Career advice · Updated October 2026

Security Guard Jobs in Kenya: PSRA Licensing, the Guard Force Number and the KSh 30,000 Minimum Pay

Private security is one of the biggest employers of young Kenyans, and one of the easiest fields to enter without a degree. It is also a field where many workers are underpaid and where rules have tightened in the last few years. If you are looking for security guard jobs in Kenya, you now need more than a uniform and a good conduct certificate. This guide explains the registration rules under the Private Security Regulation Act, the training you need, the Guard Force Number, the minimum pay the regulator has set, and how to check that a security company is legitimate before you sign.

Who regulates private security

The Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) was set up under the Private Security Regulation Act, No. 13 of 2016. It registers and licenses security firms, guards and training institutions. The Act covers guarding, dog guarding, cash-in-transit, alarm and CCTV installation, access control, car tracking, private investigation and similar services.

Section 21 of the Act says a person cannot provide private security services for a fee unless they are registered by the Authority. Section 22 makes clear that this includes individual security guards and private security officers employed by firms, not only the companies.

Requirements to register as a guard

Under section 23(2) of the Act, an individual is eligible for registration as a private security service provider if they:

• are a citizen of Kenya or ordinarily resident in Kenya;
• are over 18 years of age;
• hold at least a primary school certificate;
• have attended training in security matters at an institution accredited by the Authority;
• submit a certificate of good conduct from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations;
• if they previously served in a disciplined service, produce a certificate of discharge and a certificate of clearance from that service;
• have no criminal record; and
• are of sound mind.

The certificate of good conduct is the item that delays most applicants, so apply for it early on eCitizen. Our clearance certificates helper lists the clearances employers commonly ask for and where to get each one.

The training course

PSRA launched a national training curriculum for private security officers on 6 December 2019. The Private Security Officer Level 1 course is an 18-unit programme designed to run for 330 hours. It covers security law, labour laws, reporting risks and threats, standard operating procedures, equipment and dog handling, report writing, counter-terrorism, emergency response and customer service.

The curriculum sets these entry requirements for trainees: Kenyan citizen, 18 years and above, able to read and write in English, physically and mentally fit, and holding a valid police clearance certificate.

PSRA’s FAQs state that every training institution must be registered and accredited by the Authority before it can train security providers. Before paying any school, ask to see its PSRA accreditation and confirm it with PSRA. A certificate from an unaccredited school does not meet section 23(2)(d).

The Guard Force Number (GFN)

PSRA’s legal notice PSRA/005/2023 announced nationwide registration, licensing and issuing of Guard Force Numbers to individual private security officers, including guards and corporate security officers, whether they work for a security firm, a company, a government body or a private individual. The notice describes the GFN as the only proof that a private security officer has been registered and licensed by the Authority.

PSRA’s website also says it is mandatory for every private security company to submit the details of all its officers for registration. If you are already working as a guard and do not have a GFN, ask your employer whether your details have been submitted, and follow up with PSRA if they have not.

Under section 69 of the Act, operating as a private security provider without a valid training certificate from an accredited institution, or without registration, is an offence.

How much security guards must be paid

The same PSRA legal notice set a basic minimum monthly pay for all private security officers in Kenya:

The notice states that anyone who hires a private security officer and pays below this minimum commits an offence, with a fine of KSh 2,000,000 in the case of a company. On 6 August 2026, The Star reported that President William Ruto had directed enforcement of the minimum wage for security guards, including remittance of statutory deductions.

Two points matter when you read your payslip:

• Take-home pay changes with deductions. The notice showed a net of KSh 26,415.25 using the deductions in force when it was issued. With the NSSF rates in force since February 2026, our net salary calculator gives a take-home of about KSh 26,194 on a KSh 30,000 gross: NSSF KSh 1,800, SHIF KSh 825, housing levy KSh 450 and PAYE KSh 731.25.
• The general minimum wage has also risen. The Regulation of Wages (General) (Amendment) Order, 2026 (Legal Notice 108 of 2026), in force from 1 May 2026, sets a basic minimum of KSh 20,133.72 a month for a night watchman in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret, excluding housing allowance. That is higher than the basic pay line in the PSRA notice. Our guide to the minimum wage in Kenya explains the categories and towns.

Guards often work 12-hour shifts. Hours beyond the normal working week should be paid as overtime; our guide to working hours and overtime explains the rules, and the overtime calculator works out what you are owed. Our security guard salary page compares what guards earn across employers.

How to check a security company before you join

• Ask for its PSRA registration certificate. PSRA’s FAQs say anyone can email enquiries@psra.go.ke with the company’s name as it appears on its certificate and the registration number at the top-left corner, and PSRA will confirm the status within 24 hours.
• Refuse to pay for a job. Paying a “registration fee” or “uniform fee” to get hired is a warning sign. Run any advert through our fake job advert checker.
• Get a written contract that shows your basic pay, allowances and hours, and check that NSSF and SHIF deductions are actually remitted on your statements.
• Check the uniform. PSRA says private security providers must not use uniforms similar to those of the disciplined forces or national security organs.

If a company breaks the rules, PSRA handles complaints: send a letter to the Director General with your supporting documents. PSRA’s offices are on the 10th floor of Lonrho House, Standard Street, Nairobi. Pay disputes can also go to the Labour Office or the Employment and Labour Relations Court.

Growing in the field

Security has a career path: supervisor, control room operator, CCTV and alarm technician, cash-in-transit crew, corporate security officer and security manager. Firms also hire for loss prevention in retail and logistics. Former guards also move into the police and other disciplined services; see our police recruitment guide. For tax and deduction tables, Business Radar’s PAYE tax bands and housing levy table is a handy reference.

Key takeaways

• Guards must be registered by PSRA, trained at an accredited institution and hold a DCI good conduct certificate.
• The Guard Force Number is the proof of registration and licensing.
• PSRA’s minimum gross pay for private security officers is KSh 30,000 a month, and paying less is an offence.
• Verify any security company with PSRA by email before you join, and never pay to get a job.

Frequently asked questions

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