Security Services Award pay rates 2026 (Australia)

Employers in the security services industry throughout Australia and their security officers: patrolling, protecting, screening, watching or guarding people or property (including with dogs or firearms, or electronically), crowd and venue control, bodyguard services, control rooms and monitoring centres, loss prevention and related traffic control (clauses 4.1 and 4.2).

Cash-in-transit businesses, prisons and detention facilities, alarm installation and maintenance, and ATM servicing (clause 4.6).

Not necessarily: an employer is not covered merely because, as an incidental part of another business, it has employees doing security work (clause 4.3).

From the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026, after the Annual Wage Review (clause 15).

In the consolidated award published by the Fair Work Commission (MA000016); the Fair Work Ombudsman also publishes pay guides.

No. Award rates are minimums. An enterprise agreement or an employment contract can pay more, never less.

Where State or Territory law requires it, the employer must ensure you hold the right licence; if it expires or is suspended, you can be stood down without pay for 2 weeks (or an agreed period) to resolve it (clause 12.3).

Yes. Unless it is unreasonable, an employee may refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact from the employer outside working hours (clause 13A and section 333M of the Fair Work Act).

$1080.10 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $28.42 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. At this level the officer works under general supervision on routine security duties such as patrolling, guarding, screening and access control (clause 15 and Schedule A).

$1111.00 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $29.24 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. At this level the officer works from complex instructions under general supervision, with skills above Level 1 (clause 15 and Schedule A).

$1129.80 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $29.73 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. At this level the officer works under limited supervision with good interpersonal and communication skills, above Levels 1 and 2 (clause 15 and Schedule A).

$1148.70 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $30.23 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. At this level the officer works under limited supervision, individually or in a team, above Levels 1 to 3 (clause 15 and Schedule A).

$1185.70 per week for a full-time employee (38 hours) or $31.20 per hour, from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. At this level the officer works above Levels 1 to 4 and may coordinate officers working in a team within a monitoring centre (clause 15 and Schedule A).

121.7 % of the minimum hourly rate for hours between 6 pm and 6 am Monday to Friday, or 130 % on permanent night work (146.7 % and 155 % for casuals) (clause 20.2).

Working, over a whole roster cycle, more than two-thirds of ordinary shifts that include the period between midnight and 6 am (clause 20.3).

150 % (175 % for casuals) (clause 20.2).

200 % (225 % for casuals) (clause 20.2).

250 % (275 % for casuals) (clause 20.2).

$34.59 per hour for night hours Monday to Friday ($36.95 on permanent night work), $42.63 on Saturday, $56.84 on Sunday and $71.05 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$35.59 per hour for night hours Monday to Friday ($38.01 on permanent night work), $43.86 on Saturday, $58.48 on Sunday and $73.10 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$36.18 per hour for night hours Monday to Friday ($38.65 on permanent night work), $44.60 on Saturday, $59.46 on Sunday and $74.33 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$36.79 per hour for night hours Monday to Friday ($39.30 on permanent night work), $45.35 on Saturday, $60.46 on Sunday and $75.58 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$37.97 per hour for night hours Monday to Friday ($40.56 on permanent night work), $46.80 on Saturday, $62.40 on Sunday and $78.00 on public holidays (Schedule B).

25 % on top of the minimum hourly rate, paid in addition to night, weekend and public holiday penalties (clause 11.1).

7.6 hours for full-time employees, 4 hours for casuals, and for part-timers 4 hours or 20 % of their weekly hours, whichever is greater (clause 13.3(a)).

In writing, a regular pattern of work: on a roster, the start and finish times and days off; otherwise, the hours each day, the days and the start and finish times (clauses 10.3 to 10.5).

Yes. The National Employment Standards provide a pathway to change to full-time or part-time employment (sections 66A to 66MA of the Fair Work Act, referred to in clause 11.2).

$35.53 per hour for day work, $41.69 for night hours ($44.05 on permanent night work), $49.74 on Saturday, $63.95 on Sunday and $78.16 on public holidays, all including the 25 % casual loading (Schedule B).

$36.55 per hour for day work, $42.90 for night hours ($45.32 on permanent night work), $51.17 on Saturday, $65.79 on Sunday and $80.41 on public holidays, all including the 25 % casual loading (Schedule B).

$37.16 per hour for day work, $43.61 for night hours ($46.08 on permanent night work), $52.03 on Saturday, $66.89 on Sunday and $81.76 on public holidays, all including the 25 % casual loading (Schedule B).

$37.79 per hour for day work, $44.35 for night hours ($46.86 on permanent night work), $52.90 on Saturday, $68.02 on Sunday and $83.13 on public holidays, all including the 25 % casual loading (Schedule B).

$39.00 per hour for day work, $45.77 for night hours ($48.36 on permanent night work), $54.60 on Saturday, $70.20 on Sunday and $85.80 on public holidays, all including the 25 % casual loading (Schedule B).

An average of 38 hours a week: 76 hours over up to 2 weeks, 114 over 3, 152 over 4 or 304 over 8 weeks (clause 13.1).

10 ordinary hours, or 12 by agreement with the majority of employees with health monitoring, supervision and breaks in place (clauses 13.3(b) and 13.3(c)).

Yes, in up to 2 periods of duty, each paid for at least 3 hours, plus a broken shift allowance of $18.30 per rostered shift (clauses 13.3(h), 13.3(i) and 17.4).

If collecting or returning equipment such as a firearm, keys or a vehicle adds more than 15 minutes to your travel, your shift starts and ends at the collection point (clause 13.4).

7 days (or less by agreement); otherwise time outside the notified hours is paid at overtime rates (clause 13.5(c)).

Yes. Court attendance for the employer or a client, required training (except initial licence training) and filling in records count as ordinary working time (clause 13.2).

Up to 10 by agreement; a rostered day off falling on a public holiday moves to the next working day (clause 13.7).

10 minutes in total for 4 to 8 hours, 20 minutes for 8 to 10 hours, 25 minutes for 10 to 12 hours and 30 minutes for 12 hours or more (clause 14.2).

One unpaid meal break of at least 30 minutes for shifts of more than 5 hours, unless operationally impracticable (clause 14.3).

At least 8 hours; otherwise 200 % is paid until you are released for 8 hours (clause 14.4).

Yes: on a 4-week cycle, 3 breaks of 3 days or 4 breaks of 2 days; on 3 and 8-week cycles, the numbers set in Table 3 (clause 14.5).

150 % for the first 2 hours Monday to Saturday, 200 % after, 200 % on Sunday and 250 % on public holidays (clause 19.3).

No more than 14 hours in a 24-hour period, including breaks (clause 19.1).

For work beyond 10 hours a shift (12 by agreement) or 38 hours a week (or the roster average) (clause 19.2(c)).

For time beyond the agreed ordinary hours (clause 19.2(b)).

2 hours for a disciplinary interview or paperwork Monday to Saturday, 3 hours for any other purpose Monday to Saturday and 4 hours on Sunday (clause 19.5).

Yes, by individual agreement (clause 19.4).

$42.63 per hour for the first 2 hours Monday to Saturday, $56.84 after 2 hours, $56.84 on Sunday and $71.05 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$43.86 per hour for the first 2 hours Monday to Saturday, $58.48 after 2 hours, $58.48 on Sunday and $73.10 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$44.60 per hour for the first 2 hours Monday to Saturday, $59.46 after 2 hours, $59.46 on Sunday and $74.33 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$45.35 per hour for the first 2 hours Monday to Saturday, $60.46 after 2 hours, $60.46 on Sunday and $75.58 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$46.80 per hour for the first 2 hours Monday to Saturday, $62.40 after 2 hours, $62.40 on Sunday and $78.00 on public holidays (Schedule B).

$7.68 per shift, up to $38.19 a week (clause 17.2).

$3.84 per shift, up to $19.21 a week (clause 17.3).

$47.68 a week for 1 to 5 employees, $55.02 for 6 to 10, $71.40 for 11 to 20 and $84.28 for more than 20 (clause 17.5).

$47.23 per week (clause 17.6).

$2.11 per hour (clause 17.7).

Meal allowance $22.14 for more than one hour of overtime without notice; vehicle allowance $1.00 per km for a car and $0.34 for a motorcycle (clauses 17.8 and 17.9).

Weekly or fortnightly, as the employer determines (clause 16.1).

By Thursday of the pay week; by Wednesday if Friday is a public holiday, or by Friday if another weekday is a public holiday (clause 16.2).

No later than 7 days after employment ends, including all amounts owed under the award and the NES (clause 16.4).

An employee with a current Senior First Aid (Provide First Aid) certificate who is asked or nominated by the employer to act as first aider (clause 17.2).

Employees performing airport security work at a security regulated airport (clause 17.7).

Yes, the employer and employee may agree to substitute another day or part-day (clause 26.2).

Yes, by a signed written agreement stating the amount and start date; unaccrued leave can be deducted on termination (clause 21.8).

Yes. Officers on a roster who can work any day of the week and regularly work Sundays and public holidays get a fifth week as shiftworkers (clause 21.2).

At the greater of what you would have earned in that period and the minimum hourly rate plus applicable allowances; on termination a 17.5 % loading applies (clause 21.3).

Full-time employees get 10 days of paid personal/carer’s leave a year and part-time employees a pro rata amount (section 96 of the Fair Work Act).

From 1 week (up to 1 year of service) to 4 weeks (more than 5 years), plus 1 week if the employee is over 45 with at least 2 years of service (section 117 of the Fair Work Act).