How to Hire Event Security Guards for Your Event

Hiring event security guards for the first time can feel daunting. How many do you need? What should they be licensed to do? How much should you budget? This guide walks you through everything — licensing, staffing ratios, briefing, and how to choose the right event security company. If you’re ready to get a quote, head straight to our event security guard hire page.

Step 1: Understand what an event security guard is licensed to do

In the UK, anyone working as a security guard at a public or private event must hold a valid SIA (Security Industry Authority) licence. There are two relevant licence types for events:

• Door Supervisor licence — required for anyone working on a licensed premises (venues with a premises licence for alcohol, entertainment or late-night refreshment). This covers door work, searching guests, and physical intervention if needed.
• Security Guard licence — covers manned guarding, access control, and static security at events that don’t fall under licensed premises rules.

For most events — weddings, corporate functions, product launches, festivals — you’ll want Door Supervisors. Always ask your provider to confirm the licence type before booking.

Step 2: Work out how many event security guards you need

There’s no universal ratio, but here are sensible starting points based on industry practice:

• 1 guard per 100 guests for low-risk private events (corporate dinners, weddings)
• 1 guard per 75 guests for events with alcohol or mixed public/private access
• 1 guard per 50 guests for music events, nightlife-adjacent events, or high-risk environments
• Additional guards for VIP areas, entry points, backstage, perimeter control, or asset protection

Your event security provider should carry out a risk assessment and recommend numbers based on your specific brief — not just apply a flat ratio. At Savysec, we always discuss your event in detail before recommending guard numbers.

Step 3: Brief your event security guards properly

A security guard who hasn’t been briefed is a security risk, not a security solution. A proper brief should cover:

• Event run sheet and timeline
• Guest list management and entry process (ticket checking, ID, wristbands)
• VIP protocols and escorting instructions
• Prohibited items list
• Photography and press rules
• Emergency and evacuation procedures
• Contact chain (who to call, in what order)
• Dress code requirements for security staff

Savysec guards read the run sheet before every deployment. We don’t send people in blind.

Step 4: Consider dress code and presentation

Security presence should match the event tone. For a black-tie gala dinner, a guard in high-vis and combat trousers is the wrong choice. For a festival, a suited guard looks out of place. Think about:

• Suited — corporate events, brand activations, private dinners, gallery openings
• Smart-casual with identifiable branding — general events, product launches
• Hi-vis and tactical wear — festivals, outdoor events, large-scale public gatherings

Step 5: Budget for event security

Event security guard rates in London vary based on licence type, hours, and location. Key cost factors include the number of guards, the hours they’re on site (including set-up and breakdown time), travel and subsistence for out-of-London events, and any specialist requirements (close protection, fire marshal duties, etc.).

Avoid providers who quote unusually low rates — below the London Living Wage, guards are demotivated, unreliable and more likely to cut corners. At Savysec, we pay above the London Living Wage as a minimum.

Step 6: Check insurance and accountability

Your event security provider should carry full public liability insurance. Ask for a certificate before booking. Also ask what happens if a guard doesn’t show — a professional provider will have contingency cover and a clear escalation process.

Ready to hire event security guards?

Savysec provides SIA-licensed event security guards across London, Surrey, Essex and Kent. We cover everything from small private parties to large-scale festivals. Get a free quote within 24 hours — contact us here or call 02045727681.