Guide
How much do door staff cost?
Through us, SIA-licensed door staff cost £18 an hour plus VAT, with a 6-hour minimum per booking. One door supervisor for a 6-hour shift comes to £108 plus VAT. Your total depends mostly on how many supervisors your licence or your nights need, and for how long.
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What do door staff cost through us?
Our rate is £18 an hour plus VAT for each SIA-licensed door supervisor, with a 6-hour minimum per booking.
| Booking | Hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 door supervisor | 6 | £108 plus VAT |
| 2 door supervisors | 6 each | £216 plus VAT |
We currently provide door staff in Lincolnshire, Humber, Hull and South Yorkshire: see Hull, Lincoln and Grimsby and Cleethorpes.
What drives the total?
Three things, mostly:
- How many supervisors you need. Your premises licence may set a number. Some councils publish model conditions, such as a set number of door supervisors for every 100 customers, but it’s decided licence by licence.
- How long they’re on. A condition can run from a set time until the premises close and every customer has left, not just until last orders.
- Which nights. Durham County Council’s model conditions, for example, base the number on a risk assessment that covers big nights such as New Year, Halloween and local events.
If your licence doesn’t set a number, that’s your call. We can talk it through with you.
Do door staff need an SIA licence?
Yes, at licensed premises. Anyone doing door supervision while a venue is open to the public and selling alcohol, or putting on regulated entertainment, needs an SIA door supervisor licence. That applies whether they work for you or for a security firm.
The licence costs £204, usually paid by the door supervisor, and lasts 3 years. You can check any licence on the SIA’s public register.
What happens if door staff aren’t licensed?
Working the door without a licence is a criminal offence, and so is supplying unlicensed door staff. If your premises licence requires door supervisors, they must be SIA-licensed, and breaking a licence condition is an offence for the venue too. It can also put your licence at risk at a review.
The SIA also runs a voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme for security companies, which you can check on its register.
Does Martyn’s Law mean you need door staff?
No. The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, known as Martyn’s Law, covers venues where 200 or more people may be present at once, with extra duties from 800. Its main duties are expected to come into force in spring 2027. Venues in the standard tier need procedures for evacuation, invacuation (moving people to safety inside), lockdown and communication. The statutory guidance says you don’t have to buy third-party services to comply.
Opening a new venue? Start with the bar opening checklist.
What else do people ask?
Is there a minimum booking?
Yes. Every booking is at least 6 hours per door supervisor, at £18 an hour plus VAT.
Where can you provide door staff?
Door staff is currently available in Lincolnshire, Humber, Hull and South Yorkshire. Elsewhere in the UK we can still help with your other costs.
Do I need door staff by law?
Not in general. Your premises licence may require door supervisors at certain times, and if it does, they must hold an SIA licence. Check the conditions on your licence.
How do I check a door supervisor's licence?
Search the SIA's register of licence holders with their 16-digit licence number, or with their surname and other details. The register is on GOV.UK.
Can my own bar staff work the door?
Only if they hold an SIA door supervisor licence. At licensed premises the licence is needed whether door staff are employed by you or by a security firm.
Where is this from?
We check every figure and rule against the sources below. Prices and rules change, so check with the provider or authority before you decide.
- GOV.UK (SIA): Find out if you need an SIA licence
- Private Security Industry Act 2001, Schedule 2
- GOV.UK (SIA): Apply for an SIA licence
- Private Security Industry Act 2001, section 3
- Private Security Industry Act 2001, section 5
- Licensing Act 2003, section 21
- Licensing Act 2003, section 136
- Licensing Act 2003, section 52
- Durham County Council: Model licence conditions
- GOV.UK: Check a private security licence
- GOV.UK (SIA): Learn about our Approved Contractor Scheme
- GOV.UK (SIA): Understanding Martyn's Law and the SIA's role as regulator
- Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, section 2
- Home Office: Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 statutory guidance
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