Security Services Award.
Security Services Industry Award 2020. Verified penalty rates, shift loadings, leave loading and RDO arrangements, with a live calculator under the NES.
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| Component | Formula | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Accrual rate (FULL-TIME) | 4 wks × 38h ÷ 52 | 2.923 hrs/wk |
| Hours accrued | 2.923 × 52 wks | 152.42 hrs |
| Hourly base rate | - | $35.00 |
| Base leave value | 152.42 × $35.00 | $5,334.62 |
| 17.5% leave loading | base × 0.175 | + $933.56 |
| Total payout | - | $6,268.17 |
Disclaimer: This tool does not constitute legal or financial advice. Results may be inaccurate due to changes in legislation or your circumstances. This tool does not constitute legal or financial advice. We do not recommend taking actions based solely on these results. The calculator makes assumptions and results may be inaccurate due to changes in legislation, modern awards, or your personal circumstances. You use this information at your own risk. We can't guarantee to be perfect, so do note you use the information at your own risk and we can't accept liability if things go wrong. For official guidance, visit Fair Work Ombudsman (fairwork.gov.au). Fair Work Ombudsman.
Security Services Award pay rates and penalties.
Dollar rates effective from 1 July 2026 after the 4.75% Annual Wage Review increase. Penalty rates verified against the MA000016 award text.
Penalty rates by shift type
What each hour is worth as a percentage of the base rate, for permanent and casual employees.
Hourly rate by classification level
6 levels, measured from $0 so the gaps between them are true to scale.
- Level 1Security officer (unlicensed entry level)
- Level 2Security officer (licensed, unarmed)
- Level 3Security officer (aviation / maritime transport)
- Level 4Security officer (dog handler / control room)
- Level 5Security supervisor
- Level 6Security site manager
National Minimum Wage, 4-year trend
Lifted each year by the Annual Wage Review. Up 23.7% since FY2023. Percentages are the movement in the NMW itself, which exceeded the award increase in the years the Commission realigned it to the C13 rate.
Where these numbers come from
- Dollar rates
- FWO Pay Guides and FWC Annual Wage Review [2026] FWCFB 3500, effective 1 July 2026.
- Penalty rates and allowances
- MA000016 on awards.fairwork.gov.au, the official award text.
- Industry figures
- ABS Labour Force, May 2026; ABS EEH, Aug 2025. Covers the broader industry, not only employees under this award.
- Your own figures
- Check your classification in the FWO Pay Calculator.
Penalty rates in full
Every loading in the award, side by side for full-time, part-time and casual employees.
| Hours worked | Full-time / part-time | Casual (incl. loading) |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | 100% | 125% |
| Saturday | 150% | 175% |
| Sunday | 200% | 225% |
| Public holiday | 250% | 275% |
| Evening, 6pm-6am Mon-Fri | 121.7% | 146.7% |
| Permanent night shift | 130% | 155% |
All values are percentages of the base hourly rate. Casual rates shown are inclusive of the 25% casual loading on top of the FT/PT rate. For your own dollar amounts, use the FWO Pay Calculator.
Pay rates by classification
Weekly rates are for 38 ordinary hours. Casual hourly includes the 25% loading.
| Level | Classification | Weekly rate | Hourly rate | Casual hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Security officer (unlicensed entry level) | $1,004.90 | $26.44 | $33.05 |
| Level 2 | Security officer (licensed, unarmed) | $1,058.40 | $27.85 | $34.81 |
| Level 3 | Security officer (aviation / maritime transport) | $1,135.70 | $29.89 | $37.36 |
| Level 4 | Security officer (dog handler / control room) | $1,234.80 | $32.49 | $40.61 |
| Level 5 | Security supervisor | $1,357.20 | $35.72 | $44.65 |
| Level 6 | Security site manager | $1,498.60 | $39.44 | $49.30 |
Rates effective from 1 July 2026 after the 4.75% Annual Wage Review increase. Weekly rates are for 38 ordinary hours. Casual rates include the 25% loading on top of the hourly rate. Source: FWO Pay Guides.
Allowances
Paid on top of the base rate. Amounts effective from 1 July 2026.
| Allowance | Amount | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firearm allowance | $23.50 | per week | For armed security officers required to carry a firearm. |
| Dog handler allowance | $31.80 | per week | For handlers responsible for the care of a security dog. |
| First aid allowance | $15.90 | per week | For employees with a current first aid certificate. |
| Ammunition allowance | $12.15 | per quarter | Reimbursement for practice ammunition costs. |
The numbers that drive this award.
Set by Security Services Industry Award 2020 (MA000016) and the NES.
Award-specific provisions.
Where this award goes beyond, or sits at, the NES floor.
Seven-day rotating-roster shiftworkers who may be rostered on any day and are regularly rostered on Sundays and public holidays receive a 5th week of annual leave (clause 21.2).
Standard 17.5% on minimum hourly rate. Shift workers receive the GREATER OF 17.5% or the shift penalty they would have earned during the leave. Run the numbers in the annual leave loading calculator.
Optional employer RDO system (clause 13.7): one RDO per 3 or 4-week roster cycle, or two per 8-week cycle, with up to 10 RDOs able to be banked.
Calculate your leave under this award
The Security Services Award sets your pay rates, but your paid leave runs on the National Employment Standards. Work out 4 weeks of holidays with the annual leave calculator, and your 10 days of paid sick and carer's leave with the personal leave calculator. To confirm which award applies to you and how it lifts entitlements above the NES floor, read our guide to modern awards.
Who this award covers.
The Security Services Award (MA000016) is the common name for the Security Services Industry Award 2020. Industries, work types and exclusions are taken from the Fair Work Ombudsman summary.
Industries
Work types
Notes & exclusions. A single evening and night loading of 121.7% covers all ordinary hours worked 6pm to 6am Monday to Friday (rather than separate afternoon and night rates), rising to 130% for permanent night workers (more than two-thirds of ordinary shifts include midnight to 6am over the roster cycle, clause 20.3). Sunday 200%, public holiday 250%. 12-hour ordinary shifts are allowed by agreement with health safeguards. Excludes employers who perform security functions only incidentally under another award.
Roles paid under this award.
Each classification has its own pay grade. Use the FWO Pay Calculator for current dollar rates.
- 01Security Officer Level 1
- 02Security Officer Level 2
- 03Security Officer Level 3
- 04Security Officer Level 4
- 05Security Officer Level 5
- 06crowd controller
- 07basic crowd controller
Security Services Award questions, answered.
Penalty rates, leave entitlements and award-specific provisions under MA000016. Verified against the modern award text.
Who does the Security Services Award cover?
What is the Saturday penalty rate under the Security Services Award?
What is the Sunday rate under the Security Services Award?
What is the public holiday rate under the Security Services Award?
How many weeks of annual leave do I get under the Security Services Award?
How is annual leave loading calculated for shift workers under the Security Services Award?
What is the casual loading under the Security Services Award?
Does the Security Services Award include rostered days off (RDOs)?
Does the Security Services Award have evening or night-shift loadings?
Where do I find current pay rates by classification under the Security Services Award?
Verified against the modern award text.
Penalty rates, shift loadings and continuous-shift eligibility on this page were verified against Security Services Industry Award 2020 (MA000016) on the Fair Work Commission's awards.fairwork.gov.au.
For up-to-date pay rates by classification, refer to the FWO Pay Calculator. Modern awards are reviewed and varied periodically by the Fair Work Commission; check the source for the latest text.