What changed on 28 September
An amendment to the Employment Regulation Order for the security industry came into effect on 28 September 2026. The minimum rate of pay for security guards rose from 15.41 euro to 16.15 euro per hour. For context, the national statutory minimum wage rate is currently 14.15 euro per hour, so the sector rate now sits two euro above it.
The new Order was signed into law by Alan Dillon T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. An Employment Regulation Order is not guidance. It sets legally enforceable minimum pay rates, terms and working conditions for licensed security guards, and it applies across the businesses it covers regardless of what individual contracts say.
Security industry Employment Regulation Order, 28 September 2026
Legally enforceable minimum pay rates, terms and working conditions for licensed security guards. Signed by the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. Questions on whether and how the Order applies to a particular business should go to the Workplace Relations Commission.
Why this is a licensing matter, not only a payroll one
The point that contractors should not miss is where the Private Security Authority has placed itself in relation to this change. The PSA licensing standard PSA 28:2013 requires contractors to comply with legally enforceable legislation in relation to pay rates and conditions. The Authority has confirmed that it will monitor compliance with the new Order through its inspection regime, and that it will take action against those found to be non compliant.
Underpaying against the Order is no longer only an employment exposure. Through PSA 28:2013 it becomes a licensing exposure, and licensing exposure is what puts a contract at risk.
For anyone buying security services, that is worth understanding before the next tender. A quoted rate that cannot support the statutory minimum is a signal about the contractor behind it, and a contractor sanctioned on licensing grounds mid contract becomes the client's operational problem as well as their own.
Further information on the Order, including whether and how it applies to you, can be obtained from the Workplace Relations Commission by phone on 0818 80 80 90 or at workplacerelations.ie.
Speak With ADS GroupLicence processing times have extended
Alongside the pay change, the PSA has flagged longer than usual processing times for some licence applications, caused by delays in vetting at the National Vetting Bureau, which is part of An Garda Siochana. It currently takes about ten weeks to process a new application for a licence, and applicants have been asked to allow at least eight weeks before contacting the Authority to enquire about status.
Processing times vary with application volumes and with the time required to complete validation and assessment checks, including criminal record checks and verification of training documents. Incomplete or incorrect information adds further delay, so the practical control a business has here is the quality of what it submits.
Training Results Forms are checked on every application
The PSA carries out checks on every Training Results Form to confirm that an applicant has completed the required training. Failure to submit a valid form results in the application being rejected. Where a forged document is discovered, it is referred to An Garda Siochana for investigation and possible prosecution.
The operational consequence of a ten week pipeline is a resourcing one. Recruitment, licence renewal and project staffing all need to be planned a quarter ahead rather than a month ahead, and employment letters need to be used correctly where staff are waiting on a licence decision.
Alarm installations at premises containing firearms
A separate and more specialised reminder has been issued to installers. Any contractor installing an alarm at a premises where firearms are stored should ensure that the installation meets the relevant legal requirements, which are currently S.I. 307 of 2009, the Firearms (Secure Accommodation) Regulations, covering home requirements, and S.I. 646 of 2017, the Firearms (Storage of Firearms and Ammunition by Firearms Dealers) Regulations 2017.
Clause 7.2.2 of Standard PSA 74/2019 states that organisations shall be familiar with all legislation relevant to the provision of their business, and it is a licensing requirement that all contractors obtain and maintain certification to the prescribed industry standards. Queries on those specific statutory instruments should be directed to the local Crime Prevention Officer of An Garda Siochana.
- Confirm payroll is at or above 16.15 euro per hour for all licensed security guards covered by the Order, effective 28 September 2026
- Check subcontractor and supplier rates, since a non compliant subcontractor is still a compliance problem on your site
- Plan licensing around a ten week processing window and submit complete documentation first time
- Verify every Training Results Form before it is submitted rather than after a rejection
- Where you install at premises storing firearms, confirm the installation is designed against S.I. 307/2009 and S.I. 646/2017
- Keep certification to the prescribed industry standards current, as required by PSA 74/2019