The Security Industry Authority has just published its 2026–2029 strategic plan, and if you hold an SIA licence, you should care. The regulator is growing up. It’s taking on Martyn’s Law enforcement, tightening standards, and rethinking how it deals with the people it licenses. Translation: more eyes on the industry, more expectations on you.

Here’s the plain-English version of what’s coming, and what it means for door supervisors, CPOs, CCTV operators and security managers between now and spring 2029.

The Three Headline Commitments

According to the SIA’s published plan, the regulator’s three-year strategy rests on three big promises. None of them are window dressing.

1. A Bigger Regulatory Remit — Including Martyn’s Law

The headline change is that the SIA is set to become the regulator for the Protect Duty, better known as Martyn’s Law. That duty, named after Manchester Arena victim Martyn Hett, will require venues above certain capacity thresholds to plan and train for terror attacks.

For door teams and security managers, this matters in two ways. First, your venue will likely have new legal obligations to meet — and you’ll be the people delivering them on the ground. Second, the SIA you deal with for your door supervisor training and licence renewal will be the same body inspecting your venue’s counter-terror readiness. The regulator’s reach is widening.

2. Raising Standards Across the Industry

The SIA is signalling a sharper focus on standards — both for individuals and for Approved Contractor Scheme firms. Expect more enforcement activity against unlicensed operators, tighter scrutiny of training providers, and a continued push to weed out the cowboys who keep dragging the industry’s reputation down.

If you’ve done your training properly, kept your licence clean, and worked for a decent firm, this is good news. If your training provider has been cutting corners, less so.

3. Becoming a More Modern, Responsive Regulator

The third commitment is internal: the SIA wants to be quicker, more digital, and easier to deal with. That means continued investment in the online licensing portal, better data sharing with police and other bodies, and — they hope — fewer of those frustrating delays at renewal time.

Recommended Reading: Door Supervisors as First Responders

What Changes Before Spring 2027?

The strategic plan is a three-year vision. The annual business plan published alongside it is where the next 12 months get nailed down. A few practical things worth flagging:

• Martyn’s Law preparation. The SIA will be staffing up and building the operational capacity to take on the Protect Duty. Expect guidance, consultations, and pilot activity well before the duty comes into force.
• Licensing service improvements. The regulator says it wants to cut processing times and improve the applicant experience. If you’ve ever waited months for a renewal, you’ll believe it when you see it — but the direction of travel is clear.
• More enforcement, more visibly. The SIA has been publishing more prosecutions and fines in recent months. Expect that trend to continue, with a particular focus on unlicensed security and on ACS firms that don’t meet the standard.

What It Means for You

If you’re a working licence holder, here’s the practical takeaway:

Keep your training current. Refresher training is already mandatory for door supervisors, security guards, and close protection officers renewing their licences. With the SIA pushing standards harder, don’t expect that bar to drop.

Know your venue’s counter-terror posture. If you work at a venue likely to fall under Martyn’s Law, start having the conversation with your management now. Who’s responsible for the plan? What’s the evacuation procedure? Who delivers the staff briefing? These won’t be optional questions for much longer.

Don’t let your licence lapse. A modernised, better-resourced SIA is one that’s more likely to catch you working without one. Penalties for unlicensed security work include unlimited fines and up to six months in prison. If yours is close to expiring, check the SIA licence renewal process now rather than the week before.

Pick your employer carefully. ACS firms will be under more pressure to prove they meet the standard. Working for a reputable contractor isn’t just better for your CV — it’s better insurance against the bits of the industry that are about to get squeezed. If you’re job-hunting, browse vetted listings on the Get Licensed jobs board.

The Bigger Picture

The SIA started life as a fairly narrow licensing body. Twenty years on, it’s becoming something closer to a full-spectrum security regulator — one that licenses individuals, approves firms, enforces against rogue operators, and (soon) polices venue counter-terror readiness.

That’s a lot of hats. Whether the SIA wears them well over the next three years will depend on funding, staffing, and political backing for Martyn’s Law. But the direction is set. The industry is being asked to grow up alongside its regulator.

For the vast majority of licence holders who do the job properly, that’s not a threat — it’s overdue recognition that what you do matters. Just make sure your paperwork, your training, and your employer are all in order before the spotlight gets any brighter. If your SIA licence is nearing its expiry, or if you’re planning on getting another SIA licence to expand career opportunities, book your training course today.