Security Award Pay Rates 2025–26
Last updated: March 2026 · Rates effective 1 July 2025 · MA000016
Overnight security shifts should attract significant loadings. If your pay is flat regardless of the hour, keep reading. The Security Services Industry Award has some of the most generous night and weekend penalties of any award — and they are routinely ignored, especially by subcontractors and labour hire firms.
If you work as a security guard, patrol officer, crowd controller, or alarm monitor — this award applies to you.
Real example
Scenario: Casual security guard, Level 2. Works a 10pm–6am overnight shift on Saturday nights. Employer pays a flat $32/hr.
What should have happened:
- Saturday night casual rate (Level 2): significantly higher than $32/hr
- Hours between midnight and 6am attract additional night loading on top
- Hours beyond 7.6 attract overtime rates
Estimated underpayment: $80–$120 per overnight shift. Over 48 weeks: $3,840–$5,760 per year.
Why it happens: Security companies often quote a flat hourly rate that looks reasonable on paper but falls far short when night loadings, weekend penalties, and overtime thresholds are properly calculated.
Who the Security Award covers
The Security Services Industry Award 2020 (MA000016) covers employees in the private security industry.
✓ Covered
- Static security guards
- Mobile patrol officers
- Crowd controllers and bouncers
- Alarm monitoring and response
- CCTV operators
- Cash-in-transit officers
- Event security
✗ Not typically covered
- In-house security at hotels → may be Hospitality Award
- Government security officers → separate enterprise agreements
Security Award classification levels
| Level | Typical roles | Approx. base rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Entry-level guard, static guarding, gatehouse | $27.13/hr |
| Level 2 | Cert II, alarm response, crowd control, patrol | $27.91/hr |
| Level 3 | Cert III, dog handler, senior guard | $28.38/hr |
| Level 4 | Control room operator, supervisor | $28.86/hr |
| Level 5 | Manager, advanced specialist | $29.79/hr |
Rates approximate, based on the Fair Work Commission pay guide for MA000016, effective 1 July 2025.
What are you entitled to under the Security Award?
- Night shift loading: Significant loading for hours worked between 10pm and 6am
- Saturday rates: Penalty rate for all Saturday work
- Sunday rates: Higher penalty rate — commonly missed
- Public holiday rates: Double time and a half for casuals
- Overtime: After 7.6 hours/day or 38 hours/week
- Casual loading: 25% — does not replace penalty rates or night loadings
- Uniform/laundry allowance: When required to wear and maintain a uniform
- First aid allowance: When required to hold and use first aid qualifications
- Minimum engagement: 4 hours per shift for casuals
Red flags your pay may be wrong
• Same rate at 2am as 2pm
• No separate night loading on payslip
• Flat rate regardless of weekend or weekday
• No overtime despite 12-hour shifts
• No uniform or laundry allowance
• Told you are a "contractor" but you work set shifts
Common underpayments under the Security Award
Flat rate for overnight shifts
Night loadings are substantial under the Security Award. A flat rate that doesn’t change between day and night shifts is almost always an underpayment.
No overtime on long shifts
12-hour security shifts are common. Overtime kicks in after 7.6 hours. That means almost every long shift should include overtime pay.
Weekend penalties not applied
Saturday and Sunday attract separate penalty rates. If your rate is the same every day, weekends are not being calculated correctly.
Sham contracting
Some security companies classify guards as contractors to avoid award obligations. If you work set shifts, wear their uniform, and use their systems, you are likely an employee.
No first aid or uniform allowance
If you hold a first aid certificate or are required to maintain a uniform, specific allowances apply. These are frequently unpaid.
Not sure if your Security Award pay is right?
Enter your shifts and find out in 2 minutes. Free, instant, based on official Fair Work rates.
Check my pay nowNo sign-up required
Pay rates by role
See pay rates specific to your job:
Think something's wrong with your pay?
Start with the issue that sounds most like your situation:
- Am I being underpaid? — the signs and what to do
- Flat rate — is it legal? — the night shift test
- Not getting overtime? — the 7.6-hour trigger
- No night loading? — your entitlements after 10pm
Common scenarios
Answers to specific situations security workers ask about:
Frequently asked questions
What level am I under the Security Award?
Level 1 covers entry-level security guards performing static guarding, gatehouse, or basic patrol duties. Level 2 covers guards with a Certificate II or equivalent experience performing monitoring, alarm response, or crowd control. Level 3 covers senior guards, dog handlers, or those with Certificate III. Level 4 covers supervisors and control room operators. Level 5 covers managers or specialists with advanced qualifications.
Do I get paid more for overnight shifts?
Yes. The Security Award provides significant penalty rates for night work, with higher rates applying between midnight and 6am. If your hourly rate is the same at 2am as it is at 2pm, you are being underpaid.
I work 12-hour shifts — when does overtime start?
Overtime applies after 7.6 hours in a day (for a 5-day worker) or after 38 hours in a week. On a 12-hour shift, you should be receiving at least 4.4 hours of overtime pay. If your payslip shows a flat rate for the full 12 hours, overtime is not being paid.
Does casual loading replace night penalties?
No. The 25% casual loading compensates for lack of leave. Night shift loadings and penalty rates are separate entitlements. Both apply. A casual working a Saturday overnight shift should receive the casual rate plus the Saturday penalty plus the night loading.
My employer pays me a flat $30/hr for all shifts. Is that enough?
It depends on when you work. A flat $30/hr may cover weekday day shifts, but it almost certainly falls short on nights, weekends, and public holidays where penalties can push the minimum rate well above $40–$50/hr. If your rate never changes regardless of when you work, you need to check.
I do crowd control at events — which award covers me?
If you are employed by a security company to perform crowd control, the Security Services Industry Award (MA000016) applies. Crowd controllers typically fall under Level 2 or 3 depending on their qualifications and experience.
How far back can I claim underpayment?
Six years. Under the Fair Work Act, you can recover underpayments going back up to 6 years. Security workers on flat rates who regularly work nights and weekends often have very large accumulated underpayments.
Do I get a uniform or laundry allowance?
Yes. If your employer requires you to wear a uniform that you must maintain, you are entitled to a laundry allowance. If you are required to purchase any part of your uniform, you must be reimbursed. Check your payslip for these line items.
Don’t guess — small underpayments add up fast.
Enter your shifts and see exactly what you should have been paid — including overtime, penalty rates, and night loadings. It takes 2 minutes.
Check my pay nowBased on official pay rates from the Fair Work Commission (MA000016).
Rates sourced from the Fair Work Commission pay guide for the Security Services Industry Award 2020 (MA000016), effective 1 July 2025. General information only — not legal advice. Verify rates at fairwork.gov.au.