In this guide
In San Bernardino, before you hire a security company, ask for the resolution that licenses it with the National Police, as Paraguay's private security law (Law 5424) requires (Hoy (opens in a new tab)). Then choose the service by how you use the property: a holiday house that sits empty for much of the year needs a monitored alarm and someone who responds; a home you live in year-round or a shop open in high season may need a different mix.
How to check that a company is licensed
Law 5424 is enforced by a specialised department of the National Police, which licenses firms and issues ID cards to guards (Hoy (opens in a new tab)). The licence is granted by a resolution of the Police command and requires, among other things, a registered company, its own premises, psychological and weapons tests for staff, life insurance for guards and marked vehicles and uniforms (La Nación (opens in a new tab)).
- Ask for the licence resolution and the ID card of every guard or technician who enters your house.
- Do not decide on price alone: in 2023 only 135 firms were licensed nationwide after about 200 were cancelled or suspended (La Nación (opens in a new tab)), and a deputy minister warned that many failed minimum requirements (ABC Color (opens in a new tab)).
- With an informal firm there is no guarantee that staff are trained or weapons registered, and unvetted technicians may keep access to your cameras (Hoy (opens in a new tab)).
Holiday house, year-round home or gated community
San Bernardino's high season runs from December to mid-February (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)), but it is no longer only a summer town: since the pandemic many people from Asunción have moved there, and gated communities have multiplied (InfoNegocios, 2025 (opens in a new tab)). That changes what you need:
- House empty for months: prioritise door and window sensors with monitoring. A camera nobody watches only helps afterwards. Put in writing who the control room calls (you, a neighbour or a caretaker) and who holds a key.
- Year-round home: an alarm for the night and when you go out, plus good lighting at the front and back.
- Gated community: ask what the estate's guards cover and what they do not. Often they control the gate, not your garden; your house alarm is still your job.
- If you rent the house out in summer: change the alarm code after each tenant and check who has access to the camera app.
What a recent case shows
In March 2026, officers from the local 16th police station on a preventive patrol saw a man apparently trying to enter a house in the rural area of Ybyhanguy Segunda. He fled into nearby woodland and was caught after a search, carrying tools, gloves, a torch and a cloth mask (Última Hora (opens in a new tab)).
Two lessons for San Bernardino: in wooded rural areas, lighting and perimeter sensors matter as much as the front door; and keep the number of your local police station to hand so you can give it to the monitoring company.
What changes in high season
For the summer, the Police and the Municipality announced a joint patrol and vehicle-control plan at the access roads and tourist spots, and the chamber of commerce expected 20% more bookings in guesthouses and short-term rentals (InfoNegocios, 2025 (opens in a new tab)). More people means more movement around your property:
- Hire or review the service in November, before the peak, not in January.
- Ask the company to test the alarm and its link to the control room before you arrive for the holidays.
- If you run a shop by the lake or in the centre, ask whether they offer a guard for the high-season months only.
What to get in writing before you sign
- The company's licence resolution and the technicians' names.
- A list of covered zones: doors, windows, back garden, barbecue area and storage.
- What the control room does when the alarm goes off: call you, alert the Police or send a vehicle, and how long it takes to reach your street.
- Contract length, how to cancel and who owns the installed equipment.
- Total price in guaraníes and an invoice for every payment: consumer agency Sedeco reminds buyers that every sale of goods or services comes with an invoice (ABC Color (opens in a new tab)).
Get at least two quotes with the same level of detail so you compare like with like.
FAQ
Who regulates security companies in San Bernardino?
The National Police, through its specialised department, which licenses firms under Law 5424 and issues guard ID cards. The same rule applies nationwide.
How do I know a security company is licensed?
Ask for the licence resolution issued by the Police command and the ID cards of its guards or technicians. If they cannot show them, look elsewhere.
What works best for a holiday house in San Bernardino?
A monitored alarm with door and window sensors, plus a local contact who can go to the house. Cameras alone help identify intruders afterwards but do not stop them getting in.
When should I hire the service?
Before high season, which runs from December to mid-February, so the company can install and test everything before the crowds arrive.
