Security Guard Jobs in Johnson City, Tennessee
Your experience. Your next opportunity.
Explore security guard and security officer jobs in Johnson City. Compare available roles with the schedule, experience, and type of work you want. Create your free Guardix profile and follow each employer's application instructions.
Security guard jobs in Johnson City: quick answers
- Are security guard jobs hiring in Johnson City right now?
- There are no open listings in Johnson City on Guardix Jobs at the moment. Reviewed employers post new security jobs here; create a free profile to get a text when one matches your license and location.
- Do I need a license to be a security guard in Johnson City?
- In most cases, yes. Tennessee registers armed and unarmed guards. In Tennessee, licensing starts with Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Private Protective Services.
- What kinds of security jobs are common in Johnson City?
- Typical posts in and around Johnson City include college campuses, student housing and campus events; and apartment communities, homeowner associations and gated neighborhoods, which need patrol and access control in most cities. Both armed and unarmed roles exist; each listing states which it is.
- Is Guardix Jobs free for security guards?
- Yes. Guardix Jobs is free for guards and employers. Every employer is reviewed by our team before posting, and every guard’s license is reviewed by our team before employers see it. We do not check licenses live with the state.
Security guard jobs hiring in Johnson City, TN
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Johnson City at a glance
A four-part profile of the city for security officers.
Location & Geography
- Johnson City is in northeastern Tennessee. It is centered in Washington County.
- The nearest large city is Charlotte, North Carolina, about 110 miles to the southeast.
Famous Features & Economic Identity
State economy: Tennessee is known for car plants.
Landmarks are shown for local context. They aren’t employers or job listings.
Security Guard Industry Landscape
Typical post types for this area, not measured demand data.
- College campuses, student housing and campus events. Many universities also have their own sworn campus police.
- Apartment communities, homeowner associations and gated neighborhoods, which need patrol and access control in most cities.
Conditions officers face
- Spring severe-storm and tornado risk: shelter procedures for staff and visitors.
Regulatory Expectations & Compliance (Tennessee)
- Regulator
- Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Private Protective Services. Officers register individually with the state.
- Municipal licensing
- Guardix's state review did not identify a separate Johnson City guard license. Confirm any worksite-specific rules with the employer and the facility.
Show Tennessee’s rules on training, armed work, background checks, uniforms and police reporting
- Licensing requirement
- Tennessee registers armed and unarmed guards. A person with armed registration may work an unarmed post without also holding an unarmed registration.
- Training minimums
- Complete the approved training and application requirements for your category. Armed registration adds the relevant firearms training and qualifications.
- Armed versus unarmed
- Armed guards must receive their registration card before working. Effective January 1, 2026, the enhanced armed-guard registration enhancement is required for approved shotgun and rifle use in security work. Personal possession or carry authority and authorization to perform armed security services are different questions. Check the exact licensing category, firearms requirements, facility restrictions, and employer authorization.
- Background checks
- Follow the current Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Private Protective Services application instructions for required criminal-history checks and any fingerprint submission. Prints or screening from a different employer or credential may not automatically be reusable.
- Proof of authorization on duty
- For unarmed application-based work, follow the requirement to carry the complete application copy. Tennessee states that armed guards must receive their registration card before working.
- Uniform, badge and equipment
- Check the applicable Tennessee rules and the employer's lawful post instructions. Do not use an insignia or title that falsely represents a police or government appointment. Confirm required protective equipment and who supplies it. Check Tennessee law, the applicable licensing category, required equipment training, and employer policy. An unarmed job title or ordinary guard credential is not blanket permission to carry batons, sprays, electronic devices, handcuffs, or firearms.
- Authority and police reporting
- A guard credential does not grant blanket police powers. Any detention, arrest, search, or use of force depends on the actual law, role, and circumstances. Special appointments have their own limits. Follow lawful training and post orders, and involve the appropriate authorities when needed. Call 911 for emergencies; for everything else, report incidents to the Johnson City Police Department and the client as your post orders direct.
From Tennessee’s licensing answers, checked October 18, 2026. General career information, not legal advice.
Know the assignment before you apply
Read the actual post duties, armed or unarmed status, worksite, employment type, shift pattern, posted compensation, and required qualifications. Role categories describe what to look for; live listings show what is currently open.
Ask which state governs each post and whether any additional credential is needed for a reassignment.
Bring your qualifications into focus
Add relevant experience, availability, location preferences, and accurate credential status to your profile. New to security? Look for listings that explicitly welcome entry-level applicants or describe employer-supported training.
Use the Tennessee FAQs on this page to check the next step for your role. Confirm the actual worksite and lawful start status with the relevant authority and hiring employer.
Local job-search FAQs
What should I check before accepting a security post in Johnson City?
Ask which state governs each post and whether any additional credential is needed for a reassignment.
How should I compare pay for security jobs in Johnson City?
Use the compensation and benefits in the actual listing or written offer. Compare duties, schedule, travel, and required credentials. A city page is not a promise of a particular wage or offer.
Which licensing rules should I check for a post in Johnson City?
Start with Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Private Protective Services for the applicable Tennessee employee or individual category, then confirm any firearms, special-appointment, facility, and employer conditions for the actual post. A mailing address or regional job label should not replace the worksite information.
Tennessee licensing and work FAQs
Licensing starting point: Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Private Protective Services. These answers cover ordinary private-security applicant questions; the actual role and worksite determine which conditions apply.
Do I need a license or registration for security work in Tennessee?
Tennessee registers armed and unarmed guards. A person with armed registration may work an unarmed post without also holding an unarmed registration.
What training should applicants check in Tennessee?
Complete the approved training and application requirements for your category. Armed registration adds the relevant firearms training and qualifications.
What changes if I want an armed security job in Tennessee?
Armed guards must receive their registration card before working. Effective January 1, 2026, the enhanced armed-guard registration enhancement is required for approved shotgun and rifle use in security work.
Can I apply before my credentials are complete, and when can I start work?
Unarmed applicants may work on a complete, paid application while it is processed if they carry the required application copy and meet the Department's conditions.
Can I use a credential from another state or a previous employer?
Ask the Department and employer about updates and any special recognition route. Do not assume an out-of-state credential is automatically a Tennessee registration.
Who checks eligibility, and what should I keep current?
Follow the Department's background and eligibility rules and maintain required registration, continuing training, and firearms qualifications.
Which authority should I use, and where do I apply?
The starting authority is Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Private Protective Services. Use the official links below and confirm the correct employee, individual, or local category. Guardix is a jobs marketplace and does not issue the credential.
What age and role requirements should I check?
Tennessee lists eighteen for unarmed guard registration and twenty-one for armed guard registration. The armed category also has separate training and approval requirements.
Can I apply with no previous security experience?
Look for Tennessee listings that explicitly welcome entry-level applicants or describe training support. An employer may consider new candidates, but all legal eligibility, training, screening, and lawful-start conditions still apply.
Do I need a high-school diploma or GED?
Read the individual role and current Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Private Protective Services requirements. A job may specify a diploma, equivalent education, or relevant skills; agency-owner qualifications should not be treated as the requirements for every employee opening.
Can a criminal record affect my eligibility?
Yes. Review the official Tennessee rules for the exact category. Some histories are disqualifying by law; other situations may require review. Provide accurate requested information through a secure process. Guardix cannot determine individual eligibility.
Will I need fingerprints or a background check?
Follow the current Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Private Protective Services application instructions for required criminal-history checks and any fingerprint submission. Prints or screening from a different employer or credential may not automatically be reusable.
What documents should I prepare?
Use the current Tennessee application or employer checklist. Common categories include identity, training proof, credential status, work or employer information, and any required background or firearms documents. Provide sensitive records only through the appropriate secure channel.
How much does licensing or registration cost?
Use the current official fee schedule for the relevant Tennessee category. Training, fingerprints, examinations, firearms qualifications, and local permits can be separate costs. The marketplace being free does not make those third-party charges free.
Does the employer pay for my training or license?
Ask before accepting or paying. Get clear information about employer-paid costs, reimbursement, any lawful deductions, and any repayment terms. Fee responsibility is separate from whether a credential or course is legally required.
Can I complete the required training online?
Only use a provider, course, and delivery format accepted for the relevant Tennessee category. Confirm whether practical, range, examination, or supervised components must be completed separately. A course advertisement is not regulatory approval.
How long does approval take?
Check current processing information from Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Private Protective Services or the relevant local office. Timing depends on the application, background response, documents, and category. A provider's estimated approval date is not a guarantee or work permit.
Do I need an employer before applying for the credential?
Ask Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Private Protective Services and the hiring employer about the correct sequence. Some credentials are employer-linked; others allow an individual to apply first. An employment interview or course enrollment is not work authorization.
Can I work for more than one security company?
Possibly, but each employer and credential must meet the applicable Tennessee rules. Check employer-linked registrations, IDs, roster updates, and firearms authorization before working for an additional company.
What happens when my credential expires or needs renewal?
Follow the current Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Private Protective Services renewal instructions before your credential expires. Check continuing training, firearms qualifications, fees, and updated documents. A renewal submission is not automatically permission to work after expiry.
Can I move from unarmed to armed security?
Check the current Tennessee armed route. Additional application, training, firearms qualification, eligibility, and employer conditions may apply. Continue only the duties your current authority permits while the new category is being reviewed.
What proof of authorization should I carry on duty?
For unarmed application-based work, follow the requirement to carry the complete application copy. Tennessee states that armed guards must receive their registration card before working.
Does my personal gun permit qualify me for armed guard work?
Do not assume that it does. Personal possession or carry authority and authorization to perform armed security services are different questions. Check the exact licensing category, firearms requirements, facility restrictions, and employer authorization.
Can I carry handcuffs, pepper spray, a baton, or another device?
Check Tennessee law, the applicable licensing category, required equipment training, and employer policy. An unarmed job title or ordinary guard credential is not blanket permission to carry batons, sprays, electronic devices, handcuffs, or firearms.
Does a guard credential give me police or arrest powers?
It does not grant blanket police powers. Any detention, arrest, search, or use of force depends on the actual law, role, and circumstances. Special appointments have their own limits. Follow lawful training and post orders, and involve the appropriate authorities when needed.
Are school, hospital, airport, maritime, and government jobs different?
They can be. A facility may impose extra screening, orientation, access credentials, or a different legal appointment. An ordinary private guard credential does not automatically establish a police, federal, transport-screening, or other specialized role.
Can a person who is not a U.S. citizen apply?
Check both federal employment authorization and the exact Tennessee credential requirements. Citizenship, residency, firearms eligibility, and work authorization are different issues. Do not assume every job is citizen-only or that one immigration document meets every licensing category.
Can I take my own clients or work as an independent contractor?
An individual employee credential does not automatically authorize operating a security business. Check any company-license, insurance, supervision, and local requirements before offering services. Calling a role independent or using a 1099 label does not remove licensing duties.
Who decides the uniform, badge, and equipment I can use?
Check the applicable Tennessee rules and the employer's lawful post instructions. Do not use an insignia or title that falsely represents a police or government appointment. Confirm required protective equipment and who supplies it.
Do I need a driver's license or my own vehicle?
Read the job's actual driving duties. Mobile patrol may require a valid license, acceptable driving record, and employer authorization. A fixed post may have different requirements. Ask whether a vehicle is supplied and how work travel is handled.
Official licensing references
- Tennessee unarmed registration and pending-application rulestn.gov
- Tennessee armed and 2026 enhancement requirementstn.gov
Licensing information last checked October 18, 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the authority before you rely on it.
Take the next step
Find the assignment that fits your experience and availability in Johnson City. Search actual openings or build your free profile for your next application.
General career information. Confirm current licensing and work requirements with the relevant authority and hiring employer. Guardix does not issue security licenses or guarantee an applicant's eligibility.