CNAPS authorisation for private-security training providers
Mandatory: training for private-security activities requires a CNAPS operating authorisation. Since 1 March 2025 it is conditional notably on Qualiopi certification, the manager's approval and trainers' professional cards.
Issued by: CNAPS — the French national council for private-security activities (a public body under the Interior Ministry), after certification by an accredited body
Providers training for private-security occupations: security agents, dog handlers, airport security, close protection…
What this scheme covers
- C.1Preconditions to authorisation: the provider's Qualiopi certification (required since 1 March 2025), the manager's approval and trainers' professional cards.
- C.2The operating authorisation issued by the CNAPS, which also vets managers' integrity and compliance with the internal-security code.
- C.3CNAPS inspections of authorised providers, with sanctioning powers.
The link with Qualiopi
Unique case in this hub: since 1 March 2025, Qualiopi is no longer just the funding key — it is a legal condition of the CNAPS operating authorisation, alongside the manager's approval, trainers' professional cards and prior session declarations.
The process, summarised
- 1.Obtain Qualiopi certification and the manager's approval, and ensure trainers hold their professional cards.
- 2.File the operating-authorisation request with the CNAPS with the required documents.
- 3.Maintain both certification and authorisation over time (renewals, inspections).
FAQ — CNAPS authorisation
+Can a Qualiopi-certified provider train for private security without CNAPS?
No: Qualiopi is necessary but not sufficient. You also need the CNAPS operating authorisation, the manager's approval and trainers holding their professional cards — legal conditions specific to this sector.
+Who oversees private-security training providers?
The CNAPS, which issues authorisations, inspects providers and can impose disciplinary and financial sanctions.
+Do trainees have obligations too?
Yes: entering private-security training requires an individual prior authorisation issued by the CNAPS after vetting.
- France's Private-Security Training Reform: What Changed on 1 March 20258 min
- CNAPS Inspections and Sanctions: What a Training Provider Risks7 min
- CNAPS and Qualiopi: What It Takes to Train Private-Security Agents in France8 min
- Professional Trainer Card for Private Security in France: Who Needs It, How to Get It7 min
- CNAPS Authorisation: Opening a Private-Security Training Centre in France in 20268 min
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