We verify each agency's active licensing through the DC Metropolitan Police Department Security Officers Management Branch and, where work crosses jurisdictions, the Maryland State Police and Virginia DCJS, confirm general-liability and workers'-comp insurance, and review close-protection training, protocol experience, and references from comparable DC-area clients. Only agencies that clear that bar are shown to you.
Best bodyguard companies in Washington (2026)
Finding the best bodyguard company in Washington DC means protecting principals in a city dense with political figures, lobbyists, diplomats, and executives, where motorcade traffic, security checkpoints, and a charged public climate are everyday operating conditions. A corporate executive moving between K Street and Reagan National, a high-profile figure appearing on Capitol Hill, and a visiting dignitary with diplomatic-protocol needs each present distinct exposure, and the right agency reads the District's checkpoint geography and protest dynamics as fluently as a quiet residential detail in Georgetown. DC protection work is uniquely shaped by federal-security overlap, restricted zones, and principals whose public roles make them recognizable targets.
Calvis is not a security agency and is not itself licensed. Instead, we vet and match independently-licensed personal-protection and executive-protection agencies across the DC, Maryland, and Virginia region so you can compare qualified options in one place. We screen each agency's District and state licensing, insurance, close-protection training, and record with comparable DC-area clients, then connect you directly with the ones that fit your situation and budget. You stay in control of who you hire. We make sure every agency you see has already cleared a real bar.
19 vetted agencies
Washington Metropolitan Area coverage
Licensed & insured agencies
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The Washington market
Inside bodyguard and personal protection in Washington
19
vetted agencies serving the metro
5
specialties covered
Washington DC's personal-protection market operates around federal security, political visibility, and restricted geography that no other city imposes. Executives, lobbyists, and association leaders drive steady demand for secure transport and appearance coverage between K Street offices, Capitol Hill, and the airports, where motorcade traffic and security checkpoints reshape every route. Diplomatic and dignitary protection requires officers fluent in protocol and comfortable coordinating with federal and Metropolitan Police details. High-profile public figures and controversial principals draw protest-aware close protection, since demonstrations near the Capitol, the White House complex, and embassies can materialize quickly. Residential coverage concentrates in Georgetown, Kalorama, and the wealthy suburbs of McLean and Potomac, coordinating with estate staff and existing systems. The region's split jurisdiction across DC, Maryland, and Virginia means agencies must hold or coordinate licensing across all three, and stalking or threat cases route toward DC Superior Court or the relevant suburban county courts. Discretion and protocol fluency define the best operators here.
By specialty
Matched to
what you need.
Security needs aren't one-size-fits-all. The Washington network spans these bodyguard and personal protection specialties — tell us what you need and we match you to the agencies built for it.
Executive & Lobbyist Transport
Protection drivers and a detail officer covering secure movement across a checkpoint-heavy city. Officers plan routes around motorcade traffic and restricted zones, advance destinations on Capitol Hill and K Street, and own airport transitions discreetly.
- Ideal for
- Corporate executives, lobbyists, and association leaders moving across the region
- Coverage
- K Street, Capitol Hill, Reagan National, Dulles, downtown DC
Diplomatic & Dignitary Protection
Protocol-fluent close protection for visiting dignitaries and diplomatic principals, coordinating with federal and Metropolitan Police details. Officers manage formal arrivals, advance restricted venues, and operate within embassy and government-building protocols.
- Ideal for
- Visiting dignitaries, diplomatic missions, and protocol-sensitive principals
- Coverage
- Embassy Row, government buildings, downtown hotels, formal event venues
Public-Appearance & Protest-Aware Protection
Close protection for hearings, appearances, and events where demonstrations can form quickly near the Capitol, the White House complex, and embassies. Officers monitor protest activity, plan contingency routes, and manage approach in politically charged settings.
- Ideal for
- Public figures, controversial principals, and executives with high-visibility appearances
- Coverage
- Capitol Hill, the National Mall, downtown venues, embassy district
Estate & Residential Protection
Standing residential coverage for estates and townhomes across the District and wealthy suburbs, coordinating with household staff and camera systems. Officers manage gate and visitor access, screen deliveries, and run discreet overnight presence.
- Ideal for
- High-net-worth households, officials, and family offices in the region
- Coverage
- Georgetown, Kalorama, McLean, Potomac, Great Falls
Threat Assessment & Court Protection
Protective coverage paired with a documented threat assessment for stalking, political-threat, and workplace cases. Officers harden routines, escort to court appearances across DC, Maryland, and Virginia, and coordinate protective-order service with evidence-quality records.
- Ideal for
- Officials, executives, and individuals facing stalking or politically charged threats
- Coverage
- DC Superior Court, Montgomery and Fairfax County courts, residences, offices
How we vet
A real bar,
not an ad auction.
Every agency in Washington clears the same four checks before it can take bodyguard and personal protection work. Licensing is verified through the DC Metropolitan Police — Security Officer Management Branch (DC), plus Maryland State Police and Virginia DCJS for metro-area coverage.
01
State licensing verified
Every agency holds an active state security license. We confirm it before any agency can take work.
02
Active insurance on file
Current general-liability (and where applicable, workers' comp) coverage is verified, not assumed.
03
Background-checked officers
Agencies field licensed, background-checked guards — the people who actually show up on site.
04
Tracked reliability record
Shift-reliability is measured on the platform. Agencies that no-show or slip on coverage are removed.
Pricing
What bodyguard and personal protection costs in Washington
Unarmed officers
$35–55/hr
Standard posts, patrol, and monitoring. Recurring contracts are typically priced below on-demand rates.
Armed officers
$60–100/hr
Coverage where an armed presence is warranted. Rates vary with risk profile and shift length.
Final pricing depends on site, hours, number of officers, and whether you need a static post or mobile patrol. Get a firm quote by requesting a match above.
FAQ
Common
questions
Unarmed close-protection officers in DC typically run about $55 to 95 per hour and armed officers about $85 to 145 per hour, with the rate depending on detail size, hours, experience, protocol requirements, and whether you need secure transport or protest-aware coverage. Single-officer drives sit lower, while multi-officer diplomatic and 24-hour details run higher.
Yes. Every agency Calvis matches you with holds its own active license through the relevant regulator, the DC Metropolitan Police Department for the District, the Maryland State Police in Maryland, and Virginia DCJS in Virginia, depending on where the work is performed. Calvis itself is not a licensed security provider. We connect you with independently-licensed agencies and verify that licensing across the region as part of our vetting.
Yes. Many DC-area agencies we vet specialize in protocol-fluent dignitary protection and routinely coordinate with federal and local details, and they hold or coordinate licensing across DC, Maryland, and Virginia so a single detail can move cleanly across jurisdiction lines. You can request protocol-experienced officers for diplomatic work or low-profile coverage for routine movement when you compare agencies.
Get matched in
Washington.
Vetted, licensed District of Columbia agencies only
Matched to your site and coverage needs
Quotes from multiple agencies, usually same week
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Licensed agencies · 50+ enterprise clients · 40+ cities
No upfront payment · Available 24/7