In Texas, “Level II” and “Level III” aren’t licenses themselves. They’re training tiers tied to two different Texas DPS license types: the Non-Commissioned Security Officer (unarmed) and the Commissioned Security Officer (armed). Here’s how it actually breaks down, from your first class to your first renewal.
Level II vs. Level III: What Each One Covers
Level II
Level II training is required for non-commissioned officers, commissioned officers and Personal Protection Officer (PPO) applicants, with limited peace-officer exemptions. It can be taught by a licensed Level III or IV training school and instructor, or delivered in-house by a licensed guard company through an authorized representative. That means your employer can often train you directly instead of sending you to a third-party school.
Level III
Level III is a minimum 45-hour course (30 hours online plus 10–15 hours of in-person training) that includes a written test and a firearms course of fire. It’s required for commissioned officers and PPO applicants. The handgun proficiency and self-defense components must be completed in person with an approved on-site instructor, so an online-only course can’t satisfy this part. Firearm proficiency must be completed within 90 days of your application date, so the timing of your range qualification matters.
The MMPI Psychological Exam
Commissioned officer and PPO applicants must also complete the MMPI psychological exam on a department-prescribed form signed by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist. This applies to original applications and to commission renewals.
The Licensing Process (TOPS), Step By Step
Everything runs through Texas Online Private Security (TOPS), the DPS online system.
- Complete the required training. Get your Level II certificate (everyone needs this). If you’re going commissioned/armed, also complete the 45-hour Level III course (30 hours online plus 10–15 hours in person), including in-person handgun proficiency and self-defense. Use only current DPS-approved schools and instructors, and make sure you receive the current-version certificate.
- Line up employer sponsorship (or apply unaffiliated). You can apply without naming a company, but DPS won’t issue your pocket card until the license is affiliated with a licensed security business. Most people apply through their employer.
- Submit the TOPS application and pay the fees. Non-Commissioned is $37; Commissioned or PPO is $57 (per the DPS fee schedule). Submitting starts your personalized document checklist.
- Complete fingerprinting. Schedule electronic fingerprints through the DPS-approved vendor after you receive the email with your UE ID. There’s a separate $28.25 FBI fingerprint check fee.
- Upload proof of eligibility and other documents. As of July 2, 2026, new and renewal applicants must upload accepted proof of eligibility (a REAL ID-compliant license, U.S. passport, certified birth certificate, citizenship/immigration documents, etc.). Commissioned and PPO applicants also submit their MMPI/psychological paperwork.
- Wait for the background review and affiliation. DPS runs the criminal-history check. Once your training, documents and background clear, and your employer affiliation is confirmed, your status moves to ACTIVE.
- Receive your pocket card (your “guard card”). The physical card is mailed once the license is ACTIVE and affiliated. Processing typically takes a few weeks to a couple of months in total.
Working Before Your Card Arrives
There’s a limited unarmed work-before-licensure rule: if 48 hours have passed since you submitted a substantially complete application (fees and fingerprints included) and your status isn’t yet “licensed,” an employer can put you to work unarmed once the required background checks are done.
Armed or PPO work is different. It requires your license to actually show ACTIVE in TOPS. Under a June 2025 DPS policy, an ACTIVE commissioned officer or PPO who’s still waiting on the physical card can work temporarily by carrying a TOPS screenshot or printout showing ACTIVE status, and must carry the physical card once it’s delivered.
Completing training or having a pending application never authorizes armed work on its own. And Texas permitless carry law does not allow a non-commissioned (Level II) guard to carry a firearm on duty.
What Happens When Your License Expires
- New licenses generally run two years from issuance.
- You can renew online starting 180 days before expiration, and up to one year after expiration (late fees apply once you’re past the expiration date).
- Go more than a year past expiration and you’re treated as a brand-new applicant: training, fingerprints and the full application all over again.
- Commissioned officers need 6 hours of continuing education and a firearm proficiency certificate completed within 90 days of the renewal application, plus the MMPI requirement again at renewal.
- If your license sits unaffiliated with any employer for two years, TOPS won’t let you renew it at all. You’d have to reapply from scratch.
Common Reasons Applications Get Delayed
- Using an outdated (pre-2024) training certificate.
- Trying to satisfy the in-person firearm and self-defense components with an online-only course.
- Missing the proof-of-eligibility document required since July 2026.
- Qualifying at the range too early, so the proficiency certificate falls outside the 90-day window.
Confirm Current Requirements With DPS
This is regulatory detail that changes. Before you pay for training or submit anything, confirm the current specifics directly with DPS Private Security and in TOPS itself.
Ready To Start Your Training?
Frank Tooker Firearms Training is a DPS-approved Level 3 school (License #F28655001) in New Braunfels. We offer the Level 2 online course, the Level 3 initial qualification and bi-annual requalification. See the Texas Security Level 2 & 3 page for schedules and pricing, read what actually happens during Level 3 qualification, or contact us with questions.