A)(2). A contract or proprietary security business licensee must verify that each security officer immediately upon hiring possesses a valid security officer registration certificate or has applied for one. The licensee may apply and pay the fee for the security officer registration certificate or may require the person to be employed as a security officer to apply and pay the fee. For purposes of the penalties provisions of this chapter, the licensee and the person to be employed as a security officer are both responsible for ensuring that the person performing duties of a security officer is registered or has made application to be registered.
(1) The application must be made on forms approved by SLED and, under oath, the applicant must furnish the applicant's full name, age, date and place of birth, current residence address, residence addresses for the past ten years, employment for the past ten years, including names and addresses of employers, the applicant's current occupation with the name and address of the current employer, the date and place of any arrests, any convictions for violations of federal or state laws, and any additional information as SLED requires. The application must be accompanied by one set of fingerprints of the applicant and one photograph of the applicant in color, full face and without head covering, taken within six months prior to the application and certified results of a SLED-approved drug screen.
(2) Pending issuance of a registration certificate, a security officer may perform the duties of a security officer for up to thirty days after receipt by SLED of his application for registration; however, a person authorized to perform duties under this section has no arrest authority and must not carry a firearm until SLED issues a registration certificate. If SLED does not issue a registration certificate within thirty days of receipt of the application, a security officer must cease performing all security-related activities.
(3) Upon being satisfied of the suitability of the applicant for employment and the applicant's successful completion of an approved training program, SLED must register the employee and notify the licensee.
(4) SLED may issue or renew a registration certificate to a person who:
(a) is employed by a licensed security business;
(b) is at least eighteen years of age;
(c) is a citizen of the United States;
(d) has not been convicted of a felony or crime involving moral turpitude;
(e) is of good moral character;
(f) does not unlawfully use drugs;
(g) does not use alcohol to such a degree as to affect adversely his ability to perform competently the duties of a security company licensee, has not been adjudicated an incapacitated person without being restored to legal competency, and who has no physical or mental impairment which would prevent him from competently performing the duties of a security company licensee;
(h) has passed a SLED-approved pre-employment drug test;
(i) has not been discharged from the military service with other than honorable conditions; and
(j) has not been refused a license under this chapter for any reason other than minimum experience requirements and has not had a license under this chapter revoked or suspended.
(5) While on duty, a registered person must have his registration certificate in possession.
(6) A registered person who is arrested must report the arrest to SLED within seventy-two hours of the arrest.
(7) The licensee must notify SLED within ten days of the termination or hiring of a registered security officer.
(8) Registration is valid for one year; however, the registered person may perform the duties of a security officer only while employed by a person licensed under this chapter to provide security services or while working in a self-employed capacity provided that the officer is also a licensee.
(9) Application for renewal of registration must be made on a form approved by SLED.
(10) The initial and annual renewal registration fee for an employee registered in accordance with this section must be set by SLED by regulation.
(B) Within thirty days of the employment of a person who will perform the functions of a private investigator, a private investigator licensee, or the person to be employed as an investigator must make application to SLED for registration of the person to be employed as a private investigator. After thirty days, a licensee may not authorize a person to perform the duties of a private investigator unless that person holds a valid private investigator registration certificate or has applied for one. The licensee may apply and pay the fee for the private investigator registration certificate or may require the person to be employed as an investigator to apply and pay the fee. For purposes of the penalties provisions of this chapter, the licensee and the person to be employed as an investigator are both responsible for ensuring that the person performing duties of an investigator is registered or has made application to be registered.
(1) The application must be made under oath and must state the applicant's full name, age, date and place of birth, current residence address, residence addresses for the past ten years, employment for the past ten years, including names and addresses of employers, the applicant's current occupation with the name and address of the current employer, the date and place of any arrests, any convictions for violations of federal or state laws, and any additional information SLED may require. Each applicant must submit with the application one set of the applicant's fingerprints on forms specified and furnished by SLED and one color photograph of the applicant's full face, without head covering, taken within six months prior to the application.
(2) Pending issuance of a registration certificate, a person who does not possess a valid registration certificate must not perform the duties of a private investigator unless accompanied by a registered private investigator.
(3) SLED may issue a registration certificate to a person who:
(a) has a high school diploma or its equivalent;
(b) is at least eighteen years of age;
(c) is a citizen of the United States;
(d) has not been convicted of a felony or crime involving moral turpitude;
(e) is of good moral character;
(f) does not unlawfully use drugs;
(g) does not use alcohol to such a degree as to affect adversely his ability to perform competently the duties of a private investigator, has not been adjudicated an incapacitated person without being restored to legal competency, and who has no physical or mental impairment which would prevent him from competently performing the duties of a private investigator; and
(h) has not been discharged from the military service with other than honorable conditions.
(4) Upon receiving the application, SLED must, after investigation sufficient to verify the applicant's eligibility, integrity, and suitable background, grant registration to the applicant and so notify the employer. The registration is for a period of one year. Applications for renewal must be on a form approved by SLED.
(5) While performing the functions of a private investigator, a registered person must have his valid registration certificate or a copy in his possession.
(6) A registration certificate expires upon the registered investigator's termination of employment and is nontransferable to a different employer. The employer of a registered investigator must notify SLED within ten days of the termination of employment of any registered employee.
(7) Initial and renewal registration fees must be set by SLED by regulation.
(C) A person registered as a private investigator who is arrested must report the custodial arrest to SLED within seventy-two hours of the arrest.
(D) A person is exempt from the registration and licensing requirements of this section when the employer is not a private investigation business and the employee is exclusively employed by that employer. The exemption from registration and licensing requirements applies only to work performed for the exclusive employer. If the person, during the period of his exclusive employment, performs or is available to perform investigative work for a different employer or more than one employer, the person must obtain a private investigation license or registration pursuant to this section.
HISTORY: 2000 Act No. 372, Section 1; 2018 Act No. 131 (S.297), Section 1, eff February 12, 2018.
Effect of Amendment
2018 Act No. 131, Section 1, in (A)(2), substituted "thirty days" for "twenty days" in two places.