CAL SECURITYGROUP
Call Anytime
(323) 792-3061
★ Trusted Security · Serving Southern California 24/7

Dispensary Security Guards

Unarmed, BSIS-licensed officers aged 21 and over for storefront cannabis retailers in Southern California, with gate and patrol coverage for licensed grows.

24/7 · Open 24 Hours · Free Phone Consultation · No Obligation
Overview

What California requires of a dispensary guard

A licensed storefront retailer must have security personnel on site during hours of operation, and every officer must be at least 21 and licensed by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS). That is section 15045 of the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) regulations.

Dispensary security guards meet that rule by being on site whenever you are open. The rule does not require the officer to carry a firearm, and CAL Security Group staffs unarmed officers only. Delivery-only retailers are exempt. Licensees in one building may share security personnel, but each licensee stays responsible for a violation.

The other DCC security rules still apply: 24-hour camera recording at 1280 × 720 or better, at least 15 frames per second, with 90 days of footage kept (section 15044); commercial-grade locks (section 15046); and an alarm system that a licensed alarm company operator installs, maintains, monitors and responds to (section 15047). A guard company replaces none of those. Check the current rules on the DCC website and your city permit's conditions.

Get a Free Quote
Dispensary / Cannabis Retail security guards on post
21+
Minimum age for dispensary security personnel
Security patrol protecting a dispensary / cannabis retail
The Risks

What a dispensary door officer deals with

A dispensary keeps cash and easy-to-resell product behind a door anyone can walk up to.

  • Underage customers and borrowed IDs
  • Robbery attempts at opening and closing
  • Grab-and-run theft at the counter
  • After-hours burglary through doors and roofs
  • Customers consuming in the parking lot
  • Loitering and resale outside the store
Post Orders

How a dispensary shift runs

We write post orders with your manager before the first shift. They follow the business day:

Opening

The officer checks the lot, entry and back door before staff open up. Sales may run only from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (section 15403), so post hours follow your permitted hours.

The front door

The officer screens ID at the entrance and runs the lobby line. Section 15402 puts the sales-area age and identity check on the retailer or a retail employee, so the post orders split the two checks.

Deliveries

Shipments may be accepted only from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and not through a public entrance during business hours unless the store holds the single-entryway exemption (section 15422). The officer holds the back door and logs the vehicle.

Closing

The officer clears the lot and sales floor, stands by during the cash and product lock-up, and walks staff to their cars.

Security officer at a dispensary entrance
Shift Reports

What the dispensary report records

A licensee must notify the DCC and local police within 24 hours of discovering theft, diversion, loss or any breach of security (section 15036). The shift report gives you the times and facts. Besides officer name, guard card number and hours, it records:

Refused entries: no ID, expired ID or underage.

Incidents with time, description and action taken.

Deliveries at the back door, with times and vehicles.

Customers removed and the reason.

Equipment faults: a camera down, a sticking lock, a door that will not latch.

Loitering or consumption in the lot.

Talk to a Real Human · (323) 792-3061
Officer at the gate of a licensed cannabis grow
Grow Sites

Security guards at cannabis grows

California does not require a licensed cultivator to hire security guards. The guard rule covers storefront retailers, and premises licensed only for cultivation are also exempt from the state camera, lock and alarm rules. Your city or county permit may still require them.

Section 15042 does apply. A premises closed to the public needs an ID and sign-in/sign-out procedure for everyone who enters, a record of each outside visitor (name, company, reason, date, times in and out), and an employee of the licensee escorting every non-employee.

A gate officer can run the ID check and the log. Between harvest and shipping, when a grow is worth the most, add a night officer or extra patrol visits.

Areas We Protect

Coverage across
Southern California

From Ventura to San Bernardino, our licensed officers and 24/7 dispatch protect five Southern California regions. Click a pin or county on the map to see every city we cover.

County pin
Service area
5
Counties Covered
117
Cities Served
24/7
Dispatch & Patrol
Industries

Other businesses with age checks, cash or high-value stock

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a dispensary have to hire a security guard in California?
Yes, if it is a storefront. Section 15045 requires licensed retailers to hire or contract for BSIS-licensed security personnel, 21 or older, on site during hours of operation. Delivery-only retailers are exempt. To check a guard company's license, search its name on the DCA license lookup.
Does the dispensary guard have to carry a gun?
No. The DCC rule requires licensed security personnel, not firearms, and CAL Security Group staffs unarmed officers only. Carrying a firearm on duty in California takes a separate BSIS firearm permit.
Can a contract security officer escort visitors around a grow?
No, not to meet section 15042, which requires the escort to be an employee of the licensee. The officer checks ID, logs the visitor and holds them at the gate until your employee arrives.
How much do dispensary security guards cost?
Unarmed guard market rates in Southern California run about $22 to $40 an hour (see our cost guide). A store open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily needs 84 officer hours a week. We quote each post after a free walk.
Dispensary / Cannabis Retail security monitoring
Security
On-Call Service 24/7 (323) 792-3061

Get a Free Dispensary Security Quote

Send your address, license type and opening hours. We will walk the store or grow and quote each post line by line.

Get a Free Quote
Call Now · (323) 792-3061