In Queensland, a restricted Class 1 security provider licence can be issued for six months, while an unrestricted Class 1 licence can be issued for either one year or three years. To be honest, the three-year licence generally represents better value over the full licensing period, but you do need to have the money available upfront – and not everyone does.

Whichever period you choose, it is extremely important to keep the Queensland Office of Fair Trading (OFT) informed of your current address and contact details. If OFT needs to send you an important notice concerning your licence, you don't want it disappearing to an address you left years ago. Section 39 of Queensland's Acts Interpretation Act 1954 provides that where legislation requires or permits a document to be served on an individual, it may generally be left at or posted to the person's residential or business address last known to the person serving the document. In practical terms, don't assume that not receiving correspondence means nothing has happened.

Keeping your contact details current with OFT is an important responsibility throughout your security career, particularly where correspondence could concern your licensing status or other regulatory requirements. BARS Training Australia encourages students and experienced security providers alike to treat their OFT contact details just like their licence itself – keep them current and don't forget about them when you move house or change your contact information.