Licensed & Insured Security in Tennessee

Before you hire a security company, check that it's licensed. It takes about two minutes, and it protects you. Crimson Security Service is a licensed Tennessee contract security company, TN license #14376, headquartered at 660 FitzHugh Boulevard, Suite 100, in Smyrna. We've served Middle Tennessee since 2013, and we're fully insured. Certificates of insurance are available on request.

Private security in Tennessee is regulated by the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) through its Private Protective Services program. The program licenses and oversees:

• Contract security companies, businesses that provide security guards and patrol services to other people under contract. This is Crimson's license.
• Proprietary security organizations, businesses that employ their own in-house guards.
• Armed and unarmed security guards, who must be registered individually.
• Certified trainers, who teach the state-required guard courses.

The rules are in the Private Protective Services Licensing and Regulatory Act, Tennessee Code Title 62, Chapter 35. Requirements can change, so check with the state for the current rules.

To be licensed, the owner or a qualifying agent of a security company must meet state standards. These include being at least 21, being a U.S. citizen or resident alien, passing a fingerprint background check, and having either three years of supervisory experience or passing a state exam. The company must also keep a certificate of insurance that meets state law and register as a business in Tennessee.

Every security officer who works for a licensed company must be registered with the state as an unarmed or an armed guard. Registration requires a background check and state-required training from a certified trainer:

• Unarmed: at least 4 hours of general training and an exam.
• Armed: 16 hours in all, including 8 hours of firearm classroom training and 4 hours of marksmanship, and a registration card in hand before working an armed post. Armed officers must be at least 21.

Registrations expire every two years, and officers must complete refresher training to renew. Some posts need more training, such as an armed officer at a school or a guard who carries a baton or spray. See armed security guards and school security for details.

Crimson runs its own guard training school at our Smyrna office, and many of our officers train with us. Classroom training is in Smyrna, and range qualification for the armed course is at an indoor range in Murfreesboro. See training and licensing.

Crimson is fully insured. Tennessee law requires security companies to keep a certificate of general liability insurance that is available for inspection by the state. We give clients a certificate of insurance on request. To ask for one, call 615-768-9529 or email sales@crimsonss.com or admin@crimsonss.com. We don't list coverage types or amounts on this page. Ask us and we'll send the certificate.

Insurance is for the client's protection, and it is a good thing to ask any security company about. Ask for the certificate, check the dates, and ask whether your property's contract or lender requires specific wording such as an additional insured endorsement. We'll work with your insurance contact.

1. Go to the state's license verification site: search.cloud.commerce.tn.gov.
2. Look for the Private Protective Services program and the contract security company license type.
3. Search for the company name or license number. For Crimson, search for license number #14376.
4. Check that the status is active.
5. Ask the company for its certificate of insurance.
6. Ask how it trains and supervises its officers and how it reports to clients.

• Is the company licensed in Tennessee, and what is its license number?
• Are the officers registered with the state, and who trains them?
• Can I see a certificate of insurance?
• Who will I call if there's a problem at 2 a.m.? What do reports look like?
• Is a local manager involved, or is the account run from out of state?

What is Crimson's Tennessee license number?
TN license #14376.

Are Crimson's officers registered with the state?
Officers working our posts must hold the state's armed or unarmed security guard registration.

Can I get a certificate of insurance?
Yes. Certificates are available on request. Call 615-768-9529 or email sales@crimsonss.com or admin@crimsonss.com.

Do you list your insurance coverage amounts online?
No. Ask us for a certificate for your property or contract.

How do I check that a guard is registered?
Ask to see the officer's registration card, or check the state's license verification site.