Executive protection (EP) is the planned, professional protection of a specific person, called the principal, from harm, embarrassment and disruption. It is built on preparation rather than muscle: the best detail is one where nothing happens because the agent anticipated it.
EP agent, bodyguard or security guard?
A security guard protects a place. A bodyguard, in the popular sense, is a physical deterrent. An executive protection agent protects a person through advance work, route planning, venue assessment, medical readiness and, when necessary, a calm physical response. Appearance matters less than preparation; a good EP agent in Palm Beach looks like a member of the principal's staff.
Florida licensing
In Florida, anyone performing protection services for compensation must hold a Class D security officer license issued by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services under Chapter 493, Florida Statutes, and must work for a licensed Class B security agency. Agents who carry a firearm on duty must also hold the Class G statewide firearm license, which requires initial training and annual requalification. Ask any provider for their Class B agency license number and their agents' D and G license numbers before you sign.
What a detail includes
- Threat and vulnerability assessment
- Advance work on venues, routes and residences
- A written protective plan and communications plan
- Close protection by one or more agents
- Secure transportation, ideally in vehicles the agency controls
- Coordination with venue security, law enforcement and the principal's staff
How executive protection is priced
Details are priced by agent-hour with minimums, plus vehicle time if transportation is included. Advance work is billed separately for complex movements. Armed agents command a premium. In South Florida, expect a meaningful difference between a single unarmed agent for an evening and a multi-agent armed detail with vehicles for a week-long visit. Protection services are taxable in Florida; a reputable agency's quote will show the tax.
Why integrate transportation and protection
When the agency that protects you also drives you, the detail and the vehicle answer to one plan and one chain of command. Summit Transportation & Protection was built on exactly that model: protection-aware chauffeurs for every ride, and licensed EP agents when a detail is warranted.
This guide is general information from Summit Transportation & Protection LLC and is not legal advice. Verify licensing with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.