If you already hold a Door Supervisor licence and want to renew it, current SIA rules require the appropriate refresher qualification. The refresher route exists to update licence holders on safety-critical knowledge and practical skills that may have changed since their original training.
Who needs Door Supervisor refresher training?
This page is primarily for existing Door Supervisor licence holders approaching renewal. Previous licence holders may also fall within a refresher route depending on their qualification and licence history and current SIA rules. If you are unsure whether you need a refresher or the full qualification, check before booking.
When should I book?
Do not leave refresher training until the final days before your licence expires. You need enough time to complete first aid if necessary, attend the refresher, pass the assessments and have the qualification processed before relying on it for renewal.
First aid is a prerequisite
Refresher learners must hold appropriate valid first-aid evidence before training begins. If your first aid has expired or does not meet the current requirement, book a suitable first-aid course first. Combined EFAW and refresher packages are useful because they put the steps in the correct order. First aid for SIA training
What does the refresher cover?
- Terror-threat awareness
- Searching knowledge
- Searching practical skills
- Keeping people in vulnerable situations safe
- Spiking awareness
- Physical-intervention knowledge
- Physical-intervention practical assessment
What happens in the practical assessment?
Refresher training is not just a short online knowledge update. Practical searching and physical-intervention elements must be completed as required by the qualification. Be prepared for active face-to-face assessment.
Refresher vs old top-up training
Older materials and provider websites may still refer to "top-up" training. The current SIA renewal framework uses refresher qualifications, and this site uses the current terminology.
What if my licence has already expired?
An expired licence does not automatically mean the same route applies in every case. The correct training depends on your licence and qualification history and current SIA rules. Before booking, check the SIA's current guidance, or contact the provider if your licence expired some time ago.
What happens after I pass?
Once the refresher qualification has been achieved and processed, you continue with the SIA renewal application, subject to the SIA's other checks and requirements. How to renew an SIA licence
SIA renewal fee
The SIA renewal application fee is currently £204, the same as a first-time application. Training costs are separate.
Refresher or the full course?
The refresher is a shorter update for people who already hold the licence. It is not a substitute for the full qualification if your circumstances put you outside the refresher route.
| Refresher | Full Door Supervisor | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Existing licence holders renewing | New entrants and those needing the current full qualification |
| Typical length | 1.5–2.5 days in person | 44 hrs over 6 days with self-study |
| First aid | Required before training | Required before training |
| Practical assessment | Searching and physical intervention | Full practical content |
| Leads to | Licence renewal | First-time licence application |
Timing your renewal
Work backwards from your expiry date rather than forwards from today. Allow time for: booking a place on a refresher that suits your shifts, completing first aid beforehand if your certificate has lapsed, attending the course, passing the assessments, the qualification being processed, and then the SIA processing your renewal application. Leaving all of that to the last fortnight is how licence holders end up unable to work.
If you hold more than one licence
Door Supervisor and Security Guard renewals each require the refresher for that category. If you hold both, check what each one needs and whether they can be sequenced together. Current SIA guidance also lets certain Close Protection licence holders take the Door Supervisor refresher route and switch category at renewal.
What the refresher does not do
The refresher updates safety-critical knowledge and practical skills. It does not renew your licence by itself, it does not replace your first-aid certificate, and it does not remove the SIA's checks. Once you hold the qualification you still submit a renewal application, pay the fee and wait for the SIA to process it.
Common renewal mistakes
- Booking the refresher a fortnight before expiry and discovering first aid has lapsed
- Assuming an online course satisfies the requirement, when practical assessment must be face to face
- Booking a refresher for the wrong licence category
- Forgetting that a resit, if needed, takes additional time
- Letting the SIA hold out-of-date contact details, so correspondence is missed
If your employer is arranging it
Many employers book refresher training in batches for their licensed staff. If yours does, confirm who holds the booking, which provider is delivering it, whether first aid is included and who receives the certificate. You remain responsible for your own licence and renewal application, even when the training is arranged for you. Training for employers
How to choose a course
Comparing listings is easier when you know what actually differs between them:
- Who is delivering it. The training centre should be named before you pay, never after.
- Which qualification and awarding organisation. Ask if a listing does not say.
- The real timetable. Daily start and finish times, and whether it runs on consecutive days, weekends or a mix.
- First-aid position. Included, available as an add-on, or must already be held.
- Total cost. Course fee, first aid if needed, travel, and the separate SIA application fee.
- Resit policy and results timescale. Both matter if you are working to a deadline.
- Cancellation terms. Yours and the provider's.
Treat guaranteed-pass promises, vagueness about the awarding organisation, and prices far below the market as reasons to look elsewhere.
What to bring
- Photo ID and any documents the provider asks for in your joining instructions
- Your current or most recent SIA licence details
- Your first-aid certificate, unless you are completing first aid with the same provider
- Clothing and footwear suitable for practical searching and physical-intervention assessment
What if I fail?
You must pass the required assessments. Resit rules and charges depend on the provider and awarding organisation, and each listing shows the resit position where the provider supplies it. If your licence is close to expiry, ask about resit availability before you book, so a resit would not fall after your expiry date.
Last reviewed 22 September 2026. SIA rules and fees change. Check the current official guidance before you book or apply: SIA licence-linked training durations · Changes to the delivery of SIA licence-linked training · April 2026 change to the SIA licence fee
