The legal answer depends entirely on what the steward is actually doing, not on the word “steward” itself. Under the Private Security Industry Act 2001, a Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence is only required for licensable activities: searching attendees, controlling entry where force may be used, or ejecting individuals. Directing crowds, checking tickets, or staffing an information point does not require a licence.
Where alcohol is served under a Licensing Act 2003 premises licence, or where a Safety Advisory Group has set conditions for a large event, licensed Door Supervisors become a practical necessity even though the word “steward” carries no licensing weight on its own. Keep Safe & Secure Ltd has supplied stewarding and licensed security teams across festivals, sports grounds, and licensed venues, and this guide sets out exactly where the legal line sits, how to plan around it, and what event organisers are responsible for checking before the gates open.
What actually triggers the SIA licensing requirement
Licensing hinges on the task, not the job title. Searching bags or persons is classed as a licensable activity, so only staff holding an SIA Door Supervisor licence, or in-house staff with equivalent vetting and training, are permitted to carry it out. A general steward who checks wristbands, points people toward exits, or answers questions at an information point is not performing a licensable activity and does not need a licence to do that job.
Certified sports grounds carry a further exemption. In-house stewards working at a ground with an active safety certificate do not need an SIA licence to perform stewarding duties, even when those duties include managing spectator flow during a match. The exemption applies to in-house staff at the certified ground itself, not to agency stewards working elsewhere.
When a licence becomes non-negotiable
Door Supervisors and Security Guards hold equivalent SIA powers but are authorised for different settings. Door Supervisor licences cover venues and events with a premises licence for alcohol; Security Guard licences cover premises without one. If an event risk assessment identifies a need for searching, physical intervention, or managing intoxicated guests, that function must sit with a licensed individual regardless of how the wider stewarding team is described.
Comparing steward and licensed security roles
| Role | SIA licence required | Typical duties | Where they can work |
| Event steward | No, unless performing a licensable activity | Directing crowds, checking tickets or wristbands, staffing information points, queue management | Any event where duties stay outside licensable activity |
| Door Supervisor | Yes, SIA Door Supervisor licence | Access control, searches, ejections, managing intoxicated or aggressive guests | Licensed premises serving alcohol, festivals, nightclubs |
| Security Guard | Yes, SIA Security Guard licence | Guarding the site and equipment, patrolling, monitoring access points | Non-alcohol venues, build-up and derig phases |
| In-house sports ground steward | No, if the ground holds a valid safety certificate | Spectator direction, seating management, safety-critical roles under the ground’s plan | Certified sports grounds only |
SIA licence categories and what each one covers
Once a task is identified as licensable, the category of licence determines what the individual is legally permitted to do on site. The table below sets out the main categories relevant to event work.
| Licence category | Governing framework | Core permitted activities | Common event use |
| Door Supervisor | Private Security Industry Act 2001, regulated by the SIA | Access control, ID and age verification, conflict management, ejections | Licensed venues, festivals, nightclubs |
| Security Guard | Private Security Industry Act 2001, regulated by the SIA | Guarding premises and property, patrolling | Non-alcohol events, build-up and breakdown periods |
| Public Space Surveillance (CCTV) | Private Security Industry Act 2001, regulated by the SIA | Monitoring public space CCTV systems | Control rooms at large venues |
| Close Protection | Private Security Industry Act 2001, regulated by the SIA | Protecting a named individual, risk and route planning | VIP or high-profile guest attendance |
A practical planning figure used across the industry, drawn from Purple Guide good practice and typical Licensing Act 2003 conditions, is roughly one security or steward per 100 attendees as a starting ratio rather than a fixed legal minimum. The actual number for a given event is set by the outcome of the risk assessment, not by this ratio alone.
Things to consider before deciding on your staffing mix
Most events run on a blend of licensed and unlicensed staff, with the split determined by the tasks each role will actually carry out. Before fixing the plan, work through the following:
- Premises licence conditions: check whether the venue’s alcohol licence specifies a minimum number of SIA Door Supervisors.
- Risk assessment outcome: the formal risk assessment, not assumption, should decide where licensable tasks sit in the staffing plan.
- Safety Advisory Group input: for larger or higher-risk events, the local authority-led SAG will often set stewarding and security numbers as a condition of approval.
- Ground certification status: an active sports ground safety certificate changes which stewarding duties in-house staff can legally perform without a licence.
- Weather and site conditions: outdoor UK events are exposed to wind loading on temporary structures and site access affected by rain, both of which change stewarding and evacuation planning through the seasons.
A briefing that only covers evacuation routes leaves stewards unprepared for the questions attendees actually raise on the day, such as re-entry rules, lost property, or where the nearest first aid point is. Building those practical answers into the pre-event briefing reduces radio traffic to the control point once the event is live.
Where licensed security support fits alongside a stewarding team
Stewarding rarely operates in isolation. Once the risk assessment identifies licensable tasks, those functions are typically covered by dedicated services working alongside the general stewarding team:
- Event Security and Stewards: SIA-licensed Door Supervisors and briefed stewards covering access control, crowd management, and general attendee guidance for the same event.
- Security Guards: site guarding during build-up, live running, and derig, covering periods when equipment and infrastructure are on site without the public present.
- CCTV Installation & Surveillance: temporary or fixed camera coverage of entry points and high-density areas, supporting the licensed team’s situational awareness.
- Fencing and Hoarding Services: perimeter control that defines the licensed footprint of the event and supports the crowd management plan agreed with the licensing authority.
Questions organisers ask before booking their event team
How many stewards does my event need?
There is no single legal figure. Numbers follow the risk assessment and, for larger events, the Safety Advisory Group’s conditions, with industry ratios used only as a starting point for planning.
Can unlicensed stewards work a venue that serves alcohol?
Yes, for non-licensable tasks such as directing guests, but access control and search duties on that premises legally require a licensed Door Supervisor.
Who actually decides the final security numbers?
The event organiser holds responsibility for the decision, informed by the risk assessment, venue licence conditions, and any requirements set by the local Safety Advisory Group.
Checking a licence before the gates open, rather than assuming it is valid, is a habit worth building into every pre-event walk-through. It takes under a minute against the SIA public register and closes off one of the most common compliance gaps on event day.
Questions about managing stewards and security long term
Do stewards need training even without an SIA licence?
Yes. Licensing and training are separate matters. Unlicensed stewards still need role-specific briefing on the venue layout, evacuation procedures, and their reporting lines, and many events use recognised stewarding qualifications to standardise that training across a season.
What happens if unlicensed staff carry out licensable duties?
It creates a compliance breach for the event and exposes both the organiser and the individual to enforcement action. Licensable tasks such as searching or ejecting must be clearly ring-fenced to licensed staff in the deployment plan, not left to whoever is nearest at the time.
Does a smaller event remove the need to think about licensing?
No. Event size affects the number of staff required, not whether the licensing rules apply. A small licensed bar at a community event still needs the same legal treatment of licensable activity as a major festival.
Can in-house staff replace agency-supplied security altogether?
In some settings, such as certified sports grounds, in-house staff can legally cover stewarding duties. Where licensable activity is involved, in-house staff must hold the same SIA licence or equivalent vetting and training as agency staff performing the same task.
How should the staffing plan change across a multi-day event?
Fatigue and shift patterns matter as much as headcount. Long-running events benefit from rotating licensed staff through rest breaks and reviewing crowd density at each session, since the risk profile on day one rarely matches the risk profile by the final day.
Key takeaways
Whether an event legally needs licensed security stewards depends on the tasks being performed, not the job title used for the team. Searching, access control, and ejections require an SIA licence; general crowd direction and information duties generally do not. Venue licence conditions, ground certification, and Safety Advisory Group requirements can all turn a licensable task into a fixed condition of running the event. Match the staffing plan to the risk assessment, confirm licences before the event, and review the mix of licensed and unlicensed roles every time the venue, capacity, or alcohol licensing status changes.
Plan your event security with confidence
Getting the stewarding and licensing mix right starts with a proper look at the venue, the risk assessment, and the licence conditions attached to the event. Keep Safe & Secure Ltd supplies SIA-licensed Door Supervisors and Security Guards alongside briefed event stewards, and can talk through where licensable duties sit in your plan before the booking is confirmed. Reach the team on +44 330 118 8340 or by email at info@keepsafesecure.com to work through the requirements for your event.
