What each role actually does
Static guarding focuses on a specific environment and set of duties. Mobile patrol sits alongside but has a distinct primary purpose. Read the assignment instructions for each before choosing.
Licensing and training
Both roles require SIA licensing where duties are licensable. The exact licence differs; some candidates hold both to maximise availability.
Pay and conditions
Pay bands overlap in the middle but diverge at the top end. Static guarding tends to pay more where the environment is higher-risk; Mobile patrol more where the environment is higher-visibility.
Career progression
Progression from Static guarding typically routes into supervisory and specialist paths. Mobile patrol routes into different specialisms with similar earnings ceilings.
Which is right for you
Pick Static guarding if you prefer the environment it operates in; pick Mobile patrol if you prefer the pace and interaction it offers. Both are respected careers with genuine pathways.