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Investigation and Security Services: ABS business counts

ANZSIC class 7712, in the Public Administration and Safety division.

Actively trading businesses in Investigation and Security Services (ANZSIC class 7712) across Australia, June 2025
6,510 businessesAustralian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 2, June 2025.
Actively trading non-employing businesses in Investigation and Security Services (ANZSIC class 7712) across Australia, June 2025
3,596 businessesAustralian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 2, June 2025.
ABS business entries in Investigation and Security Services (ANZSIC class 7712) across Australia: counted at June 2025 but not June 2024
1,169 businessesAustralian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 2, 2024-25.
ABS business exits in Investigation and Security Services (ANZSIC class 7712) across Australia: counted at June 2024 but not June 2025
1,121 businessesAustralian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 2, 2024-25.

About these figures

  • These ABS figures count actively trading businesses, not workers, sites or venues, each in its main state or territory.
  • Entries and exits compare two 30 June counts. They are not counts of openings and closures.
  • The ABS adjusts its counts slightly to protect confidentiality, so a small number or a zero is approximate, not proof that no such business exists.

Summary of the ABS class definition

In this class, the ABS counts businesses mainly engaged in investigation and security services (except police).

Examples the ABS lists:

  • Alarm monitoring service
  • Armoured car service
  • Bodyguard service
  • Burglary protection service
  • Detective agency service
  • Enquiry agency service
  • Locksmith service
  • Night watchman service
  • Protection service
  • Security alarm monitoring service

The ABS counts businesses mainly engaged in this related work in other classes:

  • providing police services are included in Class 7711 Police Services
  • selling security systems such as locking devices, safes and vaults, without installation or maintenance services, are included in the appropriate classes of Division G Retail Trade
  • providing key cutting/duplication services are included in Class 9499 Other Repair and Maintenance n.e.c.
  • installing alarms are included in Class 3234 Fire and Security Alarm Installation Services

The ABS page for class 7712 gives the full definition and what the class leaves out.

By employment size

Investigation and Security Services businesses across Australia by employment size
BusinessesCount
All businesses6,510 businesses
Non-employing3,596 businesses
1 to 4 employees1,749 businesses
5 to 19 employees754 businesses
20 to 199 employees384 businesses
200 or more employees27 businesses

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 2, June 2025. Checked 15 Oct 2026.

By turnover

Investigation and Security Services businesses across Australia by turnover
BusinessesCount
Zero to less than $50k1,625 businesses
$50k to less than $200k2,006 businesses
$200k to less than $2m2,156 businesses
$2m to less than $5m380 businesses
$5m to less than $10m182 businesses
$10m or more161 businesses

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 3, June 2025. Checked 16 Oct 2026.

Entries and exits, 2024-25

Investigation and Security Services businesses across Australia over 2024-25
BusinessesCount
At the start of the year6,462 businesses
ABS business entries1,169 businesses
ABS business exits1,121 businesses
At the end of the year6,510 businesses

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 2, 2024-25. Checked 15 Oct 2026.

By main state or territory

Investigation and Security Services businesses by main state or territory
BusinessesCount
New South Wales2,324 businesses
Victoria1,937 businesses
Queensland1,078 businesses
Western Australia570 businesses
South Australia319 businesses
Tasmania91 businesses
Australian Capital Territory119 businesses
Northern Territory62 businesses
Other Territories or Currently Unknown10 businesses

Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 2, June 2025. Checked 15 Oct 2026.

Sources

  1. Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 2: Businesses by main state by industry class by employment size ranges (8165DC02.xlsx). Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, June 2021 to June 2025, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Released 16 December 2025, checked 15 October 2026.

  2. Counts of Australian Businesses, data cube 3: Businesses by main state by industry class by turnover size ranges (8165DC03.xlsx). Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, June 2021 to June 2025, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Released 16 December 2025, checked 16 October 2026.

  3. Correspondence, GCCSA 2021 to GCCSA 2026 (CG_GCCSA_2021_GCCSA_2026.csv). Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 4, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Released 22 July 2026, checked 15 October 2026.

  4. Greater Capital City Statistical Areas digital boundary file, 2026 (GCCSA_2026_AUST_SHP_GDA2020.zip). Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data, Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 4, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Released 22 July 2026, checked 15 October 2026.

  5. Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006 (Revision 2.0): the detailed classification. Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data, Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006 (Revision 2.0), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Released 26 June 2013, checked 16 October 2026.

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