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TEXAS DPS PRIVATE SECURITY BUREAU - QUALIFIED MANAGER EXAM
2026 – 2027 LATEST VERSION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026 EDITION
Texas DPS Private Security Bureau - Qualified Manager Exam: 250 Practice
Questions with Rationales
DOMAIN 1: DEFINITIONS, GENERAL SCOPE, AND REGULATORY AUTHORITY (25
Questions)
1. According to Texas Occupations Code §1702.002, a "commissioned security
officer" is defined as:
A) Any person employed to observe and report suspicious activity
B) A security officer to whom a security officer commission has been issued by the
department
C) Any person who carries a firearm while on duty
D) A peace officer working in a private capacity
Answer: B) A security officer to whom a security officer commission has been
issued by the department
Rationale: Section 1702.002(5) of the Texas Occupations Code defines a commissioned
security officer as a security officer to whom a security officer commission has been
issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety. This commission authorizes the officer
to carry a firearm while on duty .
2. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Private Security Bureau has which
of the following regulatory authorities?
A) Licensing investigations companies and security services contractors
B) Issuing commissions to certain security officers
C) Licensing personal protection officers
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
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Rationale: Section 1702.004(a) of the Occupations Code establishes that the
department (1) licenses investigations companies and security services contractors; (2)
issues commissions to certain security officers; (3) licenses certain security officers
engaged in personal protection; (4) licenses individuals connected with company
license holders; and (5) regulates all these entities under this chapter .
3. Under §1702.104, a person acts as a private security consulting company if they:
A) Only provides security guard services
B) Consults, advises, trains, or recommends products/services in the security or loss
prevention industry on an independent basis and meets experience requirements
C) Sells alarm systems to residential customers
D) Provides bodyguard services to executives
Answer: B) Consults, advises, trains, or recommends products/services in the
security or loss prevention industry on an independent basis and meets experience
requirements
Rationale: Section 1702.1045 defines a private security consulting company as a person
who (1) consults, advises, trains, or specifies or recommends products, services,
methods, or procedures in the security or loss prevention industry; (2) provides these
services on an independent basis without being affiliated with a particular service or
product; and (3) meets the experience requirements established by the board .
4. What is the definition of a "company license" under the Texas Occupations
Code?
A) A permit to operate any business in Texas
B) A license issued by the department that entitles a person to operate as a security
services contractor or investigations company
C) A registration for an individual security officer
D) A permit for a branch office location
Answer: B) A license issued by the department that entitles a person to operate as a
security services contractor or investigations company
Rationale: Section 1702.002(5-b) defines "company license" as a license issued by the
department that entitles a person to operate as a security services contractor or
investigations company .
5. An "individual license" under Chapter 1702 is defined as:
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A) A license for a sole proprietorship business
B) A license issued by the department that entitles an individual to perform a service
regulated by this chapter for a company license holder
C) A permit to carry a firearm
D) A registration for a security consultant
Answer: B) A license issued by the department that entitles an individual to
perform a service regulated by this chapter for a company license holder
Rationale: Section 1702.002(8-a) defines an "individual license" as a license issued by
the department that entitles an individual to perform a service regulated by this chapter
for a company license holder, including a personal protection officer license .
6. SOAH stands for which of the following in the context of Texas private security
regulations?
A) State Office of Administrative Hearings
B) South Texas Office of Administrative Health
C) State Office of Accounting and Hearings
D) Security Oversight and Administrative Headquarters
Answer: A) State Office of Administrative Hearings
Rationale: TAC §35.1(8) defines "SOAH" as the State Office of Administrative Hearings.
SOAH serves as the administrative court that hears contested cases involving state
agency actions, including disciplinary proceedings brought by the Private Security
Bureau .
7. According to TAC §35.1, how is a "television camera or still camera system"
defined for the purposes of private security regulation?
A) Any camera system used exclusively for private security or surveillance purposes
B) Any device or system that produces a visual image or series of images recorded,
transmitted through an intranet or internet protocol based device, or monitored by
security personnel, for the purposes of private security or surveillance
C) Any camera system used for commercial photography
D) Any camera system used by law enforcement
Answer: B) Any device or system that produces a visual image or series of images
recorded, transmitted through an intranet or internet protocol based device, or
monitored by security personnel, for the purposes of private security or
surveillance
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Rationale: TAC §35.1(9) defines a television camera or still camera system as "any
device or system of devices that produces a visual image or series of images either
recorded, transmitted through an intranet or internet protocol based device, or
monitored by security personnel, for the purposes of private security or surveillance" .
8. Under §1702.102, a "security services contractor" performs which of the
following activities?
A) Only guard services for private property
B) Activities described by Section 1702.102 including guard, patrol, and personal
protection services
C) Only alarm system installation
D) Only private investigation services
Answer: B) Activities described by Section 1702.102 including guard, patrol, and
personal protection services
Rationale: Section 1702.102 defines the scope of activities performed by a security
services contractor. A company license must be obtained before providing these
regulated security services .
9. An "extra job coordinator" is defined under §1702.002(7) as a peace officer who:
A) Works part-time for a private security company
B) Schedules other peace officers to provide guard services in a private capacity
C) Investigates crimes on private property
D) Coordinates security for special events
Answer: B) Schedules other peace officers to provide guard services in a private
capacity
Rationale: Section 1702.002(7) defines an "extra job coordinator" as a peace officer who
is employed full-time by the state or a political subdivision and schedules other peace
officers to provide guard, patrolman, or watchman services in a private capacity .
10. Under the general scope of regulation (§1702.004), the department is authorized
to:
A) Regulate company license holders, security officers, and individual license holders
B) Only license security guard companies
C) Only regulate alarm system companies
D) Only regulate private investigators
TEXAS DPS PRIVATE SECURITY BUREAU - QUALIFIED MANAGER EXAM
2026 – 2027 LATEST VERSION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026 EDITION
Texas DPS Private Security Bureau - Qualified Manager Exam: 250 Practice
Questions with Rationales
DOMAIN 1: DEFINITIONS, GENERAL SCOPE, AND REGULATORY AUTHORITY (25
Questions)
1. According to Texas Occupations Code §1702.002, a "commissioned security
officer" is defined as:
A) Any person employed to observe and report suspicious activity
B) A security officer to whom a security officer commission has been issued by the
department
C) Any person who carries a firearm while on duty
D) A peace officer working in a private capacity
Answer: B) A security officer to whom a security officer commission has been
issued by the department
Rationale: Section 1702.002(5) of the Texas Occupations Code defines a commissioned
security officer as a security officer to whom a security officer commission has been
issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety. This commission authorizes the officer
to carry a firearm while on duty .
2. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Private Security Bureau has which
of the following regulatory authorities?
A) Licensing investigations companies and security services contractors
B) Issuing commissions to certain security officers
C) Licensing personal protection officers
D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
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Rationale: Section 1702.004(a) of the Occupations Code establishes that the
department (1) licenses investigations companies and security services contractors; (2)
issues commissions to certain security officers; (3) licenses certain security officers
engaged in personal protection; (4) licenses individuals connected with company
license holders; and (5) regulates all these entities under this chapter .
3. Under §1702.104, a person acts as a private security consulting company if they:
A) Only provides security guard services
B) Consults, advises, trains, or recommends products/services in the security or loss
prevention industry on an independent basis and meets experience requirements
C) Sells alarm systems to residential customers
D) Provides bodyguard services to executives
Answer: B) Consults, advises, trains, or recommends products/services in the
security or loss prevention industry on an independent basis and meets experience
requirements
Rationale: Section 1702.1045 defines a private security consulting company as a person
who (1) consults, advises, trains, or specifies or recommends products, services,
methods, or procedures in the security or loss prevention industry; (2) provides these
services on an independent basis without being affiliated with a particular service or
product; and (3) meets the experience requirements established by the board .
4. What is the definition of a "company license" under the Texas Occupations
Code?
A) A permit to operate any business in Texas
B) A license issued by the department that entitles a person to operate as a security
services contractor or investigations company
C) A registration for an individual security officer
D) A permit for a branch office location
Answer: B) A license issued by the department that entitles a person to operate as a
security services contractor or investigations company
Rationale: Section 1702.002(5-b) defines "company license" as a license issued by the
department that entitles a person to operate as a security services contractor or
investigations company .
5. An "individual license" under Chapter 1702 is defined as:
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A) A license for a sole proprietorship business
B) A license issued by the department that entitles an individual to perform a service
regulated by this chapter for a company license holder
C) A permit to carry a firearm
D) A registration for a security consultant
Answer: B) A license issued by the department that entitles an individual to
perform a service regulated by this chapter for a company license holder
Rationale: Section 1702.002(8-a) defines an "individual license" as a license issued by
the department that entitles an individual to perform a service regulated by this chapter
for a company license holder, including a personal protection officer license .
6. SOAH stands for which of the following in the context of Texas private security
regulations?
A) State Office of Administrative Hearings
B) South Texas Office of Administrative Health
C) State Office of Accounting and Hearings
D) Security Oversight and Administrative Headquarters
Answer: A) State Office of Administrative Hearings
Rationale: TAC §35.1(8) defines "SOAH" as the State Office of Administrative Hearings.
SOAH serves as the administrative court that hears contested cases involving state
agency actions, including disciplinary proceedings brought by the Private Security
Bureau .
7. According to TAC §35.1, how is a "television camera or still camera system"
defined for the purposes of private security regulation?
A) Any camera system used exclusively for private security or surveillance purposes
B) Any device or system that produces a visual image or series of images recorded,
transmitted through an intranet or internet protocol based device, or monitored by
security personnel, for the purposes of private security or surveillance
C) Any camera system used for commercial photography
D) Any camera system used by law enforcement
Answer: B) Any device or system that produces a visual image or series of images
recorded, transmitted through an intranet or internet protocol based device, or
monitored by security personnel, for the purposes of private security or
surveillance
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Rationale: TAC §35.1(9) defines a television camera or still camera system as "any
device or system of devices that produces a visual image or series of images either
recorded, transmitted through an intranet or internet protocol based device, or
monitored by security personnel, for the purposes of private security or surveillance" .
8. Under §1702.102, a "security services contractor" performs which of the
following activities?
A) Only guard services for private property
B) Activities described by Section 1702.102 including guard, patrol, and personal
protection services
C) Only alarm system installation
D) Only private investigation services
Answer: B) Activities described by Section 1702.102 including guard, patrol, and
personal protection services
Rationale: Section 1702.102 defines the scope of activities performed by a security
services contractor. A company license must be obtained before providing these
regulated security services .
9. An "extra job coordinator" is defined under §1702.002(7) as a peace officer who:
A) Works part-time for a private security company
B) Schedules other peace officers to provide guard services in a private capacity
C) Investigates crimes on private property
D) Coordinates security for special events
Answer: B) Schedules other peace officers to provide guard services in a private
capacity
Rationale: Section 1702.002(7) defines an "extra job coordinator" as a peace officer who
is employed full-time by the state or a political subdivision and schedules other peace
officers to provide guard, patrolman, or watchman services in a private capacity .
10. Under the general scope of regulation (§1702.004), the department is authorized
to:
A) Regulate company license holders, security officers, and individual license holders
B) Only license security guard companies
C) Only regulate alarm system companies
D) Only regulate private investigators
