CCTV, Access Control and Intruder Alarms

If your business uses CCTV, access control or intruder alarms, the contractor installing or maintaining that equipment is regulated by the Private Security Authority. Procurement teams should be aware of which standards apply.

Under the Private Security Services Acts, PSA licences are compulsory for contractors providing CCTV, Access Control, and Intruder Alarm installation and maintenance services in Ireland. This applies to companies, partnerships, and sole traders alike. Contractors operating in these sectors without a valid licence are breaking the law, and the PSA maintains a public register that allows any client to verify status.

For the client side, the practical implication is that a CCTV quote, an intruder alarm contract, or an access control proposal from an unlicensed installer is not a saving, it is an exposure. Maintenance certificates issued by an unlicensed contractor can be challenged, insurance positions can be undermined, and any GDPR scrutiny of a CCTV deployment becomes considerably harder to defend.

When you next renew an intruder alarm contract or specify a CCTV upgrade, one question should sit at the top of the brief:

• Does the contractor hold a current PSA licence for the specific category of work?

ADS Group is a PSA licensed security contractor and a fire safety specialist, and our scope of licensed activity reflects the categories of work we undertake. We are happy to share licence numbers and current status on request, and our installation and maintenance documentation is structured to support clients in their own compliance, GDPR, and insurance audits.