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About the exam
Texas Level II Security Officer Exam: the law you must know
Every applicant for a Texas noncommissioned security officer license, and every commissioned officer and personal protection officer on the way up, must complete the Level II training course set by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) Private Security Program and pass its exam. The course is delivered by a licensed training school or by a licensed company for its own employees, and DPS writes the exam that every school uses.
DPS keeps the Level II participant guide and exam behind an instructor password, so this quiz does not pretend to reproduce it. Instead it covers the part of the course that is public law, and that makes up the bulk of the test: the Private Security Act (Occupations Code chapter 1702) and DPS rules on licensing, conduct, uniforms and records; arrest and detention under the Code of Criminal Procedure; trespass, resisting arrest, failure to identify and disorderly conduct under the Penal Code; and the use of force and deadly force rules in Penal Code chapter 9.
The remaining course modules on radio procedure, field notes and report writing, fire, medical and bomb-threat response are taught from the DPS guide and are not included here. Treat this quiz as the law half of your preparation and your school's course as the rest.
Exam format
Level II Security Officer: questions, time and pass mark
| Item | Official exam | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | Not published by DPS (commonly reported as about 32) | Unpublished; practice test uses 32 |
| Time limit | Not published | Unpublished; practice test uses 40 minutes |
| Pass mark | Not published (commonly reported as 75 percent) | Unpublished; practice test uses 75 |
| Attempts | Set by the school; TEEX's online course allows 3 attempts | Verified for TEEX only (teex.org) |
| Course length | About 6 hours at most providers; DPS sets no minimum for Level II | Verified Oct 2026 (dps.texas.gov; teex.org) |
| Course fee | Set by the school; TEEX online is $60 | Verified for TEEX only |
| License term | Expires no later than the 2nd anniversary of issue | Verified Oct 2026 (Occ. Code 1702.301(b)) |
The practice test above draws 32 questions with a 40-minute timer and a 75% pass mark. Practice mode lets you work one topic at a time with explanations after every answer, and the cheat sheet view lists every question and answer for review.
Cost and booking
Fees, where to take it and retakes
Enroll in a Level II course with a DPS-licensed Level III or Level IV training school, or through your employer if it is a licensed guard company that trains its own staff. Prices and format are set by the school; online courses from providers such as TEEX run about $60 as of 2026, and many employers pay for it. The exam is taken at the end of the course and the school issues the completion certificate.
The certificate goes with your license application in the DPS licensing system (RSD Connect since October 2026), along with fingerprints and the application fee. You cannot work as a security officer until DPS issues the license, and noncommissioned officers must be employed by a licensed company. Honorably retired Texas peace officers within two years of retirement may be exempted from Level II with proof and an affidavit.
What’s covered
90+ practice questions, by topic
Written from Texas Occupations Code ch. 1702, Penal Code ch. 9 and 30, Code of Criminal Procedure ch. 14, 37 TAC ch. 35. Every explanation cites its section.
- Private Security Act and licensing32
- Training, hiring and records8
- Arrest, detention and criminal offenses26
- Use of force24
Why people fail
The mistakes that cost people the Level II Security Officer
- Assuming a guard has police powers. The exam keys on the limits: a private person may arrest without a warrant only for a felony or an offense against the public peace committed in their presence (CCP 14.01), and resisting arrest and failure to identify apply only to peace officers.
- Not knowing the deadly force rules for property in Penal Code 9.42: only for the listed crimes (arson, burglary, robbery, aggravated robbery, nighttime theft or criminal mischief) and only when no other means would do.
- Mixing up trespass notice forms, the default offense level (Class B) and what entry means (the whole body).
- Guessing at Private Security Act details: the word 'police' is banned from uniforms and ID cards, client information is confidential, licenses expire within two years, and impersonating a security officer is a Class A misdemeanor.
- Skipping the 2025 legislative changes. CCP 14.06 and other sections cited in the course were amended effective September 1, 2025.
A study plan that works
- Read Occupations Code chapter 1702, subchapters A through N, on statutes.capitol.texas.gov, concentrating on definitions, conduct rules and offenses.
- Read Penal Code chapter 9 (justification), 30.05 (trespass), 38.02 and 38.03 (failure to identify, resisting arrest) and CCP 14.01 through 14.06 (arrest without warrant).
- Practice here by category: Private Security Act first, then arrest and detention, then use of force. Read every explanation; they restate the statutory conditions.
- Take a 32-question timed test and star anything about deadly force or arrest authority you missed; those are the questions that change how you act on the job, not just on the exam.
- Use your school's participant guide for radio, report writing and emergency response, which this quiz does not cover, then take the course exam.
Try a few
Sample Level II Security Officer practice questions
Six questions pulled straight from the bank, with the answer shown. For the timed, no-peeking version, use the quiz above.
Why: A security officer is employed by a security services contractor or a private business security department as a guard, watchman, patrolman, armored car guard or courier guard. Installers, locksmiths and investigators hold different licenses.
Source: Tex. Occ. Code 1702.222
Why: The Act bars hiring a noncommissioned security officer unless the hirer conducts the preemployment check required by commission rule.
Source: Tex. Occ. Code 1702.235
Why: Section 38.03 requires force against a person the actor knows is a peace officer, or a person acting in a peace officer's presence and at the officer's direction. Other offenses, such as assault, may still apply.
Source: Tex. Penal Code 38.03(a)
Why: There is no duty to retreat for a person with a right to be present, who has not provoked the other, and who is not engaged in criminal activity.
Source: Tex. Penal Code 9.31(e)
Why: Impersonating a commissioned or noncommissioned security officer to induce others to submit to pretended authority is a Class A misdemeanor under the Act.
Source: Tex. Occ. Code 1702.3875
Why: The visible presence of a crop grown for human consumption that is under cultivation, being harvested, or marketable is one of the listed forms of notice.
Source: Tex. Penal Code 30.05(b)(2)(E)
FAQ
Level II Security Officer questions, answered
How many questions are on the Texas Level II security exam?
DPS does not publish the question count, time limit or pass mark; the exam is distributed to licensed instructors only. Schools commonly describe it as about 32 questions with 75 percent to pass. This practice test uses those figures and says so.
Does this quiz cover the whole Level II course?
No. It covers the law modules: the Private Security Act and DPS rules, arrest and detention, Penal Code offenses and use of force. Radio procedure, note taking and report writing, and fire, medical and bomb-threat response come from the password-protected DPS participant guide and are left to your course.
Do I need Level II to be an unarmed security guard in Texas?
Yes. Level II is required for every noncommissioned security officer license applicant, and it is the prerequisite for the Level III commissioned (armed) course and the personal protection officer course.
Who can teach the Level II course?
A DPS-licensed Level III or Level IV training school, a licensed instructor, or a licensed security company training its own employees using the current DPS manuals (37 TAC 35.141).
How long does a Texas security officer license last?
DPS sets the expiration, but by statute a license or commission expires no later than the second anniversary of the date it was issued (Occupations Code 1702.301(b)).
Can a security guard arrest someone in Texas?
Only as a private person, and only for a felony or an offense against the public peace committed in their presence or view (CCP 14.01(a)). Only a peace officer may arrest for any offense committed in their presence. The exam tests these limits closely.