“How much is an SIA door supervisor course in Birmingham?” is one of the first questions people ask before they book. Here is the figure on this website, what it includes, and what you still pay later to the SIA.
Prices below are the amounts IBA UK publishes on the course pages at the time of writing. If a page shows a different figure when you book, the course page is the live source.
IBA UK prices (published on this site)
These are training fees paid to IBA UK. They are not the SIA’s own licence charge.
£230 for the full award is the number most new learners need. £180 is not a discount version of the same course — it is a different product for people who already hold the licence and need top-up training to renew.
What the £230 full course includes
Typically 7 days from Sunday to Saturday, including Emergency First Aid on the Sunday.
The full programme is the licence-linked qualification for people who do not yet hold a door supervisor licence (or who need the full award again).
You are paying for
- Classroom teaching aligned to SIA door supervisor standards
- Practical elements including conflict management and physical intervention
- Emergency First Aid as part of this course
- Assessment towards the licence-linked qualification
You are not paying for a guaranteed job, a uniform, or the plastic licence card. Those sit outside the course fee.
Sunday start is required
The Sunday first-aid day is why the calendar only accepts Sunday starts for this programme. If you try to start midweek, you would miss a required part of the published package. Plan a full week off, not “evenings after work”.
What the £180 refresher is for
A shorter renewal pathway — typically 3 days including first aid, Sunday start.
If you already hold a door supervisor licence and need top-up training to renew, do not buy the full £230 course unless a tutor tells you that you must. The refresher is the correct product.
Booking the wrong product wastes money
A refresher does not exist to “make the course cheaper for everyone”. If you have never held the door supervisor qualification, the full 7-day programme is the correct booking. If you are unsure, [contact IBA UK](/contact-us/) with your licence expiry date.
The SIA licence application fee (separate)
IBA UK trains and assesses. The SIA decides the licence and collects its own fee.
Until the SIA grants the licence you cannot lawfully do licensed door work, even if you have paid IBA UK and passed the exams. Centres that imply “course price includes your badge” are mixing two payments.
For the full application sequence, read how to get an SIA licence in Birmingham.
Other costs people forget
They are small next to a wasted week if you book the wrong course, but they still belong in a realistic budget.
Budget separately for
- Travel to Praetorian House, 20 Paper Mill End, Birmingham B44 8NH
- Time off work for the 7-day block (or 3-day refresher)
- Identity documents if you need to renew a passport or photocard driving licence before the SIA application
- Optional extra skills — [handcuffing](/handcuffing-course-more/) or [CCTV](/level-2-cctv-operator/) at £170 if you want a second licence later
Emergency First Aid as a standalone Sunday course is listed at £100 if you ever need it outside the DS package. On the full DS course it is already bundled. Food, parking and a replacement uniform for your first contractor job are also not in the £230.
Retakes
If you fail a unit, ask about retake arrangements before you assume a second full fee. Do not pay the SIA application fee until you have the qualification confirmation.
How Birmingham prices compare in principle
Always compare what is in the fee, not only the headline number.
Door supervisor courses across the West Midlands are often advertised anywhere from the low £200s to £500+, depending on whether first aid, retakes and classroom hours are included. IBA UK publishes £230 for the full DS + first aid programme on this site.
A cheaper advert that excludes first aid means you still need a Sunday Emergency First Aid course (listed at £100 here if taken standalone). A cheaper advert that is online-only is not the same product as a 7-day classroom and practical programme. Ask for the award title, the start date, and whether Emergency First Aid is in the fee before you treat a lower headline as a saving.
Cheap is not cheaper if it skips practicals
Use [how to choose SIA training in Birmingham](/guides/how-to-choose-sia-training-birmingham/) so a course that skips practical intervention does not cost you a failed assessment or an employer rejection. Training at a real Birmingham address (Praetorian House, B44 8NH) is a different proposition from a vague “West Midlands” listing with no site you can visit.
Door supervisor vs other SIA prices on this site
Door supervisor is the usual first spend for venue work. Close protection is a specialist investment, not a “more expensive door course”.
For the security officer guarding pathway, see the live security officer course page. If you are choosing between door supervisor and security officer on cost alone, read the comparison guide first. The cheaper-looking pathway is the wrong one if the jobs you want specify the other licence.
The door supervisor page takes you through booking details and then SumUp for payment where a payment link is live. Have your name, email and phone ready. Sunday start dates are used for first aid on the full course.
Questions before you pay: 0121 377 8116 or contact.
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Frequently asked questions
How much is the SIA door supervisor course at IBA UK?
The full SIA Door Supervisor + First Aid course is listed at £230. The refresher for existing licence holders is listed at £180.
Is the SIA licence included in the £230?
No. £230 is the IBA UK training fee. You pay the SIA licence application fee separately to the Security Industry Authority when you apply.
Does the course include first aid?
Yes. Emergency First Aid is included in the 7-day full course, with first aid on the Sunday start date.