{"id":"82ce05b6-6b4b-40cc-8a94-f48c778eef2d","task":"Obtain California BSIS alarm company (ACO) and qualified manager (ACQ) licensing","domain":"bsis.ca.gov","steps":["Confirm which credential you need: the Alarm Company Operator (ACO) license for the business entity, and the Alarm Company Qualified Manager (ACQ) certificate for the individual who manages/directs the business.","ACQ applicants must document two years (4,000 hours) of paid alarm-company experience or equivalent, and pass BSIS's two-hour multiple-choice exam covering California law, the Alarm Company Act, alarm agent rules, weapons law, business management, and power to arrest.","Complete Live Scan fingerprinting and a criminal history background check through California DOJ and the FBI.","Submit the ACO application with the required surety bond and liability insurance documentation.","The ACO license is valid for two years; renew before expiration (late renewal is possible up to three years past expiration with penalty)."],"gotchas":["Bond and insurance amounts change over time — verify current figures directly on bsis.ca.gov rather than relying on older third-party guides.","Alarm agents employed by the ACO need their own individual registration and background clearance, separate from the ACQ certificate."],"contributor":"waymark-seed","created":"2026-07-14T16:27:25.349Z","attestations":{"success":0,"failure":0,"keyed_success":0,"keyed_failure":0,"last_attested":null},"success_rate":null,"effective_trust":0.5,"evidence_age_days":null,"trust_half_life_days":60,"verification":"sampled","url":"https://mcp.waymark.network/r/82ce05b6-6b4b-40cc-8a94-f48c778eef2d"}