This October 2026 guide explains what security guards in India really earn — not just the headline salary in an advert, but how 8-hour and 12-hour shifts, overtime, PF and ESIC deductions, night duty and city minimum wages change the amount that actually reaches your bank account in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune and every other major city.
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Most private guards in India are employed by agencies licensed under the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005 (PSARA) and deployed to housing societies, offices, malls, hospitals, banks, factories, warehouses and construction sites. The agency is your legal employer, pays your salary and is responsible for PF, ESIC, uniforms and training — even though you work at the client’s site.
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The biggest reality check is the shift. The law treats 8 hours a day and 48 hours a week as normal working time, and extra hours must be paid as overtime at twice the ordinary rate. Yet many sites still run 12-hour duties. Whether those extra 4 hours are paid correctly decides whether a guard earns a fair wage or is underpaid.
Below you will find salary bands by role and shift, an at-a-glance summary, a city-by-city pay table, a 7-day plan, the six-step playbook for choosing a good agency, FAQs and official portals to check your PF and ESIC.
Security Guard Salary 2026: Shifts, PF, ESIC, Overtime and the 12-Hour Duty Reality City by City
8-Hour vs 12-Hour Duty • PF • ESIC • OvertimeDelhi • Mumbai • Bengaluru • Hyderabad • Chennai • KolkataA complete October 2026 guide to security guard pay in India — gross vs in-hand salary, overtime for 12-hour shifts, PF and ESIC deductions, night and armed-guard allowances, and how pay changes city by city.
Security agencies are hiring guards, lady guards, supervisors, armed PSOs and CCTV operators across India for October 2026, with extra demand from new malls, warehouses, data centres, hospitals and gated communities. Ex-servicemen, NCC cadets and candidates with PSARA training certificates are preferred for better-paid posts.
Read this page before you accept any offer. Guards who understand shift hours, overtime and statutory deductions usually negotiate ₹1,500–4,000 more per month or choose a more reliable agency.
| Role | Entry-Level Salary | Experienced Salary |
|---|---|---|
| #1 — Unarmed Guard — 8-Hour Shift (Tier-3 town) | ₹ 10,500 – 13,000 | ₹ 13,000 – 15,500 |
| #2 — Unarmed Guard — 8-Hour Shift (Metro) | ₹ 13,500 – 16,500 | ₹ 16,500 – 19,500 |
| #3 — Lady Security Guard — 8-Hour Shift | ₹ 14,000 – 17,000 | ₹ 17,000 – 20,500 |
| #4 — Unarmed Guard — 12-Hour Shift incl. Overtime (Metro) | ₹ 18,500 – 23,000 | ₹ 23,000 – 27,500 |
| #5 — Night-Duty Guard — 12-Hour (Warehouse / Site) | ₹ 19,500 – 24,500 | ₹ 24,500 – 29,000 |
| #6 — CCTV / Control-Room Operator | ₹ 16,000 – 20,500 | ₹ 20,500 – 26,000 |
| #7 — Bouncer / Event Security | ₹ 20,000 – 26,000 | ₹ 26,000 – 34,000 |
| #8 — Armed Guard / Gunman (Bank, Cash Van) | ₹ 21,500 – 27,500 | ₹ 27,500 – 36,000 |
| #9 — Security Supervisor | ₹ 22,500 – 29,500 | ₹ 29,500 – 39,000 |
| #10 — Personal Security Officer (PSO) / Ex-Serviceman | ₹ 26,000 – 35,000 | ₹ 35,000 – 50,000 |
Sources: Aggregated October 2026 pay data from PSARA-licensed security agency adverts, state minimum-wage notifications and verified job portals; 12-hour figures assume 4 hours of daily overtime paid at the legal double rate • updated October 2026.
| Normal Working Hours | 8 hours a day / 48 hours a week; anything beyond is overtime |
| Overtime Rate | Twice the ordinary rate of wages for extra hours under Indian labour law |
| PF Deduction | 12% of basic wages from the employee, matched by the employer, credited to your EPFO UAN |
| ESIC Deduction | 0.75% of gross wages from the employee (employer pays 3.25%) when monthly wages are within the ESIC ceiling of ₹21,000 |
| Typical In-Hand Gap | In-hand pay is usually ₹1,200–2,500 lower than gross because of PF and ESIC — this is your saving and insurance, not a loss |
| Application Fee | ₹ 0 — a licensed agency never charges a guard for joining, uniform or training |
| Top-3 Highest-Paying Roles | Personal Security Officer / Security Supervisor / Armed Guard |
| Top-3 Fastest-Selection Roles | Unarmed Guard / Lady Guard / Night-Duty Warehouse Guard |
Guard pay follows each state’s minimum-wage notification and the local cost of living, so the same job can pay very differently from one city to another. Approximate gross monthly figures for an unarmed guard:
| City / Region | Who Is Hiring | Good to Know |
|---|---|---|
| Delhi | 8-hr: ₹17,500 – 20,500 • 12-hr: ₹24,000 – 28,500 | Among the highest state minimum wages; check your agency follows the latest notification |
| Gurugram & Noida | 8-hr: ₹15,500 – 18,500 • 12-hr: ₹21,500 – 26,000 | Corporate parks pay better; many 12-hour sites |
| Mumbai & Thane | 8-hr: ₹16,000 – 19,000 • 12-hr: ₹22,000 – 27,000 | Housing societies and malls; long commutes |
| Pune | 8-hr: ₹14,500 – 17,500 • 12-hr: ₹20,000 – 24,500 | IT parks and auto plants hire in bulk |
| Bengaluru | 8-hr: ₹15,000 – 18,000 • 12-hr: ₹20,500 – 25,000 | Tech parks and gated communities; Kannada helps |
| Hyderabad | 8-hr: ₹14,200 – 17,200 • 12-hr: ₹19,500 – 24,000 | Fast-growing demand in HITEC City and pharma units |
| Chennai | 8-hr: ₹13,800 – 16,800 • 12-hr: ₹19,000 – 23,500 | Factories and hospitals; Tamil useful |
| Kolkata | 8-hr: ₹12,500 – 15,500 • 12-hr: ₹17,500 – 21,500 | Malls, ports and residential complexes |
| Ahmedabad & Surat | 8-hr: ₹12,800 – 15,800 • 12-hr: ₹18,000 – 22,000 | Industrial estates and diamond units |
| Jaipur & Lucknow | 8-hr: ₹11,800 – 14,800 • 12-hr: ₹16,500 – 20,500 | Hotels, hospitals and government contracts |
| Chandigarh & Ludhiana | 8-hr: ₹13,200 – 16,200 • 12-hr: ₹18,500 – 22,500 | Ex-servicemen widely preferred |
| Patna, Bhubaneswar & Guwahati | 8-hr: ₹11,000 – 13,800 • 12-hr: ₹15,500 – 19,500 | Growing demand from banks and new malls |
| Kochi & Thiruvananthapuram | 8-hr: ₹14,800 – 17,800 • 12-hr: ₹20,000 – 24,200 | Hospitals and Gulf-NRI residences |
- Day 1 — Collect your documents — Aadhaar, PAN, education certificates, police verification, ex-serviceman or NCC certificate if any — and make a short CV.
- Day 2 — Shortlist 4–5 PSARA-licensed agencies in your city; ask each for its licence number and the client sites it serves.
- Day 3 — Register on the National Career Service and Naukri / Apna and apply to guard openings that clearly state shift hours and salary.
- Day 4 — Visit two agency offices in person; ask whether the salary quoted is for 8 or 12 hours and how overtime is paid.
- Day 5 — Confirm in writing: gross pay, PF, ESIC, uniform cost (should be free), weekly off and night allowance.
- Day 6 — Complete the agency’s basic security training and police verification if not already done.
- Day 7 — Join, then log in to the EPFO portal after your first month to make sure PF is being credited to your UAN.
Step 1: Choose a Licensed Agency
Work only with agencies licensed under PSARA in your state. A licensed agency must train guards, pay at least the minimum wage, provide uniforms and deposit PF and ESIC.
Step 2: Ask the Shift Question First
Always ask: “Is this salary for 8 hours or 12 hours?” If the duty is 12 hours, the extra 4 hours a day must be paid as overtime at double the ordinary rate.
Step 3: Understand Gross vs In-Hand
Your payslip should show basic wages, allowances, overtime, PF (12% of basic) and ESIC (0.75% of gross if eligible). Ask for a written salary breakup before joining.
Step 4: Complete Training & Verification
Agencies arrange basic security training, fire-safety drills and police verification. Armed guards also need a valid arms licence and an agency authorisation.
Step 5: Track PF and ESIC Every Month
Activate your UAN on the EPFO portal and check monthly credits. Your ESIC card gives free treatment at ESIC hospitals and dispensaries for you and your family.
Step 6: Raise Problems Early
If overtime or PF is not paid, ask the agency in writing first. If unresolved, approach the state labour department; information is available on the Ministry of Labour & Employment website.
Q: Is a 12-hour security duty legal in India?
Long shifts are common, but normal working time is 8 hours a day and 48 hours a week. Hours beyond that count as overtime and must be paid at twice the ordinary wage rate, within the limits allowed by your state’s rules.
Q: Why is my in-hand salary lower than the offered salary?
PF (12% of basic) and ESIC (0.75% of gross, if eligible) are deducted from your pay. Both are your benefits — PF builds savings and ESIC gives medical insurance — but they must appear on your payslip.
Q: Which city pays security guards the most?
Delhi, Mumbai and Gurugram usually pay the highest guard salaries because of higher state minimum wages and corporate clients, followed by Bengaluru, Pune and Kochi.
Q: How can a security guard earn more?
Get PSARA training certificates, learn CCTV and fire-safety basics, keep a clean record, and move into supervisor, control-room or PSO roles. Ex-servicemen earn premium rates.
Q: Should I pay for a security guard uniform or training?
No. Licensed agencies provide uniforms and basic training. Anyone asking for money to give you a guard job is likely running a scam.
Q: What if my agency does not deposit PF?
Check your UAN passbook on the EPFO portal. If contributions are missing, raise a written complaint with the agency and then with the EPFO grievance system or state labour office.
These official portals are free. Use them to find jobs, check your PF and ESIC, and get skill certificates that raise your pay.