In this guide
To hire a security company in Encarnación, first ask for its licence resolution from the National Police, and only then talk about price. Then decide what you need (a guard, a monitored alarm or cameras) for your home, shop or warehouse, and get at least two written quotes with the same scope.
Who regulates private security in Paraguay?
Private security companies are supervised by the National Police through its Private Security Companies Oversight Department (ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab)). The governing law is Law 5424, which regulates surveillance and security services for people and property; that department licenses companies and issues guards' ID cards (Hoy, 2022 (opens in a new tab)).
To be licensed, each company needs a resolution from Police Command. Requirements cited by the police include being a registered company, psychological and weapons-handling tests, its own premises, life insurance for guards, patrol vehicles and identifiable uniforms (La Nación, 2023 (opens in a new tab)). In 2023 there were 135 licensed companies nationwide after a clean-up (La Nación, 2023 (opens in a new tab)).
How to check a company before you sign
- Ask for the licence resolution and check it names the same company that will invoice you.
- Ask to see the ID card of the guards assigned to you: the police issue it (Hoy, 2022 (opens in a new tab)).
- Do not hire a freelance "guard": according to the police, someone who does not work for a licensed company is not a security guard (La Nación, 2023 (opens in a new tab)).
- Check with the police if in doubt. Ask at your local police station or at the police department that licenses companies (Hoy, 2022 (opens in a new tab)).
Alarms and cameras: why a licensed installer matters
Article 33 of Law 5424/15 says security systems "shall be supplied exclusively by security companies and independent installers (where permitted), licensed and recognised as such in the specialty", and Article 34 requires those responsible for premises with security systems to hire authorised electronic security companies (quoted in a DNCP procurement file (opens in a new tab)). With an unlicensed firm, police warn there is no guarantee the alarm will trigger on a break-in, and an unlicensed technician could access your cameras and footage of your home or business (Hoy, 2022 (opens in a new tab)).
Before you sign, ask:
- What the control centre does when the alarm goes off: calls you, sends a patrol or alerts the police, and how long it takes to reach your neighbourhood.
- Who can access the recordings, and how passwords are changed when the contract ends.
- How outdoor cameras are mounted. In September 2026 two storms with winds above 100 km/h affected more than 250 families in Encarnación (ABC Color (opens in a new tab)); a badly anchored camera on a metal roof will not hold.
- Whether the equipment has battery backup and how many hours it lasts without power.
What changes depending on where your property is
Encarnación has 50 neighbourhoods, 33 urban and 17 rural, and since the old Zona Baja was demolished the city is ringed by riverside avenues (costaneras) (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). That means different needs:
- Shops in the Circuito Comercial, near the San Roque González bridge to Posadas, Argentina (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)): busy by day, closed at night. A monitored alarm plus cameras covering the pavement and delivery entrances is the usual setup.
- Homes and flats near the costanera and San José beach, the most visited of the municipal beaches (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)): summer and Carnival bring far more people to the area. If you rent out by the season, agree who responds to the alarm when you are away.
- Residential and rural areas: if the house is empty during the day or you have a shed, a monitored alarm with phone alerts often does more than a fixed guard. Ask the company to visit before quoting.
What to put in the contract
- Written scope: guard hours, areas covered, equipment installed and what is excluded.
- Committed response time and what happens if it is missed.
- Who pays if equipment fails or is damaged.
- Term, cancellation terms and a legal invoice.
- Do not pay large sums up front without a signed contract.
Private security does not replace the police: in an emergency, call 911 (ITU (opens in a new tab)).
FAQ
Who regulates private security in Paraguay?
The National Police, through its Private Security Companies Oversight Department, under Law 5424. That department licenses companies and issues guards' ID cards.
How do I know if a security company in Encarnación is licensed?
Ask for its licence resolution from Police Command and the guards' ID cards. If in doubt, check with the National Police before signing.
Can I hire a guard directly, without a company?
According to the police, someone who does not work for a licensed security company is not a security guard. Always hire through a licensed company.
Can any technician install alarms or cameras?
No. Article 33 of Law 5424/15 reserves the supply of security systems to licensed security companies and independent installers.
