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Approved Contractor Scheme, prepared properly
Full ACS preparation for security businesses: eligibility, route selection, self-assessment workbook, evidence build and assessment readiness. Everything below is drawn from the SIA’s official published guidance, with links to the source.
Who needs it
UK security companies seeking Approved Contractor status or preparing for their annual ACS assessment. Whether it is your first application or you want a better score, we prepare your workbook and evidence properly. Before appointing any consultant, the SIA recommends contacting them first; we encourage that too.
What’s included
✓Eligibility review against SIA criteria
✓Route selection: standard or passport
✓ACS self-assessment workbook and report completion
✓Evidence build and policy gap fixes
✓Mock audit and assessment-day readiness
What the SIA checks
To become an approved contractor you must pass all of the SIA’s application checks. In summary:
Regulated services
EligibilityYou provide licensable private security services in the UK, under contract, and have done for at least 12 months, supplying at least two licensable operatives per activity you seek approval for.
Fit and proper
IntegrityThe SIA checks the identity, criminality, financial probity and integrity of the people running your business (the “controlling minds”).
Licensed directors and staff
LicensingAll directors (including non-executive and shadow directors) must hold a valid SIA licence, and every security operative you deploy must be licensed.
Source: SIA, Apply for ACS approval (GOV.UK). Use the eligibility self-check below for a quick indication.
The two routes to ACS approval
The SIA offers a standard route and a passport route. Either way involves one of the SIA’s approved assessing bodies. We help you choose the right route and prepare properly for it.
Standard route
- 1.Self-assess using the SIA’s ACS self-assessment workbook and report (including the 2025 and 2026 workbook updates).
- 2.Submit the ACS application form through your SIA online business account and pay the application fee.
- 3.The SIA processes your application and runs its checks.
- 4.If eligible, you arrange an assessment with your chosen assessing body. Do not proceed with an assessment until the SIA tells you to.
- 5.The assessor produces a report; the SIA reviews it and makes the approval decision. If approved, you pay the registration fee.
Passport route
- 1.Get certified through an SIA-accredited passport scheme. Currently the SIA accepts the NSI ACS Passport Scheme, covering security guarding, door supervision, key holding, CCTV, close protection, and cash and valuables in transit.
- 2.Submit the ACS application form with proof of certification and pay the application fee.
- 3.The SIA runs its checks and makes the approval decision. If approved, you pay the registration fee.
- Read the SIA’s guidance on the passport route →
SIA-approved assessing bodies
The SIA does not usually assess you directly. Assessments are carried out on its behalf by one of three approved assessing bodies:
SIA fees (from 1 June 2026)
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
Annual registration fee£25 per licensable individual deployed
You also pay assessment fees to your assessing body. Check current fees on GOV.UK →
ACS eligibility self-check
Answer the questions below, based on the SIA’s published eligibility criteria, to get an indication of whether your business could apply for ACS approval.
Your result
Not yet eligible
Tick each criterion that applies to your business. If several genuinely do not apply yet, ACS approval is likely premature; we can help you build towards it.
0 of 8 criteria confirmed
Talk it through with a consultantDisclaimer: this self-check is for guidance only and is not an official SIA assessment. It is based on the SIA’s published criteria; always rely on official SIA information. See Apply for ACS approval and the SIA’s Get Approved publication on GOV.UK. The SIA does not train, approve or endorse consultants, and responsibility for meeting ACS terms and conditions stays with your business.
How we work with you
1
Eligibility & route
Check you meet SIA criteria and pick standard or passport route.
2
Workbook & evidence
Complete the self-assessment workbook and close the gaps.
3
Mock audit
A dry run under real assessment conditions.
4
Assessment
Assessment-day support and follow-up actions.
Typical timescale: 2 to 4 months before your assessment date
Why choose SISQS consultants
Credibility you can check, not claims you have to take on trust.
4.9/5 from 380+ genuine reviews
Real customer reviews across vetting, ACS, inductions and support. Read them on the Reviews page; we never manufacture authority.
250+ contractors accredited
Accreditation outcomes across ACS, SSIP schemes and ISO standards, achieved with our support.
Positive feedback from industry assessors
Assessor feedback on client evidence packs we prepared. We say “feedback”, not “endorsement”: no assessor or regulator endorses consultants.
We work from the official sources
Our advice tracks the SIA, SSIP and certification-body publications, and we link you to them so you can verify everything yourself.
Consultancy plus platform
We are the only route where the consultant who prepared your evidence also gives you the system that maintains it year-round.
Straight answers on scope
If a standard does not apply to you, or a cheaper route exists, we say so. We distinguish Certified, Accredited, Aligned and Supported precisely.
Stay compliant afterwards
SISQS Audit maintains your ACS evidence year-round: one-click audit packs with vetting, training and induction records.
Frequently asked questions
No. The SIA does not train, approve or endorse consultants, and warns against anyone claiming special links or influence. We are transparent about that: our value is preparation quality, and responsibility for meeting ACS terms stays with your business.
Most score improvements come from evidence that exists but is not captured. We surface it, structure it and present it the way assessors expect.
The ACS self-assessment workbook, report and application forms are published free on GOV.UK. We link to them in the routes section above and work through them with you.
The SIA partners with the British Assessment Bureau, NSI and SSAIB. They may also advise on which route suits you. We help you compare and prepare for whichever you choose.
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★ 4.9/5 from 380+ genuine reviews · 500+ clients