Achieve SIA Approved Contractor Scheme Accreditation
Your Company Needs SIA ACS Approval
But you already have 101 things to do on your to-do list.
Which are all important!
So How Do You Become SIA ACS Accredited?
Do it Yourself?
No problem if you have little to do.
But if you are already busy… then this is not a feasible option.
Hire New Staff?
Finding good people is difficult, training is expensive.
And even if you find that perfect person… you’re still dependent on 1 person!
Buy A Pre Made Templated System?
Square pegs don’t fit in round holes.
Buying a templated system that doesn’t fit your business will cause more issues and further expense.
What Makes Us Different?
Guarantee
Every client that has worked with us, achieved SIA ACS Approval.
Results
Our primary focus is to guarantee our clients results. Our reputation is built on this.
Local
We are not hidden away in an anonymous call center.
We work locally, so you know where to find us if you need us.
Specialised
We specialise in getting security companies SIA ACS approval. We have many clients that have achieved over 100 points!
30 Years Plus Experience
At ISO Consultants U.K., our team of experts have over 30 years combined of experience assisting all types of organisations achieve ISO certification. Our journey of excellence has been marked by a deep commitment to quality, innovation, and an unwavering dedication to helping businesses achieve and maintain the highest standards in their industry.
Track Record of Success
Our history is decorated with countless successful ISO implementations, certifications, and sustained compliance achievements for our clients. This success rate is a testament to our rigorous, client-focused approach.
Qualified Teams
Our team comprises of dedicated, friendly professionals who bring a wealth of knowledge and practical experience in ISO standards, ensuring that our consultancy services are not just theoretical but grounded in real-world applications.
Long Term Client Relationships
The longevity of our client relationships speaks to the trust and value we deliver. Our commitment to their continual improvement has made us a preferred partner for many businesses.
Contact us For A Free Quotation
Would you like to know how we can help you? Fill in the form, submit your requirements and we will contact you.
No obligations, no annoying sales talk, we’re both too busy for that.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Do the SIA Check?
You will need to pass all of the SIA application checks to become an approved contractor.
What does the SIA check?
You provide private security services regulated by the SIA
You cannot be an SIA approved contractor unless all of the following apply to you:
- you provide private security services in the UK
- you offer services in the security activities that we license
- you provide those services under contract
- you have provided those services for at least 12 months
- you supply at least two licensable operatives in each of the activities for which you are seeking approval
Your business is ‘fit and proper’
The SIA will check the identity, criminality, financial probity and integrity of the people running your business (often referred to as ‘controlling minds’).
The SIA will take into consideration:
- who controls your business and the licensable individuals you supply
- any criminal convictions or charges relating to your business or its controlling minds
- the financial circumstances of your business and its controlling minds
- the integrity of your business and its controlling minds
Your directors are licensed
All directors must hold a valid SIA licence. This includes executive and non-executive directors, shadow directors, parent company directors and corporate entities holding a directorship.
Your staff are licensed
All security operatives you deploy must hold a valid SIA licence.
SIA Fees
Fees you must pay to the SIA
The SIA charge two different types of fee:
- An application fee, which you must pay in full when you apply for approval. This pays for the SIA to process your application and is non-refundable.
- An annual registration fee, which you must pay after you are approved and then every year for as long as you remain approved. This fee is non-refundable.
The application fee varies depending on the number of licensable staff in your organisation:
- Up to 10 licensable staff: £400
- 11 to 25 licensable staff: £800
- 26 to 250 licensable staff: £1,600
- Over 250 licensable staff: £2,400
The registration fee is the same for everyone: £15 per licensable individual deployed
Other fees you need to pay
You will also need to pay your assessing body for your assessment.
Why you should choose an SIA approved contractor
When you hire a private security company you have a choice between one of our approved contractors or a company we have not approved.
On this page we list some of the reasons why you should choose an SIA approved contractor.
We have also produced a guide that covers a few other points to consider when choosing a security supplier. Download guide .
Quality assured by the industry regulator
The Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS) provides a recognised hallmark of quality within the private security industry.
The SIA assess approved contractors against 78 different areas of their business. These cover topics as diverse as staff training, financial management and the company’s health and safety policies.
When you choose an approved contractor you can be sure that the business you are working with has passed a thorough quality assurance check.
A commitment to quality
The Approved Contractor Scheme is a voluntary scheme. Any company that is part of the scheme has chosen to be.
The ACS is a progressive quality standard. That means the SIA continually raise the standard that companies must meet in order to be approved.
Quality assurance from top to bottom
Sub-contracting is a common practice in the private security industry. Approved contractors may only sub-contract to other approved contractors unless we have given them special permission to do otherwise. As a result, you can be confident that the quality of service you expect will be maintained.
A focus on you, the customer
The ACS standard encourages approved contractors to tailor their services to your needs.
ACS Scoring System
How does the scoring system work?
The contractor is scored against 78 achievement indicators. These cover topics as diverse as staff training, financial management and the company’s health and safety policies.
The pass mark for each indicator is the required achievement level, so a positive score (like +1) shows that the company is doing more than it needs to.
If the SIA find that a company is falling below the standard, they will work with you to improve that area of their operations. If they do not, the SIA will withdraw their approval.
The maximum overall score that can a company can achieve is 145.
What scores do companies tend to achieve?
Average scores are displayed below, broken down by size of organisation. The SIA measure the size of an organisation by the number of licensable staff it has.
| Number of licensable staff | Average score |
| Up to 10 | 36 |
| 11 to 25 | 51 |
| 26 to 250 | 72 |
| Over 250 | 125 |
These figures are drawn from the period 1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024.
How Do You Apply for SIA ACS Approval?
There are two ways to become approved: standard and passport. It is up to you which one you choose.
Either way will involve one of the SIA approved assessing bodies.
Standard route to approval
- You assess your company using the and the . To download these documents, right-click on the links and select ‘Save as…’
- If you meet the required standard, you ask the SIA to send you an ACS application form.
- You fill in the application form and send the completed form back to the SIA. At the same time, you pay the application fee.
- The SIA process your application and conduct our checks.
- If the SIA confirm that you are eligible for approval, you arrange an assessment with your chosen assessing body.
- The SIA will give your assessor all of the information you gave us in the application form.
- They assess your company and produce an assessment report for you. They also send a copy to the SIA.
- The SIA review their report and make our approval decision.
- If the SIA approve your company, you pay the registration fee.
Passport route to approval
- You get certified through one of the accredited passport schemes.
- You ask the SIA to send you an ACS application form.
- You fill in the application form and send the completed form back to the SIA, enclosing proof of your certification. At the same time, you pay the application fee.
- The SIA process your application and conduct our checks.
- The SIA make approval decision.
- If the SIA approve your company, you pay the registration fee.
SIA ACS Assessing Bodies
ACS assessing bodies
The SIA do not usually assess you directly, although they can if we need to. Instead, the SIA ask assessing bodies to conduct the assessment of your organisation on our behalf.
The assessing bodies we are partnered with are:
- British Assessment Bureau (a subsidiary of Amtivo Group Limited)
- NSI
- SSAIB
All ACS assessors must abide by our .
You should not proceed with a standard route ACS assessment until the SIA tell you to.
Comparing ACS Approved Contractors
Compare approved contractors
Most approved contractors score their performance against the ACS standard every year. These scores are then verified by independent assessors.
Businesses approved through one of the SIA accredited passport schemes are not required to submit scores.
Can the score show how good a company is?
The score can give an indication of the overall quality of an approved contractor, but it does not tell the whole story.
This is because:
- the company may get a low score overall but score well in a particular aspect of their business operations
- the company may get a high score overall but score poorly in a particular aspect of their business operations
We recommend that you also look at factors such as the contractor’s reputation in the marketplace or the quality of its tender response.
You should also consider reading the contractor’s assessment report. The SIA can give this to you if the approved contractor gives us permission to do so.