California BSIS · New Guard Card · SB 652 Compliant

Start Your California Guard Card Training

Every new California security officer starts with the same 8 hours of pre-assignment training. You'll complete it in two parts — one online, one in person — both with us, one BSIS-licensed provider, exactly as state law requires.

1Start online today — the 3-hour Powers to Arrest course, from any device. $28.
2Book your in-person class — the 5-hour Appropriate Use of Force session at our Santa Rosa training facility. $150.
3Keep going — 16 hours of mandatory training in your first 30 days, 16 elective hours within 180 days. $68 total.
BSIS-Licensed Provider
CA PPO 120603 · CA PI 24105
Immediate Online Access
Progress saves automatically
Verifiable Certificates
Serialized, employer-checkable
Meet Your Instructor

How the process works, in 90 seconds

Mark Adams — the BSIS instructor of record whose name and signature appear on your certificates — walks you through the entire path, from your first click to your guard card.

MA
Mark Adams
BSIS Instructor of Record · Whitestar Group · Santa Rosa, CA
The 8-Hour Requirement

One course. Two parts.

Under SB 652 (effective January 2026), California splits the 8-hour pre-assignment course into an online half and an in-person half — and both must come from the same BSIS-licensed provider. That's us, on both sides.

Part 1 100% ONLINE

Powers to Arrest — 3 Hours

$28 · immediate access

Thirteen chapters of original, statute-cited content covering everything BSIS requires — citizen's arrest authority, liability, search & seizure, trespass, use of force, and reporting. Complete it from any device; your progress saves automatically.

  • Start the moment your payment clears — no waiting
  • 13 chapters · phone, tablet, or desktop
  • 35-question assessment · 80% to pass, with remediation
  • Completion recorded instantly in your student account
Start the 3-Hour Online Course — $28
Part 2 IN PERSON · SANTA ROSA

Appropriate Use of Force — 5 Hours

$150 · reserved classroom seat

The classroom half of your 8 hours, delivered by our BSIS-licensed trainer at the Santa Rosa training facility — use-of-force scenarios, de-escalation, handcuffing fundamentals, and the practical evaluation. Pick a class date and we'll confirm your seat.

  • Held at 50 Old Courthouse Square, Suite 200, Santa Rosa
  • Instructors with real law-enforcement backgrounds
  • Scenario training, practical rubric & sign-in attestation
  • Certificate issued after your session — verifiable serial
Book the 5-Hour In-Person Training — $150
Transparent Pricing

Exactly what your 8 hours cost

No bundles, no surprises. Two parts, two prices, one total.

Online — Powers to Arrest
3 hours · complete on any device · immediate access
$28
In-Person — Appropriate Use of Force
5 hours · Santa Rosa training facility · reserved seat
$150
Complete 8-Hour Training
Both parts, one BSIS-licensed provider — as SB 652 requires
$178
State fees are separate and paid directly to the state or its vendors — the BSIS guard registration application and Livescan fingerprinting are not part of our course fees. After your 8 hours, the full 32-hour continuing-training program is $68 — see the roadmap below.
Your In-Person Training Location

Santa Rosa, Northern California

The 5-hour Appropriate Use of Force class is held at our training facility in downtown Santa Rosa — about an hour north of San Francisco in Sonoma County.

Where in California?
Santa Rosa sits in Sonoma County, ~55 miles north of San Francisco via US-101.
Sacramento San Francisco Los Angeles San Diego Santa Rosa
≈ 55 mi north of San Francisco Sonoma County seat
Training Facility
Whitestar Group Training Facility50 Old Courthouse Square, Suite 200 · Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Phone: (707) 566-0100 — call for class questions or to book by phone
Class times: confirmed with your booking — your confirmation email includes your exact date, time, and arrival instructions
Parking: the facility is on Old Courthouse Square in downtown Santa Rosa — metered street parking and public parking garages are within a short walk
Arrival: plan to arrive 15 minutes early with a government-issued photo ID — and bring a pad and pen, you'll want to take notes
What Happens in the Classroom
  • Use-of-force scenario training with the use-of-force continuum
  • De-escalation and legal standards for force, in plain language
  • Handcuffing fundamentals and §841 arrest-notice role-plays
  • Active-shooter awareness and incident-scene discipline
  • Practical-skills evaluation with a scored rubric
  • Sign-in attestation — your record is kept per 16 CCR §643
Why in person?
SB 652 (BPC §7583.6) requires the 5-hour Appropriate Use of Force block to be completed in a classroom, with the same provider that delivered your online hours. No provider can legally sell you a 100% online 8-hour course.
Book Your Seat

Upcoming Santa Rosa class dates

Pick the 5-hour Appropriate Use of Force session that fits your schedule. Seats are limited per class and nothing is charged until the office confirms your date — your $150 seat fee is collected at confirmation.

Loading class dates…

Your Full Training Roadmap

The 8 hours are the start — not the finish

California requires 40 total hours for a new guard: your initial 8, then 32 more hours of continuing training on a state-set clock. We deliver all of it — and your student dashboard tracks both deadlines.

8 hr
Now · Before Your First Post

Initial 8 Hours

The pre-assignment requirement, in two parts with one provider.

3 hours online — Powers to Arrest · $28
5 hours in person — Use of Force · $150
16 hr
Within Your First 30 Days

Mandatory Training Mandatory

Four required BSIS modules (II.A–II.D): public relations, observation & documentation, communication, and liability & legal aspects. Available online in your dashboard the moment you enroll — your 30-day deadline is shown there too.

100% online · included in the $68 program
16 hr
Within 180 Days

Elective Training Elective

Choose from 20+ elective modules — officer safety, access control, workplace violence, driver safety, courtroom demeanor and more — to reach your final 16 hours. Deadline tracked in your dashboard.

Your choice of electives · included in the $68 program
Questions, Answered

8-Hour training FAQ

Can I complete all eight hours online?+
No — and that's state law, not our policy. Under SB 652, the 8-hour course is a hybrid: 3 hours online (Powers to Arrest) and 5 hours in a classroom (Appropriate Use of Force), both from the same BSIS-licensed provider. Any provider offering a fully-online 8-hour course after January 2026 is not delivering a compliant certificate.
Why is five hours required in person?+
Use-of-force training involves judgment, scenarios, and physical fundamentals that California decided can't be assessed through a screen. SB 652 amended BPC §7583.6 to require the 5-hour Appropriate Use of Force block be facilitated live, so an instructor can evaluate you in realistic role-plays.
Where is the Santa Rosa training facility?+
50 Old Courthouse Square, Suite 200, Santa Rosa, CA 95404 — in downtown Santa Rosa, about 55 miles north of San Francisco. Metered street parking and public garages are a short walk away. Call (707) 566-0100 with any questions.
How much does the complete eight-hour training cost?+
$178 total — $28 for the 3-hour online Powers to Arrest course, and $150 for the 5-hour in-person Appropriate Use of Force class. State fees (BSIS guard registration application and Livescan fingerprints) are separate and paid directly to the state or its vendors.
Can I purchase the online portion first?+
Yes — that's the recommended order. Start the $28 online course today, then book your in-person class date whenever you're ready. Many students finish the online portion in a day or two and take the classroom session the same week.
How do I book my in-person class?+
Pick an open date in the class dates section and submit your booking. The office confirms your seat and collects the $150 fee at confirmation. You'll receive the facility address, time, and preparation instructions by email — plus a reminder before class. Prefer the phone? Call (707) 566-0100.
What should I bring to the in-person training?+
A government-issued photo ID, your Part 1 completion record (it's in your student account), and a pad and pen — you'll want to take notes. Arrive about 15 minutes early for sign-in. Dress comfortably; the session includes practical exercises.
What happens if I need to reschedule?+
Reply to your confirmation email or call (707) 566-0100 and the office will move you to another available class date. See our refund policy for the details that apply to your booking.
What training must I complete during the first 30 days?+
After your initial 8 hours, you must complete 16 hours of mandatory training (modules II.A–II.D: public relations, observation & documentation, communication, and liability & legal aspects) within your first 30 days. It's fully online and your deadline is shown in your student dashboard.
What training must I complete within 180 days?+
Your final 16 hours of elective training, chosen from 20+ BSIS elective modules — officer safety, access control, workplace violence, driver safety, courtroom demeanor and more. The 180-day deadline is tracked in your student dashboard alongside your course progress.
How do I access my certificates?+
Every completed module issues a certificate with a verifiable serial number, available in your student account. Employers can confirm any certificate at our verification page. Records are retained as required by 16 CCR §643.
Can I complete the 32-hour training through OnlineGuardCards.com?+
Yes — the complete 32-hour program is $68 and fully online: your 16 mandatory hours plus your choice of 16 elective hours, with progress tracking, deadline reminders in your dashboard, and a certificate for every module. Continue your training →
Licensed & Regulated
  • BSIS-licensed training provider
  • Whitestar Group · CA PPO 120603 · CA PI 24105
  • Instructor of record on every certificate
Real-World Instructors
  • Trainers with law-enforcement backgrounds
  • Scenario-based classroom, not a lecture hall
  • Practical rubric scoring with remediation
Verifiable Credentials
  • Serialized certificates employers can check
  • Online verification at onlineguardcards.com/verify
  • Records retained per 16 CCR §643
Secure Checkout
  • Payments processed by Stripe
  • Apple Pay · Google Pay · all major cards
  • We never see or store your card number

Your guard card starts with three hours online. Tonight, if you want.

Enroll for $28, finish Powers to Arrest at your own pace, then book your Santa Rosa classroom session. We'll guide you through every step — all the way to your 40 hours.

Returning student? Log in to continue your training →

Start the Online Course — $28