SORA Certification

What certifications should a security or concierge professional have?

All security and concierge professionals in the State of New Jersey must obtain a SORA certification (Security Officer Registration Act). Newly hired security officers must go through a 2-day training class. In addition, the security officer will undergo fingerprinting and a background investigation which is conducted by the New Jersey State Police. This certificate must be renewed every 2 years if unarmed and annually if armed. This card resembles a credit card and must be always on the person when on duty.

SORA was implemented by New Jersey State Police following the events that occurred on September 11th, 2001. The law states that every person hired by a security company in New Jersey must take the training and become SORA certified. The SORA certification is a two-year license that is renewed every year. Applicants are certified through a training course and sponsored by the State Police.

Another part of the SORA certification process is the applicant must pass a background check. The background check must show no criminal convictions within the last 10 years.

Why should my security guards have a SORA certification? How will this benefit my building/community?

In the state of New Jersey, every onsite concierge and security personnel should be SORA certified. Having SORA certified security and concierge in your building benefits the property and tenants by having higher qualified and better educated staff.

The facility and its tenants and visitors will have the peace of mind knowing their building is in good hands. Having your concierge and security staff with SORA certification will guarantee that there is no criminal history among the employees. This also saves time and resources when hiring and placing security officials on site as the background check and certification is already up to date. This also improves employee turnover rates.