In 2026, SIRA replaced its 2018 executive regulation with a new one issued under Law No. 12 of 2016, resetting the rules behind every SIRA security license. Company licenses now sit under 23 distinct activity categories instead of three broad ones, individual licenses under 18 role based categories, and both come with tighter renewal and reporting timelines than the 2018 version carried.

• SIRA replaced its 2018 licensing regulation with Decision No. 1 of 2026, signed 10 June 2026 and published in Dubai’s Official Gazette on 4 July 2026.
• Company licenses now fall under 23 distinct activity categories set out in Article 3, not three broad buckets.
• Individual licenses cover 18 role based categories set out in Article 10.
• Company licenses run one year, individual licenses run two years, and both need renewal at least 30 days before expiry.
• Providers must report incidents within 24 hours, employee data changes within five days, and employee criminal convictions within two working days.
• A notice and cure period applies before any penalty, backed by a formal grievance process with a dedicated Complaints Committee.

What is SIRA, and why 2026 is a turning point for SIRA approval Dubai

 

SIRA, the Security Industry Regulatory Agency, operates under Dubai Police and regulates the private security industry in the emirate under Law No. 12 of 2016. That law is what created the requirement for a SIRA security license in the first place, and it is the same law the 2026 regulation implements.

For most of the period since 2018, the executive regulation sitting underneath that law had not changed. SIRA issued a Preventive Systems Manual in 2025 updating technical compliance requirements, and then, on 10 June 2026, replaced the executive regulation itself. Read together, that is not one isolated update. It is a rulebook that has been getting rebuilt in stages since 2025, with the 2026 regulation as the largest piece so far.

What exactly changed in the SIRA security licensestructure in 2026

 

The clearest change is structural. A lot of what circulates about SIRA still describes its licensing system as three broad categories, manned guarding, systems and equipment, and consultancy. The published regulation does not organize it that way. Article 3 sets out 23 separately licensed company activities, including trading in security devices and equipment, installation and maintenance of security devices and equipment, technical security survey, general guarding, personal event security and personal protection, transport of money and valuable materials, security consultancy, auditing of security systems, security training, security dog training and trading, control and monitoring services, vehicle tracking systems, central station connection services, preparing and equipping vehicles for secure civil use, trade in special vehicles for secure transport, transport of hazardous materials, guarding of tourist facilities, manufacture and assembly of security devices and equipment, manufacture of personal protection equipment, renting security devices and equipment, maritime guarding, securing sports clubs and events, and safe storage services.

Article 10 sets a parallel structure for individuals, listing 18 license types: security consultant, security expert, security trainer, head of security management, security manager, security operations manager, security supervisor, security systems engineer, security systems auditor, security systems technician, money transport guard, money transport escort guard, money transport vehicle driver, security systems monitor, event safety organizer, watchman, personal guard, and an armed role trained in weapons use.

A company licensed for installation and maintenance is not automatically covered for trading or manufacture, and the regulation treats each category as distinct. A SIRA license Dubai issues under one category simply does not extend to another.

Who needs a SIRA license Dubai in 2026

 

This affects a wider group than the phrase “security company” usually suggests.

• Companies providing CCTV or access control work, which typically sit under the trading, installation and maintenance, manufacture and assembly, or rental categories rather than one general systems license
• Manned guarding, event security, and personal protection providers
• Money and valuables transport operators
• Security consultancy, training, and auditing businesses
• Individuals working as security consultants, managers, supervisors, systems engineers, technicians, or guards
• Clients hiring any of the above, since confirming a vendor’s actual licensed category is now the client’s own due diligence question, not just the provider’s paperwork

SIRA approval Dubai: compliance deadlines and renewal steps

 

1. Confirm the specific category your work falls under. Check your actual scope of work against the 23 company categories in Article 3 or the 18 individual categories in Article 10, rather than assuming a general license covers everything.
2. Track your license validity. Company licenses run one year, individual licenses run two years, both renewable.
3. File for renewal at least 30 days before expiry. That window applies to both company and individual licenses.
4. Expect a decision within three working days once a complete renewal or new application is submitted.
5. Keep reporting current. Notify the Institution of incidents within 24 hours, employee data changes within five days, and employee criminal convictions within two working days.
6. Retain records for at least five years, covering contracts, reports, and related documentation.

Penalties for noncompliance under SIRA security license rules

 

The 2026 regulation does not restate fine amounts. What it sets out is procedure, and that procedure is what actually determines whether a provider ends up facing a penalty at all.

Article 27 requires the Institution to notify a provider of a violation and give a defined window to correct it before any penalty applies. Article 28 sets out a formal grievance process, and Article 29 establishes a dedicated Complaints Committee to hear disputes from both providers and their clients. That structure has not changed in substance from before. What has changed is everything upstream of it, the licensing categories, the timelines, and the obligations a provider needs to meet, which is what determines whether a violation happens at all.

How Secure Track helps businesses stay SIRA compliant

 

At Secure Track, our SIRA and ADMCC approved CCTV and access control work sits under the trading, installation and maintenance, and manufacture and assembly categories this regulation defines. We reviewed our own licensing against the new text rather than assuming nothing changed, and we build client installations to hold up against the same standard.

If you are a client engaging a provider rather than a provider yourself, the same logic applies from the other side. A vendor’s SIRA approval Dubai requires is not a fact that stays true indefinitely once checked. Confirming which of the 23 categories a vendor is actually licensed under, rather than assuming a general security license covers everything they do, is a reasonable and specific question to ask before signing. If you want to compare notes on where your own compliance stands, get in touch.

Frequently asked questions about SIRA license Dubai and SIRA approval Dubai

 

What is a SIRA security license?

A SIRA security license is the authorization SIRA issues under Law No. 12 of 2016 for a company or individual to operate in the private security industry in Dubai. Under the 2026 regulation, companies are licensed under one or more of 23 specific activity categories in Article 3, and individuals under one of 18 role based categories in Article 10.

How many SIRA license Dubai categories exist for companies?

Twenty three. Article 3 of the 2026 regulation lists them individually, covering everything from trading and installation of security devices to guarding, consultancy, training, vehicle tracking, and safe storage.

How long is a SIRA security license valid before renewal?

A company license is valid for one year and an individual license for two years, both renewable, with renewal applications due at least 30 days before expiry.

What happens if my company operates outside its licensed SIRA approval Dubai category?

The regulation treats each of the 23 company categories as distinct, so working outside the licensed category is treated as noncompliance. Article 27 requires the Institution to notify the provider and allow a defined window to correct it before a penalty applies.

Can a security company be penalized without any warning under the new regulation?

No. Article 27 sets a notice and cure period before any penalty is applied, and Article 28 sets out a formal grievance process, with a Complaints Committee under Article 29 to hear disputes from both providers and their clients.

Does the 23 category structure apply to CCTV and access control providers specifically?

Yes. A CCTV or access control provider typically needs coverage under trading, installation and maintenance, manufacture and assembly, or rental of security devices and equipment, depending on the exact scope of work.

Conclusion

 

The headline fact is simple: SIRA replaced its entire 2018 licensing regulation in 2026, and the structure underneath it, 23 company categories, 18 individual roles, tighter reporting windows, is not what most circulating guidance still describes. Whether you hold a SIRA security license, are applying for SIRA approval Dubai for the first time, or are checking a vendor’s SIRA license Dubai status before signing a contract, the categories and timelines above are the ones to check against, not the ones from three years ago.

If your own compliance has not been reviewed against the current text, talk to Secure Track about where it stands.