# Security in Riga, Latvia

Canonical page: https://closeprotectionhire.com/cities/riga/

Security briefing for Riga, Latvia. Low-risk EU and NATO capital with elevated cyber and hybrid threat awareness in the post-2022 environment.


## Threats

- **Cyber and information operations**: Latvia's National Security Authority (SAB) has consistently identified Russian state-sponsored cyber operations and information influence campaigns as the primary strategic threat since 2022. Corporate clients operating in the Baltic IT sector or with ties to critical infrastructure should implement enhanced operational security (OPSEC) measures including device hygiene, encrypted communications, and network segmentation during visits to Riga.
- **Petty crime in tourist areas**: Riga State Police annual statistics (2025) record moderate pickpocketing and bag-theft in the Old Town (Vecriga) and Central Market areas, particularly during summer and major events. The risk is highest in crowded bar and restaurant areas in the evenings. Standard personal security awareness is sufficient for most visitors.
- **Organised crime at background levels**: Europol's Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment (SOCTA) 2025 notes organised crime groups operating across the Baltic states, primarily in narcotics distribution and financial crime. Targeted violence between criminal groups occasionally occurs in peripheral areas of Riga but has not materially affected the corporate security environment in the city centre.

## Regulations

- **Licensing**: Security guard merchants in Latvia need a special permit (licence) issued by the State Police under the Security Guard Activities Law (Apsardzes darbības likums, adopted 13 February 2014). The licence runs for 5 years, and individual guards hold a security guard certificate issued by the State Police. Ask any provider for its special permit before engagement.
- **Firearms**: Section 21 of Latvia's Security Guard Activities Law (2014) lets security guards carry listed special devices and also firearms, as provided by the Law on the Handling of Weapons, and Sections 22 and 23 set the conditions for using a firearm. Ask any provider which permit covers each weapon.
- **Foreign operators**: Section 4(2) of the Security Guard Activities Law lets a security merchant registered in another EU Member State provide services in Latvia without a Latvian special permit where the provision is temporary, on the conditions that section sets. Other foreign companies need the State Police special permit. Take local legal advice before a foreign team carries out protective duties.

Sources, checked 2026-10-07:

- [Security Guard Activities Law (Apsardzes darbības likums), Latvia, likumi.lv English text](https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/264785)
- [State Police of Latvia, Issuance of special permits (licences) for the performance of security guard activities](https://www.vp.gov.lv/en/services/issuance-special-permits-licences-performance-security-guard-activities)

## Zones

Lower-risk areas:

- Old Town (Vecriga) and the central business district - well-policed, high tourist footfall, good CCTV coverage
- Quiet Centre (Klusa centrs) - Art Nouveau residential and office district; low crime, appropriate for executive accommodation
- Riga International Airport and the airport corridor - standard aviation security, no elevated threat

Elevated-risk areas:

- Central Market (Centraltirgus) and surrounding streets - higher pickpocketing risk, especially on busy market days
- Masurenka and Kengarags outer districts - lower police density and higher opportunistic crime; not relevant to standard corporate itineraries

## Emergency contacts

- Police: 110
- Fire service: 112
- Medical emergency: 113
- Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital: +371 6700 6972

## Warnings

- FCDO Latvia travel advice (2026) advises normal precautions; no travel restriction is in place for Riga or mainland Latvia.
- US State Department Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) for Latvia (2026).
- Latvia's SAB (State Security Service, 2026) identifies Russian hybrid operations - including cyber attacks and disinformation - as the primary national security threat; corporate clients with sensitive data should apply enhanced OPSEC.
- Riga International Airport (RIX) is 10km from the city centre; it is Air Baltic's hub and the main gateway to the Baltic states. Standard aviation security applies.
- Medical facilities: Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital (+371 6700 6972) is the main teaching hospital with trauma capability; ARS provides private care. Medevac to Stockholm or Helsinki for specialist treatment.

Riga is a well-functioning EU and NATO capital with a low physical threat environment for corporate visitors. The city's Art Nouveau architecture, compact city centre, and established conference infrastructure make it a practical destination for Baltic and Northern European business travel. Standard personal security awareness - particularly regarding pickpocketing in tourist areas of the Old Town and Central Market - is the primary operational consideration for most visitors. The Riga State Police maintains visible uniformed patrols in the city centre and response times are consistent with Western European norms.

The more substantive security discipline for corporate clients operating in Riga is operational security (OPSEC) rather than physical protection. Latvia's State Security Service (SAB) has publicly assessed Russian state-sponsored cyber and influence operations as the primary threat to Latvian national security since 2022, and corporate clients in the IT, financial services, or policy sectors should treat device hygiene, encrypted communications, and network management as standard travel security measures. Our [risk assessment services](/risk-assessments/) include pre-visit OPSEC reviews tailored to the Baltic operating environment. Where a close protection officer is required, operators must be licensed by the State Police under the Security Guard Activities Law (2014). For further regional context, see our briefings for [Tallinn](/cities/tallinn/) and [Vilnius](/cities/vilnius/), which share a similar threat profile and operate under comparable regulatory frameworks.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Riga safe for corporate and executive visitors?

Yes. FCDO Latvia travel advice (2026) and US State Department Level 1 (2026) rate Latvia as requiring only normal precautions. The physical security environment in central Riga is comparable to other northern European capitals. The more significant risk category for corporate visitors is cyber and information operations, particularly for clients in the technology, financial services, or defence-adjacent sectors.

### What is the practical impact of the post-2022 security environment on Riga operations?

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Latvia has significantly increased its defence posture and expelled Russian diplomats. For corporate visitors, the practical impact is primarily in the information security domain: device and communication security should be treated as a higher priority than in comparable Western European cities. Physical operations in Riga are not materially affected.

### What security licensing applies to close protection in Latvia?

Security companies need a special permit (licence) from the State Police under the Security Guard Activities Law (2014), and individual guards hold a State Police security guard certificate. Our team can arrange accredited local co-ordination for protective operations in Riga.

### What medical provision should be planned for executive visits to Riga?

Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital (+371 6700 6972) is Latvia's primary teaching hospital with 24-hour emergency and trauma services. ARS Medical Centre offers private consultations. For complex specialist care or major trauma, medical evacuation to Stockholm (approximately 90 minutes by air) or Helsinki is the standard protocol; confirm coverage with your insurer before travel.