{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/9.1-138.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/9.1-138.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/9.1-138.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/9.1-138.html"}],"law_id":69682,"edition_id":1,"section_id":69682,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-138","catch_line":"Definitions","history":"1976, c. 737, \u00a7 54-729.27; 1977, c. 376, \u00a7 54.1-1900; 1980, c. 425, cc. 57, 779; 1988, c. 765; 1992, c. 578, \u00a7 9-183.1; 1994, cc. 45, 335, 810; 1995, c. 79; 1996, c. 541; 1997, c. 80; 1998, cc. 122, 807; 1999, c. 33; 2001, cc. 821, 844; 2003, c. 124; 2004, c. 470; 2005, c. 365; 2008, c. 638; 2009, c. 375; 2011, c. 263; 2017, c. 85.","full_text":"In addition to the definitions set forth in \u00a7 9.1-101, as used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Alarm respondent” means an individual who responds to the signal of an alarm for the purpose of detecting an intrusion of the home, business or property of the end user.\n\t\t“Armed” means a private security registrant who carries or has immediate access to a firearm in the performance of his duties.\n\t\t“Armed security officer” means a natural person employed to (i) safeguard and protect persons and property or (ii) deter theft, loss, or concealment of any tangible or intangible personal property on the premises he is contracted to protect, and who carries or has access to a firearm in the performance of his duties.\n\t\t“Armored car personnel” means persons who transport or offer to transport under armed security from one place to another, money, negotiable instruments or other valuables in a specially equipped motor vehicle with a high degree of security and certainty of delivery.\n\t\t“Business advertising material” means display advertisements in telephone directories, letterhead, business cards, local newspaper advertising, contracts, and any electronic medium, including the Internet, social media, and digital advertising.\n\t\t“Central station dispatcher” means an individual who monitors burglar alarm signal devices, burglar alarms or any other electrical, mechanical or electronic device used (i) to prevent or detect burglary, theft, shoplifting, pilferage or similar losses; (ii) to prevent or detect intrusion; or (iii) primarily to summon aid for other emergencies.\n\t\t“Certification” means the method of regulation indicating that qualified persons have met the minimum requirements as private security services training schools, private security services instructors, compliance agents, or certified detector canine handler examiners.\n\t\t“Compliance agent” means an individual who owns or is employed by a licensed private security services business to ensure the compliance of the private security services business with this title.\n\t\t“Computer or digital forensic services” means the use of highly specialized expertise for the recovery, authentication, and analysis of electronic data or computer usage.\n\t\t“Courier” means any armed person who transports or offers to transport from one place to another documents or other papers, negotiable or nonnegotiable instruments, or other small items of value that require expeditious services.\n\t\t“Detector canine” means any dog that detects drugs or explosives.\n\t\t“Detector canine handler” means any individual who uses a detector canine in the performance of private security duties.\n\t\t“Detector canine handler examiner” means any individual who examines the proficiency and reliability of detector canines and detector canine handlers in the detection of drugs or explosives.\n\t\t“Detector canine team” means the detector canine handler and his detector canine performing private security duties.\n\t\t“Electronic security business” means any person who engages in the business of or undertakes to (i) install, service, maintain, design or consult in the design of any electronic security equipment to an end user; (ii) respond to or cause a response to electronic security equipment for an end user; or (iii) have access to confidential information concerning the design, extent, status, password, contact list, or location of an end user’s electronic security equipment.\n\t\t“Electronic security employee” means an individual who is employed by an electronic security business in any capacity which may give him access to information concerning the design, extent, status, password, contact list, or location of an end user’s electronic security equipment.\n\t\t“Electronic security equipment” means (i) electronic or mechanical alarm signaling devices including burglar alarms or holdup alarms used to safeguard and protect persons and property; or (ii) cameras used to detect intrusions, concealment or theft, to safeguard and protect persons and property. This shall not include tags, labels, and other devices that are attached or affixed to items offered for sale, library books, and other protected articles as part of an electronic article surveillance and theft detection and deterrence system.\n\t\t“Electronic security sales representative” means an individual who sells electronic security equipment on behalf of an electronic security business to the end user.\n\t\t“Electronic security technician” means an individual who installs, services, maintains or repairs electronic security equipment.\n\t\t“Electronic security technician’s assistant” means an individual who works as a laborer under the supervision of the electronic security technician in the course of his normal duties, but who may not make connections to any electronic security equipment.\n\t\t“Employed” means to be in an employer\/employee relationship where the employee is providing work in exchange for compensation and the employer directly controls the employee’s conduct and pays some taxes on behalf of the employee. The term “employed” shall not be construed to include independent contractors.\n\t\t“End user” means any person who purchases or leases electronic security equipment for use in that person’s home or business.\n\t\t“Firearms training verification” means the verification of successful completion of either initial or retraining requirements for handgun or shotgun training, or both.\n\t\t“General public” means individuals who have access to areas open to all and not restricted to any particular class of the community.\n\t\t“Key cutting” means making duplicate keys from an existing key and includes no other locksmith services.\n\t\t“License number” means the official number issued to a private security services business licensed by the Department.\n\t\t“Locksmith” means any individual that performs locksmith services, or advertises or represents to the general public that the individual is a locksmith even if the specific term locksmith is substituted with any other term by which a reasonable person could construe that the individual possesses special skills relating to locks or locking devices, including use of the words lock technician, lockman, safe technician, safeman, boxman, unlocking technician, lock installer, lock opener, physical security technician or similar descriptions.\n\t\t“Locksmith services” mean selling, servicing, rebuilding, repairing, rekeying, repinning, changing the combination to an electronic or mechanical locking device; programming either keys to a device or the device to accept electronic controlled keys; originating keys for locks or copying keys; adjusting or installing locks or deadbolts, mechanical or electronic locking devices, egress control devices, safes, and vaults; opening, defeating or bypassing locks or latching mechanisms in a manner other than intended by the manufacturer; with or without compensation for the general public or on property not his own nor under his own control or authority.\n\t\t“Natural person” means an individual person.\n\t\t“Personal protection specialist” means any individual who engages in the duties of providing close protection from bodily harm to any person.\n\t\t“Private investigator” means any individual who engages in the business of, or accepts employment to make, investigations to obtain information on (i) crimes or civil wrongs; (ii) the location, disposition, or recovery of stolen property; (iii) the cause of accidents, fires, damages, or injuries to persons or to property; or (iv) evidence to be used before any court, board, officer, or investigative committee.\n\t\t“Private security services business” means any person engaged in the business of providing, or who undertakes to provide, armored car personnel, security officers, personal protection specialists, private investigators, couriers, security canine handlers, security canine teams, detector canine handlers, detector canine teams, alarm respondents, locksmiths, central station dispatchers, electronic security employees, electronic security sales representatives or electronic security technicians and their assistants to another person under contract, express or implied.\n\t\t“Private security services instructor” means any individual certified by the Department to provide mandated instruction in private security subjects for a certified private security services training school.\n\t\t“Private security services registrant” means any qualified individual who has met the requirements under this article to perform the duties of alarm respondent, locksmith, armored car personnel, central station dispatcher, courier, electronic security sales representative, electronic security technician, electronic security technician’s assistant, personal protection specialist, private investigator, security canine handler, detector canine handler, unarmed security officer or armed security officer.\n\t\t“Private security services training school” means any person certified by the Department to provide instruction in private security subjects for the training of private security services business personnel in accordance with this article.\n\t\t“Registration” means a method of regulation whereby certain personnel employed by a private security services business are required to register with the Department pursuant to this article.\n\t\t“Registration category” means any one of the following categories: (i) unarmed security officer and armed security officer\/courier, (ii) security canine handler, (iii) armored car personnel, (iv) private investigator, (v) personal protection specialist, (vi) alarm respondent, (vii) central station dispatcher, (viii) electronic security sales representative, (ix) electronic security technician, (x) electronic technician’s assistant, (xi) detector canine handler, or (xii) locksmith.\n\t\t“Security canine” means a dog that has attended, completed, and been certified as a security canine by a certified security canine handler instructor in accordance with approved Department procedures and certification guidelines. “Security canines” shall not include detector dogs.\n\t\t“Security canine handler” means any individual who utilizes his security canine in the performance of private security duties.\n\t\t“Security canine team” means the security canine handler and his security canine performing private security duties.\n\t\t“Supervisor” means any individual who directly or indirectly supervises registered or certified private security services business personnel.\n\t\t“Unarmed security officer” means a natural person who performs the functions of observation, detection, reporting, or notification of appropriate authorities or designated agents regarding persons or property on the premises he is contracted to protect, and who does not carry or have access to a firearm in the performance of his duties.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":251904,"text":"In addition to the definitions set forth in \u00a7 9.1-101, as used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Alarm respondent” means an individual who responds to the signal of an alarm for the purpose of detecting an intrusion of the home, business or property of the end user.\n\t\t“Armed” means a private security registrant who carries or has immediate access to a firearm in the performance of his duties.\n\t\t“Armed security officer” means a natural person employed to (i) safeguard and protect persons and property or (ii) deter theft, loss, or concealment of any tangible or intangible personal property on the premises he is contracted to protect, and who carries or has access to a firearm in the performance of his duties.\n\t\t“Armored car personnel” means persons who transport or offer to transport under armed security from one place to another, money, negotiable instruments or other valuables in a specially equipped motor vehicle with a high degree of security and certainty of delivery.\n\t\t“Business advertising material” means display advertisements in telephone directories, letterhead, business cards, local newspaper advertising, contracts, and any electronic medium, including the Internet, social media, and digital advertising.\n\t\t“Central station dispatcher” means an individual who monitors burglar alarm signal devices, burglar alarms or any other electrical, mechanical or electronic device used (i) to prevent or detect burglary, theft, shoplifting, pilferage or similar losses; (ii) to prevent or detect intrusion; or (iii) primarily to summon aid for other emergencies.\n\t\t“Certification” means the method of regulation indicating that qualified persons have met the minimum requirements as private security services training schools, private security services instructors, compliance agents, or certified detector canine handler examiners.\n\t\t“Compliance agent” means an individual who owns or is employed by a licensed private security services business to ensure the compliance of the private security services business with this title.\n\t\t“Computer or digital forensic services” means the use of highly specialized expertise for the recovery, authentication, and analysis of electronic data or computer usage.\n\t\t“Courier” means any armed person who transports or offers to transport from one place to another documents or other papers, negotiable or nonnegotiable instruments, or other small items of value that require expeditious services.\n\t\t“Detector canine” means any dog that detects drugs or explosives.\n\t\t“Detector canine handler” means any individual who uses a detector canine in the performance of private security duties.\n\t\t“Detector canine handler examiner” means any individual who examines the proficiency and reliability of detector canines and detector canine handlers in the detection of drugs or explosives.\n\t\t“Detector canine team” means the detector canine handler and his detector canine performing private security duties.\n\t\t“Electronic security business” means any person who engages in the business of or undertakes to (i) install, service, maintain, design or consult in the design of any electronic security equipment to an end user; (ii) respond to or cause a response to electronic security equipment for an end user; or (iii) have access to confidential information concerning the design, extent, status, password, contact list, or location of an end user’s electronic security equipment.\n\t\t“Electronic security employee” means an individual who is employed by an electronic security business in any capacity which may give him access to information concerning the design, extent, status, password, contact list, or location of an end user’s electronic security equipment.\n\t\t“Electronic security equipment” means (i) electronic or mechanical alarm signaling devices including burglar alarms or holdup alarms used to safeguard and protect persons and property; or (ii) cameras used to detect intrusions, concealment or theft, to safeguard and protect persons and property. This shall not include tags, labels, and other devices that are attached or affixed to items offered for sale, library books, and other protected articles as part of an electronic article surveillance and theft detection and deterrence system.\n\t\t“Electronic security sales representative” means an individual who sells electronic security equipment on behalf of an electronic security business to the end user.\n\t\t“Electronic security technician” means an individual who installs, services, maintains or repairs electronic security equipment.\n\t\t“Electronic security technician’s assistant” means an individual who works as a laborer under the supervision of the electronic security technician in the course of his normal duties, but who may not make connections to any electronic security equipment.\n\t\t“Employed” means to be in an employer\/employee relationship where the employee is providing work in exchange for compensation and the employer directly controls the employee’s conduct and pays some taxes on behalf of the employee. The term “employed” shall not be construed to include independent contractors.\n\t\t“End user” means any person who purchases or leases electronic security equipment for use in that person’s home or business.\n\t\t“Firearms training verification” means the verification of successful completion of either initial or retraining requirements for handgun or shotgun training, or both.\n\t\t“General public” means individuals who have access to areas open to all and not restricted to any particular class of the community.\n\t\t“Key cutting” means making duplicate keys from an existing key and includes no other locksmith services.\n\t\t“License number” means the official number issued to a private security services business licensed by the Department.\n\t\t“Locksmith” means any individual that performs locksmith services, or advertises or represents to the general public that the individual is a locksmith even if the specific term locksmith is substituted with any other term by which a reasonable person could construe that the individual possesses special skills relating to locks or locking devices, including use of the words lock technician, lockman, safe technician, safeman, boxman, unlocking technician, lock installer, lock opener, physical security technician or similar descriptions.\n\t\t“Locksmith services” mean selling, servicing, rebuilding, repairing, rekeying, repinning, changing the combination to an electronic or mechanical locking device; programming either keys to a device or the device to accept electronic controlled keys; originating keys for locks or copying keys; adjusting or installing locks or deadbolts, mechanical or electronic locking devices, egress control devices, safes, and vaults; opening, defeating or bypassing locks or latching mechanisms in a manner other than intended by the manufacturer; with or without compensation for the general public or on property not his own nor under his own control or authority.\n\t\t“Natural person” means an individual person.\n\t\t“Personal protection specialist” means any individual who engages in the duties of providing close protection from bodily harm to any person.\n\t\t“Private investigator” means any individual who engages in the business of, or accepts employment to make, investigations to obtain information on (i) crimes or civil wrongs; (ii) the location, disposition, or recovery of stolen property; (iii) the cause of accidents, fires, damages, or injuries to persons or to property; or (iv) evidence to be used before any court, board, officer, or investigative committee.\n\t\t“Private security services business” means any person engaged in the business of providing, or who undertakes to provide, armored car personnel, security officers, personal protection specialists, private investigators, couriers, security canine handlers, security canine teams, detector canine handlers, detector canine teams, alarm respondents, locksmiths, central station dispatchers, electronic security employees, electronic security sales representatives or electronic security technicians and their assistants to another person under contract, express or implied.\n\t\t“Private security services instructor” means any individual certified by the Department to provide mandated instruction in private security subjects for a certified private security services training school.\n\t\t“Private security services registrant” means any qualified individual who has met the requirements under this article to perform the duties of alarm respondent, locksmith, armored car personnel, central station dispatcher, courier, electronic security sales representative, electronic security technician, electronic security technician’s assistant, personal protection specialist, private investigator, security canine handler, detector canine handler, unarmed security officer or armed security officer.\n\t\t“Private security services training school” means any person certified by the Department to provide instruction in private security subjects for the training of private security services business personnel in accordance with this article.\n\t\t“Registration” means a method of regulation whereby certain personnel employed by a private security services business are required to register with the Department pursuant to this article.\n\t\t“Registration category” means any one of the following categories: (i) unarmed security officer and armed security officer\/courier, (ii) security canine handler, (iii) armored car personnel, (iv) private investigator, (v) personal protection specialist, (vi) alarm respondent, (vii) central station dispatcher, (viii) electronic security sales representative, (ix) electronic security technician, (x) electronic technician’s assistant, (xi) detector canine handler, or (xii) locksmith.\n\t\t“Security canine” means a dog that has attended, completed, and been certified as a security canine by a certified security canine handler instructor in accordance with approved Department procedures and certification guidelines. “Security canines” shall not include detector dogs.\n\t\t“Security canine handler” means any individual who utilizes his security canine in the performance of private security duties.\n\t\t“Security canine team” means the security canine handler and his security canine performing private security duties.\n\t\t“Supervisor” means any individual who directly or indirectly supervises registered or certified private security services business personnel.\n\t\t“Unarmed security officer” means a natural person who performs the functions of observation, detection, reporting, or notification of appropriate authorities or designated agents regarding persons or property on the premises he is contracted to protect, and who does not carry or have access to a firearm in the performance of his duties.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14163,"edition_id":1,"name":"Private Security Services Businesses","identifier":"4","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12897,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:05","permalink":{"id":284871,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14163,"identifier":"4","token":"9.1\/1\/4","url":"\/9.1\/1\/4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12897,"edition_id":1,"name":"Department of Criminal Justice Services","identifier":"1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12896,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:59","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:59","permalink":{"id":284489,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12897,"identifier":"1","token":"9.1\/1","url":"\/9.1\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12896,"edition_id":1,"name":"Commonwealth Public Safety","identifier":"9.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:59","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:59","permalink":{"id":284487,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12896,"identifier":"9.1","token":"9.1","url":"\/9.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":69682,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-138","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/9.1-138\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-138","metadata":false},{"id":63110,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-139","catch_line":"Licensing, certification, and registration required; qualifications; temporary licenses","url":"\/9.1-139\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-139","metadata":false},{"id":68663,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-140","catch_line":"Exceptions from article; training requirements for out-of-state central station dispatchers","url":"\/9.1-140\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-140","metadata":false},{"id":55329,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-140.01","catch_line":"Exemption from training requirements; central station dispatchers employed by central stations certified by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory","url":"\/9.1-140.01\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-140.01","metadata":false},{"id":78631,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-140.1","catch_line":"Registration; waiver of examination; locksmiths","url":"\/9.1-140.1\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-140.1","metadata":false},{"id":80366,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-141","catch_line":"Powers of Board relating to private security services business","url":"\/9.1-141\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-141","metadata":false},{"id":75892,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-142","catch_line":"Powers of Department relating to private security services businesses","url":"\/9.1-142\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-142","metadata":false},{"id":68760,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-143","catch_line":"Private Security Services Advisory Board; membership","url":"\/9.1-143\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-143","metadata":false},{"id":79924,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-144","catch_line":"Insurance required","url":"\/9.1-144\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-144","metadata":false},{"id":59393,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-145","catch_line":"Fingerprints required; penalty","url":"\/9.1-145\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-145","metadata":false},{"id":71626,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-146","catch_line":"Limitation on powers of registered armed security officers","url":"\/9.1-146\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-146","metadata":false},{"id":63070,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-147","catch_line":"Unlawful conduct generally; penalty","url":"\/9.1-147\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-147","metadata":false},{"id":80236,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-148","catch_line":"Unlawful procurement of a license; penalty","url":"\/9.1-148\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-148","metadata":false},{"id":67420,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-149","catch_line":"Unlicensed activity prohibited; penalty","url":"\/9.1-149\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-149","metadata":false},{"id":60196,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-149.1","catch_line":"Unlawful advertisement for regulated services; notice; penalty","url":"\/9.1-149.1\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-149.1","metadata":false},{"id":78865,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-150","catch_line":"Monetary penalty","url":"\/9.1-150\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-150","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":63110,"structure_id":14163,"section_number":"9.1-139","catch_line":"Licensing, certification, and registration required; qualifications; temporary licenses","url":"\/9.1-139\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-139","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/9.1-138\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1976. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 737 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1976 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 18 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1977, chapter 376; in 1980, chapter 425; in 1988, chapter 765; in 1992, chapter 578; in 1994, chapters 45<\/a>, 335<\/a>, and 810<\/a>; in 1995, chapter 79<\/a>; in 1996, chapter 541<\/a>; in 1997, chapter 80<\/a>; in 1998, chapters 122<\/a> and 807<\/a>; in 1999, chapter 33<\/a>; in 2001, chapters 821<\/a> and 844<\/a>; in 2003, chapter 124<\/a>; in 2004, chapter 470<\/a>; in 2005, chapter 365<\/a>; in 2008, chapter 638<\/a>; in 2009, chapter 375<\/a>; in 2011, chapter 263<\/a>; in 2017, chapter 85<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":58832,"section_number":"18.2-308.1","catch_line":"Possession of firearm, stun weapon, or other weapon on school property prohibited; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-308.1\/"},{"id":54485,"section_number":"18.2-60.3","catch_line":"Stalking; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-60.3\/"},{"id":68255,"section_number":"18.2-60.5","catch_line":"Unauthorized use of electronic tracking device; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-60.5\/"},{"id":72961,"section_number":"19.2-13","catch_line":"Special conservators of the peace; authority; jurisdiction; registration; liability of employers; penalty; report","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-13\/"},{"id":77912,"section_number":"2.2-3705.3","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Exclusions to application of chapter; records relating to administrative investigations","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-3705.3\/"},{"id":78956,"section_number":"22.1-289.046","catch_line":"Regulations for child day programs and family day systems","order_by":null,"url":"\/22.1-289.046\/"},{"id":85362,"section_number":"23.1-3127","catch_line":"Powers of the board","order_by":null,"url":"\/23.1-3127\/"},{"id":56096,"section_number":"24.2-604","catch_line":"Polling places; prohibited activities; prohibited area; penalties","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-604\/"},{"id":63223,"section_number":"24.2-671","catch_line":"Electoral board to meet and ascertain results; conclusiveness of results","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-671\/"},{"id":60616,"section_number":"24.2-802.1","catch_line":"Preliminary hearing; court to fix procedure for recount, appoint officers, and supervise the recount","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-802.1\/"},{"id":70949,"section_number":"46.2-1052","catch_line":"Tinting films, signs, decals, and stickers on windshields, etc.; penalties","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-1052\/"},{"id":75640,"section_number":"46.2-1243","catch_line":"Enforcement by private security guards in certain localities","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-1243\/"},{"id":59691,"section_number":"46.2-208","catch_line":"Records of Department; when open for inspection; release of privileged information","order_by":null,"url":"\/46.2-208\/"},{"id":86599,"section_number":"54.1-1103","catch_line":"Necessity for license; requirements for water well drillers and landscape irrigation contractors; exemption","order_by":null,"url":"\/54.1-1103\/"},{"id":73880,"section_number":"59.1-335.2","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/59.1-335.2\/"},{"id":54198,"section_number":"9.1-102","catch_line":"Powers and duties of the Board and the Department","order_by":null,"url":"\/9.1-102\/"},{"id":68663,"section_number":"9.1-140","catch_line":"Exceptions from article; training requirements for out-of-state central station dispatchers","order_by":null,"url":"\/9.1-140\/"},{"id":80366,"section_number":"9.1-141","catch_line":"Powers of Board relating to private security services business","order_by":null,"url":"\/9.1-141\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":73488,"section_number":"9.1-101","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/9.1-101\/"}],"permalink":{"id":284873,"object_type":"law","relational_id":69682,"identifier":"9.1-138","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-138","url":"\/9.1-138\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/9.1-138\/","token":"9.1\/1\/4\/9.1-138","dublin_core":{"Title":"Definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 9.1-138","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

In addition to the definitions set forth in \u00a7 9.1-101<\/a>, as used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Alarm respondent<\/span>” means an individual who responds to the signal of an alarm for the purpose of detecting an intrusion of the home, business or property of the end user<\/span>.\n\t\t“Armed” means a private security registrant who carries or has immediate access to a firearm in the performance of his duties.\n\t\t“Armed security officer<\/span>” means a natural person<\/span> employed<\/span> to (i) safeguard and protect persons and property or (ii) deter theft, loss, or concealment of any tangible or intangible personal property on the premises he is contracted to protect, and who carries or has access to a firearm in the performance of his duties.\n\t\t“Armored car personnel<\/span>” means persons who transport or offer to transport under armed security from one place to another, money, negotiable instruments or other valuables in a specially equipped motor vehicle with a high degree of security and certainty of delivery.\n\t\t“Business advertising material<\/span>” means display advertisements in telephone directories, letterhead, business cards, local newspaper advertising, contracts<\/span>, and any electronic medium, including the Internet, social media, and digital advertising.\n\t\t“Central station dispatcher<\/span>” means an individual who monitors burglar alarm signal devices, burglar alarms or any other electrical, mechanical or electronic device used (i) to prevent or detect burglary<\/span>, theft, shoplifting<\/span>, pilferage or similar losses; (ii) to prevent or detect intrusion; or (iii) primarily to summon aid for other emergencies.\n\t\t“Certification<\/span>” means the method of regulation indicating that qualified persons have met the minimum requirements as private security services training schools<\/span>, private security services instructors<\/span>, compliance agents<\/span>, or certified detector canine handler<\/span> examiners<\/span>.\n\t\t“Compliance agent<\/span>” means an individual who owns or is employed<\/span> by a licensed private security services business<\/span> to ensure the compliance of the private security services business<\/span> with this title.\n\t\t“Computer or digital forensic services<\/span>” means the use of highly specialized expertise for the recovery, authentication, and analysis of electronic data or computer usage.\n\t\t“Courier<\/span>” means any armed person who transports or offers to transport from one place to another documents or other papers, negotiable or nonnegotiable instruments, or other small items of value that require expeditious services.\n\t\t“Detector canine” means any dog that detects drugs or explosives.\n\t\t“Detector canine handler<\/span>” means any individual who uses a detector canine in the performance of private security duties.\n\t\t“Detector canine handler<\/span> examiner<\/span>” means any individual who examines the proficiency and reliability of detector canines<\/span> and detector canine handlers<\/span> in the detection of drugs or explosives.\n\t\t“Detector canine team<\/span>” means the detector canine handler<\/span> and his detector canine performing private security duties.\n\t\t“Electronic security business<\/span>” means any person who engages in the business of or undertakes to (i) install, service, maintain, design or consult in the design of any electronic security equipment<\/span> to an end user<\/span>; (ii) respond to or cause a response to electronic security equipment<\/span> for an end user<\/span>; or (iii) have access to confidential information concerning the design, extent, status, password, contact list, or location of an end user<\/span>’s electronic security equipment<\/span>.\n\t\t“Electronic security employee<\/span>” means an individual who is employed<\/span> by an electronic security business<\/span> in any capacity which may give him access to information concerning the design, extent, status, password, contact list, or location of an end user<\/span>’s electronic security equipment<\/span>.\n\t\t“Electronic security equipment<\/span>” means (i) electronic or mechanical alarm signaling devices including burglar alarms or holdup alarms used to safeguard and protect persons and property; or (ii) cameras used to detect intrusions, concealment or theft, to safeguard and protect persons and property. This shall not include tags, labels, and other devices that are attached or affixed to items offered for sale, library books, and other protected articles as part of an electronic article surveillance and theft detection and deterrence system.\n\t\t“Electronic security sales representative<\/span>” means an individual who sells electronic security equipment<\/span> on behalf of an electronic security business<\/span> to the end user<\/span>.\n\t\t“Electronic security technician<\/span>” means an individual who installs, services, maintains or repairs electronic security equipment<\/span>.\n\t\t“Electronic security technician<\/span>’s assistant” means an individual who works as a laborer under the supervision of the electronic security technician<\/span> in the course of his normal duties, but who may not make connections to any electronic security equipment<\/span>.\n\t\t“Employed<\/span>” means to be in an employer\/employee relationship where the employee is providing work in exchange for compensation and the employer directly controls the employee’s conduct and pays some taxes on behalf of the employee. The term “employed<\/span>” shall not be construed to include independent contractors.\n\t\t“End user<\/span>” means any person who purchases or leases electronic security equipment<\/span> for use in that person’s home or business.\n\t\t“Firearms training verification<\/span>” means the verification of successful completion of either initial or retraining requirements for handgun or shotgun training, or both.\n\t\t“General public<\/span>” means individuals who have access to areas open to all and not restricted to any particular class of the community.\n\t\t“Key cutting<\/span>” means making duplicate keys from an existing key and includes no other locksmith services<\/span>.\n\t\t“License number<\/span>” means the official number issued to a private security services business<\/span> licensed by the Department<\/span>.\n\t\t“Locksmith” means any individual that performs locksmith services<\/span>, or advertises or represents to the general public<\/span> that the individual is a locksmith even if the specific term locksmith is substituted with any other term by which a reasonable person could construe<\/span> that the individual possesses special skills relating to locks or locking devices, including use of the words lock technician, lockman, safe technician, safeman, boxman, unlocking technician, lock installer, lock opener, physical security technician or similar descriptions.\n\t\t“Locksmith services<\/span>” mean selling, servicing, rebuilding, repairing, rekeying, repinning, changing the combination to an electronic or mechanical locking device; programming either keys to a device or the device to accept electronic controlled keys; originating keys for locks or copying keys; adjusting or installing locks or deadbolts, mechanical or electronic locking devices, egress control devices, safes, and vaults; opening, defeating or bypassing locks or latching mechanisms in a manner other than intended by the manufacturer; with or without compensation for the general public<\/span> or on property not his own nor under his own control or authority.\n\t\t“Natural person<\/span>” means an individual person.\n\t\t“Personal protection specialist<\/span>” means any individual who engages in the duties of providing close protection from bodily harm to any person.\n\t\t“Private investigator<\/span>” means any individual who engages in the business of, or accepts employment to make, investigations to obtain information on (i) crimes<\/span> or civil wrongs; (ii) the location, disposition<\/span>, or recovery of stolen property; (iii) the cause of accidents, fires, damages<\/span>, or injuries to persons or to property; or (iv) evidence<\/span> to be used before any court<\/span>, board<\/span>, officer, or investigative committee.\n\t\t“Private security services business<\/span>” means any person engaged in the business of providing, or who undertakes to provide, armored car personnel<\/span>, security officers, personal protection specialists<\/span>, private investigators<\/span>, couriers<\/span>, security canine handlers<\/span>, security canine teams<\/span>, detector canine handlers<\/span>, detector canine teams<\/span>, alarm respondents<\/span>, locksmiths<\/span>, central station dispatchers<\/span>, electronic security employees<\/span>, electronic security sales representatives<\/span> or electronic security technicians<\/span> and their assistants to another person under contract<\/span>, express or implied.\n\t\t“Private security services instructor<\/span>” means any individual certified by the Department<\/span> to provide mandated instruction in private security subjects for a certified private security services training school<\/span>.\n\t\t“Private security services registrant<\/span>” means any qualified individual who has met the requirements under this article to perform the duties of alarm respondent<\/span>, locksmith, armored car personnel<\/span>, central station dispatcher<\/span>, courier<\/span>, electronic security sales representative<\/span>, electronic security technician<\/span>, electronic security technician<\/span>’s assistant, personal protection specialist<\/span>, private investigator<\/span>, security canine handler<\/span>, detector canine handler<\/span>, unarmed security officer<\/span> or armed security officer<\/span>.\n\t\t“Private security services training school<\/span>” means any person certified by the Department<\/span> to provide instruction in private security subjects for the training of private security services business<\/span> personnel in accordance with this article.\n\t\t“Registration” means a method of regulation whereby certain personnel employed<\/span> by a private security services business<\/span> are required to register with the Department<\/span> pursuant to this article.\n\t\t“Registration category<\/span>” means any one of the following categories: (i) unarmed security officer<\/span> and armed security officer<\/span>\/courier<\/span>, (ii) security canine handler<\/span>, (iii) armored car personnel<\/span>, (iv) private investigator<\/span>, (v) personal protection specialist<\/span>, (vi) alarm respondent<\/span>, (vii) central station dispatcher<\/span>, (viii) electronic security sales representative<\/span>, (ix) electronic security technician<\/span>, (x) electronic technician’s assistant, (xi) detector canine handler<\/span>, or (xii) locksmith.\n\t\t“Security canine” means a dog that has attended, completed, and been certified as a security canine by a certified security canine handler<\/span> instructor in accordance with approved Department<\/span> procedures and certification<\/span> guidelines. “Security canines<\/span><\/span>” shall not include detector dogs.\n\t\t“Security canine handler<\/span>” means any individual who utilizes his security canine in the performance of private security duties.\n\t\t“Security canine team<\/span>” means the security canine handler<\/span> and his security canine performing private security duties.\n\t\t“Supervisor<\/span>” means any individual who directly or indirectly supervises registered or certified private security services business<\/span> personnel.\n\t\t“Unarmed security officer<\/span>” means a natural person<\/span> who performs the functions of observation, detection, reporting, or notification of appropriate authorities or designated agents regarding persons or property on the premises he is contracted to protect, and who does not carry or have access to a firearm in the performance of his duties.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDEFINITIONS (\u00a7 9.1-138)\n\nIn addition to the definitions set forth in \u00a7 9.1-101, as used in this article,\nunless the context requires a different meaning:\n\t\t“Alarm respondent” means an individual who responds to the signal\nof an alarm for the purpose of detecting an intrusion of the home, business or\nproperty of the end user.\n\t\t“Armed” means a private security registrant who carries or has\nimmediate access to a firearm in the performance of his duties.\n\t\t“Armed security officer” means a natural person employed to (i)\nsafeguard and protect persons and property or (ii) deter theft, loss, or\nconcealment of any tangible or intangible personal property on the premises he\nis contracted to protect, and who carries or has access to a firearm in the\nperformance of his duties.\n\t\t“Armored car personnel” means persons who transport or offer to\ntransport under armed security from one place to another, money, negotiable\ninstruments or other valuables in a specially equipped motor vehicle with a high\ndegree of security and certainty of delivery.\n\t\t“Business advertising material” means display advertisements in\ntelephone directories, letterhead, business cards, local newspaper advertising,\ncontracts, and any electronic medium, including the Internet, social media, and\ndigital advertising.\n\t\t“Central station dispatcher” means an individual who monitors\nburglar alarm signal devices, burglar alarms or any other electrical, mechanical\nor electronic device used (i) to prevent or detect burglary, theft, shoplifting,\npilferage or similar losses; (ii) to prevent or detect intrusion; or (iii)\nprimarily to summon aid for other emergencies.\n\t\t“Certification” means the method of regulation indicating that\nqualified persons have met the minimum requirements as private security services\ntraining schools, private security services instructors, compliance agents, or\ncertified detector canine handler examiners.\n\t\t“Compliance agent” means an individual who owns or is employed by\na licensed private security services business to ensure the compliance of the\nprivate security services business with this title.\n\t\t“Computer or digital forensic services” means the use of highly\nspecialized expertise for the recovery, authentication, and analysis of\nelectronic data or computer usage.\n\t\t“Courier” means any armed person who transports or offers to\ntransport from one place to another documents or other papers, negotiable or\nnonnegotiable instruments, or other small items of value that require\nexpeditious services.\n\t\t“Detector canine” means any dog that detects drugs or explosives.\n\t\t“Detector canine handler” means any individual who uses a detector\ncanine in the performance of private security duties.\n\t\t“Detector canine handler examiner” means any individual who\nexamines the proficiency and reliability of detector canines and detector canine\nhandlers in the detection of drugs or explosives.\n\t\t“Detector canine team” means the detector canine handler and his\ndetector canine performing private security duties.\n\t\t“Electronic security business” means any person who engages in the\nbusiness of or undertakes to (i) install, service, maintain, design or consult\nin the design of any electronic security equipment to an end user; (ii) respond\nto or cause a response to electronic security equipment for an end user; or\n(iii) have access to confidential information concerning the design, extent,\nstatus, password, contact list, or location of an end user’s electronic\nsecurity equipment.\n\t\t“Electronic security employee” means an individual who is employed\nby an electronic security business in any capacity which may give him access to\ninformation concerning the design, extent, status, password, contact list, or\nlocation of an end user’s electronic security equipment.\n\t\t“Electronic security equipment” means (i) electronic or mechanical\nalarm signaling devices including burglar alarms or holdup alarms used to\nsafeguard and protect persons and property; or (ii) cameras used to detect\nintrusions, concealment or theft, to safeguard and protect persons and property.\nThis shall not include tags, labels, and other devices that are attached or\naffixed to items offered for sale, library books, and other protected articles\nas part of an electronic article surveillance and theft detection and deterrence\nsystem.\n\t\t“Electronic security sales representative” means an individual who\nsells electronic security equipment on behalf of an electronic security business\nto the end user.\n\t\t“Electronic security technician” means an individual who installs,\nservices, maintains or repairs electronic security equipment.\n\t\t“Electronic security technician’s assistant” means an\nindividual who works as a laborer under the supervision of the electronic\nsecurity technician in the course of his normal duties, but who may not make\nconnections to any electronic security equipment.\n\t\t“Employed” means to be in an employer\/employee relationship where\nthe employee is providing work in exchange for compensation and the employer\ndirectly controls the employee’s conduct and pays some taxes on behalf of\nthe employee. The term “employed” shall not be construed to include\nindependent contractors.\n\t\t“End user” means any person who purchases or leases electronic\nsecurity equipment for use in that person’s home or business.\n\t\t“Firearms training verification” means the verification of\nsuccessful completion of either initial or retraining requirements for handgun\nor shotgun training, or both.\n\t\t“General public” means individuals who have access to areas open\nto all and not restricted to any particular class of the community.\n\t\t“Key cutting” means making duplicate keys from an existing key and\nincludes no other locksmith services.\n\t\t“License number” means the official number issued to a private\nsecurity services business licensed by the Department.\n\t\t“Locksmith” means any individual that performs locksmith services,\nor advertises or represents to the general public that the individual is a\nlocksmith even if the specific term locksmith is substituted with any other term\nby which a reasonable person could construe that the individual possesses\nspecial skills relating to locks or locking devices, including use of the words\nlock technician, lockman, safe technician, safeman, boxman, unlocking\ntechnician, lock installer, lock opener, physical security technician or similar\ndescriptions.\n\t\t“Locksmith services” mean selling, servicing, rebuilding,\nrepairing, rekeying, repinning, changing the combination to an electronic or\nmechanical locking device; programming either keys to a device or the device to\naccept electronic controlled keys; originating keys for locks or copying keys;\nadjusting or installing locks or deadbolts, mechanical or electronic locking\ndevices, egress control devices, safes, and vaults; opening, defeating or\nbypassing locks or latching mechanisms in a manner other than intended by the\nmanufacturer; with or without compensation for the general public or on property\nnot his own nor under his own control or authority.\n\t\t“Natural person” means an individual person.\n\t\t“Personal protection specialist” means any individual who engages\nin the duties of providing close protection from bodily harm to any person.\n\t\t“Private investigator” means any individual who engages in the\nbusiness of, or accepts employment to make, investigations to obtain information\non (i) crimes or civil wrongs; (ii) the location, disposition, or recovery of\nstolen property; (iii) the cause of accidents, fires, damages, or injuries to\npersons or to property; or (iv) evidence to be used before any court, board,\nofficer, or investigative committee.\n\t\t“Private security services business” means any person engaged in\nthe business of providing, or who undertakes to provide, armored car personnel,\nsecurity officers, personal protection specialists, private investigators,\ncouriers, security canine handlers, security canine teams, detector canine\nhandlers, detector canine teams, alarm respondents, locksmiths, central station\ndispatchers, electronic security employees, electronic security sales\nrepresentatives or electronic security technicians and their assistants to\nanother person under contract, express or implied.\n\t\t“Private security services instructor” means any individual\ncertified by the Department to provide mandated instruction in private security\nsubjects for a certified private security services training school.\n\t\t“Private security services registrant” means any qualified\nindividual who has met the requirements under this article to perform the duties\nof alarm respondent, locksmith, armored car personnel, central station\ndispatcher, courier, electronic security sales representative, electronic\nsecurity technician, electronic security technician’s assistant, personal\nprotection specialist, private investigator, security canine handler, detector\ncanine handler, unarmed security officer or armed security officer.\n\t\t“Private security services training school” means any person\ncertified by the Department to provide instruction in private security subjects\nfor the training of private security services business personnel in accordance\nwith this article.\n\t\t“Registration” means a method of regulation whereby certain\npersonnel employed by a private security services business are required to\nregister with the Department pursuant to this article.\n\t\t“Registration category” means any one of the following categories:\n(i) unarmed security officer and armed security officer\/courier, (ii) security\ncanine handler, (iii) armored car personnel, (iv) private investigator, (v)\npersonal protection specialist, (vi) alarm respondent, (vii) central station\ndispatcher, (viii) electronic security sales representative, (ix) electronic\nsecurity technician, (x) electronic technician’s assistant, (xi) detector\ncanine handler, or (xii) locksmith.\n\t\t“Security canine” means a dog that has attended, completed, and\nbeen certified as a security canine by a certified security canine handler\ninstructor in accordance with approved Department procedures and certification\nguidelines. “Security canines” shall not include detector dogs.\n\t\t“Security canine handler” means any individual who utilizes his\nsecurity canine in the performance of private security duties.\n\t\t“Security canine team” means the security canine handler and his\nsecurity canine performing private security duties.\n\t\t“Supervisor” means any individual who directly or indirectly\nsupervises registered or certified private security services business personnel.\n\t\t“Unarmed security officer” means a natural person who performs the\nfunctions of observation, detection, reporting, or notification of appropriate\nauthorities or designated agents regarding persons or property on the premises\nhe is contracted to protect, and who does not carry or have access to a firearm\nin the performance of his duties.\n\nHISTORY: 1976, c. 737, \u00a7 54-729.27; 1977, c. 376, \u00a7 54.1-1900; 1980, c. 425,\ncc. 57, 779; 1988, c. 765; 1992, c. 578, \u00a7 9-183.1; 1994, cc. 45, 335, 810;\n1995, c. 79; 1996, c. 541; 1997, c. 80; 1998, cc. 122, 807; 1999, c. 33; 2001,\ncc. 821, 844; 2003, c. 124; 2004, c. 470; 2005, c. 365; 2008, c. 638; 2009, c.\n375; 2011, c. 263; 2017, c. 85.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}