Firearms Permit - Renewal After 5 Years

• Applicant must have a current Private Security Person or Private Detective credential

• Applicant must be employed by a Wisconsin licensed Private Detective/Security Agency

• Agency insurance of record must be current and meet requirements.

• An applicant must have completed one of the following:

  • Completion of a training program of at least 36 hours by a DSPS approved Firearms Certifier that includes the following:

    • Instruction in the dangers relating to the use of the firearm, safety rules, care and cleaning of the firearm

    • Training in the care, handling and use of the firearm, provided in accordance with the current firearms training guide which the Wisconsin law enforcement standards board has approved for training Wisconsin law enforcement officers. When the Wisconsin law enforcement standards board has approved a new edition of the training guide to replace an older edition, training which is received after the date of which a new edition is approved may be based on the older edition for a period not to exceed 12 months after approval of the new edition by the board

    • Instruction in the legal use of firearms under the provisions of the Wisconsin criminal code and relevant court decisions

    • A presentation stressing the ethical and moral considerations which should be taken into account by any person who uses a firearm

    • A review of the law regarding lawful detentions

    • A review of the law on criminal and civil liability for intentional and negligent acts

  • Equivalent Training

    • A person may meet equivalent training if all the following apply:

      • Completed at least 30 hours of training that meets the requirements of SPS 34.03, except that the training did not include the provisions of Wisconsin law described in SPS 34.03 (1) (b) and (c),

      • Complete the 6-hour refresher course under SPS 34.02 (3) to satisfy 34.03 (1)

      • Applicant was authorized by another licensing jurisdiction or governmental agency to carry a firearm while on duty as a peace officer, a person who stands watch for security purposes or as a private detective at any time during the 5 years preceding application for a permit

Below are some general instructions for applying for a credential on LicensE. 

1. Create or log into your LicensE account. Please visit LicensE account Information page for detailed guidance on selecting your account type.

2. Select "Apply for a License."

3. Select your Category.

4. Select your License Type.

5. Select your Application Method, then "Next."

6. Review your Personal Information.

7. Enter the requested Information on each page of the application. Information may include Examination, Education, or License History, depending on your profession.

8. If applicable, request a Veterans Fee Waiver or Initial Credential Fee Reduction.

9. Submit the requested Documents you may already have. You do not need to have all documents ready to submit.

   Note: Forms are now hosted on AccessGov. Visit AccessGov Forms Directory to choose your form.

10. Respond to the Attestation questions.

11. Provide Payment Information. Fees may be found Credential Fees.

12. Submit your application.  

Profession specific application requirements can be found in the "Application Information" section.

After logging into your Individual LicensE account, select Apply for a License and choose:

• Category: Business

•  License Type: Firearms Permit

•  Application Method: Renewal After 5 Years

• Form 4679 is required for all Firearms Permit applications

• Form is started by applicant and then sent to the Firearms Certifier(s), and employer, to complete their portion

• If you have more than two Firearms Certifiers, you will need multiple forms

• Once all required people have completed the form, a copy will be automatically emailed to the applicant

• Please ensure emails are typed correctly or form logic will not work

• Upload completed form to your application

• Agency insurance of record must meet the following:

  • Must be current

  • Must include coverage for Firearms

  • Must cover the applicable profession (security person or detective)

• If agency insurance on record is expired, please upload the following:

  • Form 1482

    • Form is to be completed by an authorized insurance representative

    • Once completed, a copy will be sent to employer

  • Certificate of Liability Insurance

If the agency insurance on record is expired, the applicant's due diligence will be updated to request form 1482 and certificate of liability.

If an individual is applying for initial licensure via equivalent training, they must upload proof that they have had 30 hours of training while authorized by another licensing jurisdiction or governmental agency to carry a firearm while on duty as a peace officer, a person who stands watch for security purposes or as a private detective at any time during the 5 years preceding application for a permit.

Applicant would still be required to upload Form 4679 with completion of a 6 hour refresher course.

Example of acceptable documents for those applying via equivalent training:

• Training records while employed as a Police Officer

• Records would include dates, hours, and name of training

All applicants will be required to answer questions on the application form about convictions of any crime, other violations and pending charges in Wisconsin or any other state. The Department will obtain a state and federal criminal records search on all applicants. 

If an applicant has been convicted of one or more misdemeanor or other violations or has pending charges, and if the Department determines that the crimes or violations are substantially related to the practice of a private detective, the Department will not grant a license until it has received sufficient information to determine whether the license should be granted, denied, or limited. It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide complete information to the Department. Applications are deemed complete after submission of all relevant background information by the applicant. A certified copy of the police report, criminal complaint, and judgment of conviction is required for each conviction.

IMPORTANT: If an applicant was ever convicted of a felony in Wisconsin or any other state and has not been pardoned, the applicant's application will be denied. There are no exceptions.

After you upload all required documents, submit your application, and pay the required fee(s):

1. Preliminary Application Reference Number (PAR)

   1. Your application will be assigned a Preliminary Application Reference number or PAR number. This number allows you and trusted parties to look up the status of your application without logging in. You can also reference this number in any support tickets you submit in regard to your application.

      • A trusted 3^rd party can look up your credential status by visiting LicensE, clicking “Application Status Lookup” and entering the PAR number you have provided to them.

2. Review Timeline

   1. Your materials will be reviewed within approximately 10 days by a member of the credentialing team.

      • Note: Some licenses do take longer to process due to complexity. You can see the performance data on our LicensE Dashboard to see what date we are reviewing for certain application types under "Application Review Times by Profession."

3. Pending Applicant Input Status

   1. After this review, if anything is missing or the credentialing team has any questions on your application, your application will go back into a status called “Pending Applicant Input.”  You will receive an email letting you know your application was moved into this status. You should then log into LicensE and check your application “Due Diligence.”

4. To check your "Due Diligence" 

   1. Your Due Diligence is a checklist of items required for your credential.

   2. The Due Diligence section is how DSPS staff will communicate with you regarding your credential requirements.

   3. Log in to your LicensE account

   4. Click on "Check Application Status" 

   5. Your credential application should be shown on this page. Under “Action” select the button that looks like an upside-down triangle. If you are on mobile, you will need to turn your phone into landscape view. Note: LicensE is best viewed on a desktop or laptop.

   6. After clicking the upside-down triangle, select “View Due Diligences.”

   7. The Due Diligence column lets you know what the requirement is.

   8. The “STATUS” column will you know if the item is “Met”, “Not Met”, or “Not Applicable.”

      • Items listed as “Not Met” are items that are needed by the Department.  

   9. The “NOTES” column of your Due Diligence will provide further written details or instructions about what is still needed.

5. To upload documents

   1. Some applications require additional document uploads.

   2. Log into your LicensE account

   3. Click on "Check Application Status"

   4. Your credential application should be shown on this page. Under "Action" select the button that looks like an upside-down triangle. If you are on mobile, you will need to turn your phone into landscape view. Note: LicensE is best viewed on a desktop or laptop. 

   5. After clicking the upside-down triangle, select "Upload Document."

   6. The document must be an allowable document type. 

   7. After uploading the document, click "submit." If you do not, it will not be sent to a reviewer. 

6. If you have any questions, you can submit a support ticket on LicensE by logging in and clicking "request support" at the top of the page.

LicensE statuses that require action from applicant:

LicensE statuses that indicate the application is with Department staff:

Support Ticket
Submit a support ticket on LicensE and click "request support." Please provide as much detail as possible regarding your concern so we can work to answer your question with a one touch resolution. 

Call
608-266-2112

Email
dsps@wisconsin.gov

Office Hours
7:45am-4:30pm
Department of Safety and Professional Services
4822 Madison Yards Way
Madison, WI, 53705

Note: The in-person office does not process same day.