President Ahmed al-Sharaa of the Syrian Arab Republic issued Decree No. (55) of 2026, a new legislative decree establishing a clear legal framework for licensing private security and protection companies that provide security and protection services to individuals and facilities, as well as regulating private vocational training and qualification companies in this field.
This decree aims to regulate the work of this private security sector, protect lives and property, and enhance state oversight of companies and their employees. It does so by specifying licensing requirements, operating conditions, classification, required capital, employee qualifications, and oversight and penalty mechanisms.
The decree divides private security and protection companies into three categories based on the number of guards employed by each company:
The Minister of the Interior may decide to increase the maximum number of guards in the first category if the company submits a formal request, provided that the bank guarantee is increased proportionally to the additional number. The company may also change its category upon license renewal after fulfilling the requirements of the new category.
To obtain a legal license to operate in the field of private security and guarding, a number of essential conditions must be met, the most important of which are:
✔ Syrian Contribution: The contribution of the company's owners who are Syrian citizens (whether individuals or legal entities) must not be less than 51% of the capital.
✔ The company must be registered in the Syrian Commercial Registry.
✔ The company must own a permanent headquarters equipped to accommodate its operational functions.
Among the most important elements of legal establishment are the minimum capital limits for each category of security companies, which are:
This requirement ensures that companies have the financial capacity to cover their operational obligations and guarantee security readiness.
The decree includes clear legal requirements that must be met by every person working as a guard or employee for a private security company, including:
✔ The employee must be at least 18 years old.
✔ They must have completed at least the first cycle of basic education.
✔ They must not have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude or breach of trust, unless they have been legally rehabilitated.
These conditions ensure that the employee is qualified and legally competent to perform security duties.
The decree also regulates training companies that offer qualification and training programs for guards and workers in this sector. The applicable conditions include:
✔ Being licensed in accordance with the provisions of the same decree.
✔ Offering accredited training programs suitable for private security and protection tasks, ensuring the professional and safe qualification of employees.
✔ Committing to providing the equipment and resources required by official training programs.
If you want to establish a private security and protection services company in Syria, your basic steps, according to Decree No. 55 of 2026, will be:
ScopeOut is ready to assist you with all the procedures for establishing private security companies, and other types of companies, legally in Syria.
