Operating in Romania? Speak with a security consultant.
Bucharest is Romania’s sole city on this network and a genuine regional hub for IT outsourcing, financial services and energy-sector activity. FCDO issues normal precautions and the US State Department holds Romania at Level 1 for 2026, both consistent with a manageable, low-risk operating environment. The one risk factor that genuinely stands out from the European norm is not crime. It’s the road.
Law 333/2003: the licensing backbone
Private security in Romania runs on Law 333/2003, with operating licences issued by the General Inspectorate of Romanian Police (IGPR) after a prior opinion from the Romanian Intelligence Service. Our bodyguard hire coverage in Bucharest is delivered through licensed local partners as standard practice.
Firearms and road risk: a different balance than most of Europe
Firearms sit under Law 295/2004, and under Article 43 of Law 333/2003 guards may be armed only with police approval, using weapons rented from police or gendarmerie units. What deserves more planning weight in Romania than in most comparable European markets is the road environment: Eurostat’s 2024 figures place the country among the EU’s highest fatality rates. A vetted, professionally driven vehicle isn’t a nice-to-have here. For intercity routes and airport transfers alike, it’s the single most effective safety measure available.
Petty theft and due-diligence exposure
Gara de Nord station and the Obor market carry the documented pickpocketing concentration. Beyond street-level crime, organised networks retain a presence, diminishing but not gone, which is why clients in EU-funds administration or energy-sector joint ventures are advised to run structured due diligence on local counterparties alongside any personal protection arrangements.
Source: Law 333/2003 on guarding objectives, goods, values and the protection of persons (licences issued by the IGPR). Law 295/2004 on Firearms. Eurostat Road Safety Statistics (2024). FCDO Travel Advice: Romania (2026).
Vetted operators in Bucharest deliver bodyguard hire and security drivers, coordinated through Law 333/2003-licensed local partners. For the full threat and regulatory briefing, see our Bucharest close protection guide.
Cities We Cover
Bucharest
Low riskA regional centre for IT outsourcing, financial services and energy-sector activity. FCDO normal precautions and a US State Department Level 1 rating apply for 2026. The most significant practical risk is Romania's road safety record, among the EU's highest fatality rates per Eurostat 2024, which makes vetted professional drivers a genuine operational priority rather than a formality. Petty theft concentrates around Gara de Nord and the Obor market, and due-diligence exposure runs higher than average for counterparties in EU-funds administration or the energy sector.
View city guide →Security Regulations
Firearms
Firearms are regulated by Law 295/2004. Under Article 43 of Law 333/2003, guard staff may be armed only with police approval, and Article 44 says the weapons are rented from the competent police or gendarmerie units.
Licensing
Specialised guard and protection companies in Romania are licensed under Law 333/2003 on guarding objectives, goods and values and the protection of persons. The operating licence is issued by the General Inspectorate of Romanian Police (IGPR) and needs a prior opinion from the Romanian Intelligence Service (Article 19). Bodyguard services may be provided only by companies licensed for them, through specially attested staff (Article 22).
Foreign Operators
A company licensed in another EU or EEA state may operate in Romania after notifying the IGPR (Article 19(6)). Guard and bodyguard staff must be Romanian, EU or EEA citizens aged at least 18 and hold the professional attestation (Articles 36 and 37). Other foreign operators work through a Romanian licensed company.
Sources, checked : Law 333/2003 on guarding objectives, goods, values and the protection of persons, republished, text (Rubinian legal database).