Home / Regulatory support / Legislation / SIA stewarding exemption for sports grounds SIA stewarding exemption for sports groundsStewards are subject to different regulations and training requirements depending on the activities they undertake. Under section 4(6) of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, in-house stewards (i.e. directly employed by the ground) carrying out licensable activities at certified sports grounds are exempt from licensing by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) as long as the sports ground is covered by a safety certificate. This exemption is commonly known as the ‘SIA sports ground exemption’. The exemption was granted in 2006 on the basis that stewards were trained and vetted to standards equivalent to the training and vetting required of SIA licence holders. It applies at any ground subject to a General Safety or Regulated Stand Certificate. We have published SIA Sports Ground Exemption – Policy Guidance to support grounds and local authorities understand their responsibilities under the exemption. Information leaflet We and the SIA have developed a leaflet explaining when a SIA licence is needed at a sports ground. Understanding the steward exemption Basic principle ‘SIA Licensable activities’ at sports grounds are: Stewards searching spectators on their entry to the ground. Stewards specifically tasked with physically intervening against and ejecting spectators who are in breach of ground regulations. This includes decisions on refusal of entry. The supervisors of those stewards in categories a and b immediately above. In a non-front-line capacity, safety officers and chief stewards. (The full list of ‘Licensable activities’ under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 are outlined on gov.uk.) Stewards in safety or non-safety critical (service) roles whose duties do not include searching, ejections or physically intervening where spectators are in breach of ground regulations are NOT carrying out licensable activities. Any steward undertaking SIA licensable activities must have an SIA door supervisor licence. HOWEVER Under the sports ground exemption, in-house sports ground staff do not need a licence. INSTEAD In-house staff conducting the SIA licensable activities must have an equivalent level of training and vetting. What does it mean in practice? The below examples outline whether an activity at a football ground is ‘licensable’ or not. This is not an exhaustive list. Searching during ingress In-house steward: Exempt from needing licence. But must be qualified and vetted. Agency steward: Must have an SIA Door Supervisor licence, along with the required Level 2 qualification. Response team In-house steward: Exempt from needing licence. But must be qualified (including physical intervention training) and vetted. Agency steward: Must have an SIA Door Supervisor licence, along with the required Level 2 qualification. Pitch perimeter In-house steward: Exempt from needing licence. But must be qualified (including physical intervention training) and vetted. Agency steward: Must have an SIA Door Supervisor licence, along with the required Level 2 qualification. In vomitory advising spectators In-house steward: Not licensable activity so exemption doesn’t apply. But must be qualified (or working towards qualification). Agency steward: Not licensable activity so SIA licence not needed. But must be qualified (or working towards qualification). Related information Learn more Stewarding factsheet 6 – SIA stewarding exemptionStewards are subject to different regulations and training requirements depending on the activities they undertake. Learn more Learn more SIA Sports Ground Exemption – Policy GuidanceWe have prepared policy guidance regarding the existing exemption in the Private Security Industry Act 2001 for in-house staff at sports grounds Learn more