If your SIA licence card goes missing, or you move house or change your name, the SIA has short deadlines for telling it. Those deadlines were made shorter in December 2025, so older advice online is out of date. This guide explains what to do and when.
The short version: if your licence is lost or stolen, tell the SIA and the police, within 2 days if you can. If your name or address changes, tell the SIA within 7 days. A replacement card costs £7, is requested through your SIA online account, and has a new licence number.
If your licence is lost or stolen
You must tell the SIA and the police. The SIA says you must tell it within 2 days if you can. If you are in police custody or held on remand and cannot, tell it as soon as possible and explain why it was not sooner.
Front line licence holders must normally wear their licence where it can be seen while working. That does not apply once you have reported it lost or stolen. Keep a note of when and how you reported it.
If your licence is damaged
Tell the SIA and request a replacement. You must not deface or alter your licence, and you must not wear one that has been defaced or altered. GOV.UK gives no deadline for damage, but do not leave it.
How to get a replacement
Log in to your SIA online account and request a replacement. The fee is £7. GOV.UK removed the line saying replacements were usually free in June 2024, so do not rely on older pages that say otherwise.
Your replacement card has a different licence number. Tell your employer the new number, and update it anywhere you have stored it. If you use the free Praesova Career Passport, add the new number and press Re-check so it is checked against the register.
GOV.UK does not say how long a replacement takes.
Can you keep working while you wait?
GOV.UK does not say what to carry while you wait for a replacement card. For a newly granted licence it says you can start work before the card arrives, as long as you carry your "licence granted" letter and photo ID. For a replacement, contact the SIA to confirm what to carry. Do not guess.
Changing your name or address
You must tell the SIA about any change of name or address within 7 days, through your SIA online account. This applies to front line and non-front line licences. The old deadline was 42 days. It was cut to 7 days on 1 December 2025, so if you read "42 days" somewhere, it is out of date.
The SIA may ask you for evidence of a name change. Check what your online account asks for.
Other things to tell the SIA within 2 days
Lost or stolen licences are one of several things you must report within 2 days. The others include a conviction, caution, warning or charge for a relevant offence, an open investigation by a public or professional body, and any change to your right to remain or work in the UK. Our licence conditions guide covers these.
What happens if you do not tell them
Breaking a licence condition is a criminal offence under section 9 of the Private Security Industry Act 2001. The SIA can issue a written warning, suspend or revoke your licence, or prosecute.
A simple checklist
- Lost or stolen: tell the police and the SIA, aiming for within 2 days.
- Request a replacement in your SIA online account and pay the £7 fee.
- Note the new licence number and tell your employer.
- Moved or changed name: update your SIA online account within 7 days.
Quick questions
How much is a replacement SIA licence?
£7, requested through your SIA online account (checked on GOV.UK on 31 October 2026).
Do I get the same licence number back?
No. A replacement card has a different licence number.
Do I have to tell the police if my SIA licence is lost?
Yes. If it is lost or stolen you must tell the SIA and the police.
How long do I have to report a change of address?
7 days, through your SIA online account. It used to be 42 days, but this was shortened on 1 December 2025.
How can I check a licence is still valid?
Search the official SIA register of licence holders using the licence number.
Keep your licence in one place
Add your licence and qualifications to your free Praesova Career Passport. We check your licence on the official register and email you from 4 months before it expires.
Build my free Career PassportRelated guides
- SIA licence conditions: what you must report
- How to check an SIA licence
- How to renew your SIA licence