Level 2 is the entry training required to work as a non-commissioned (unarmed) security officer in Texas. It is a 6-hour course regulated by the Texas Department of Public Safety Private Security Bureau (DPS PSB), and TPSTA offers it online for $50. Complete it, and you have the training you need to apply for your non-commissioned security officer registration and start working.
A non-commissioned officer is an unarmed guard - the person providing a security presence at a store, event, construction site, hospital, or gated community. Level 2 is where every security career in Texas begins, and it is the prerequisite for the armed Level 3 course.
Here is what the course covers, how long it takes, how licensing works, and what comes next.
What you'll learn
The Level 2 course is set by the DPS Private Security Bureau and covers the legal and practical basics every guard in Texas needs before working a post.
- The Texas Private Security Act and the rules that govern the industry
- The role, authority, and legal limits of a security officer
- Use of force basics and when it does and does not apply
- Field notes, incident reporting, and professional conduct
- Public relations and how to de-escalate on a post
Requirements to enroll
Level 2 has a low barrier to entry. You generally must be at least 18 and be able to pass the state background check that the Private Security Bureau runs as part of your registration. The course itself has no prerequisites - it is the starting point.
Certification
Level 2 is administered under the Texas DPS Private Security Bureau, the state agency that licenses the security industry. Completing the course gives you the training certificate you submit with your application for a non-commissioned security officer registration. That registration is what legally lets you work as an unarmed guard in Texas.
Cost and delivery
Tuition is just $50, and the course is delivered online so you can finish the 6 hours on your own schedule from anywhere in Texas. It is the fastest, cheapest way to get licensed and working in security.
What comes next
Level 2 is the required foundation for Level 3, the commissioned (armed) course. Officers who want to carry a firearm on duty, earn more, or move into personal protection start here and then ladder up through Level 3 and Level 4.
Frequently asked questions
Q. How much does Level 2 security training cost?
Q. How long is the Level 2 course?
Q. Is the course DPS Private Security Bureau approved?
Q. Do I need Level 2 before Level 3?
Q. Is the Level 2 course online?
Ready to get started?
Seats fill on a first-come basis. Apply now and a real person from the Bastrop team will follow up, usually within one business day.