Quick answer: SIA ACS costs come in three layers. First is the one-off SIA application fee: £400 (up to 10 licensable staff), £800 (11 to 25), £1,600 (26 to 250) or £2,400 (over 250). Second is the SIA annual fee of £25 per licensable individual deployed, which rose from £15 on 1 June 2026. Third is your assessing body’s fee: GOV.UK lists maximum rates of £1,100 to £1,125 for a full day in person. Using those figures, a company deploying 8 officers can expect about £1,700 to £2,400 in Year 1. A company deploying 65 officers can expect about £5,400 to £6,600. Both figures exclude VAT.
To budget for the Approved Contractor Scheme (ACS), you need to know who you pay and when. The SIA charges two statutory fees. Your assessing body charges separately for the assessment itself. On top of that you have your own preparation costs. Many security companies only price the application fee and are caught out by the rest.
This page puts all three layers in one place, using the fees published on GOV.UK in 2026. It also gives worked examples for four company sizes. If you are still deciding whether the scheme makes sense for your business, read our guide on whether SIA ACS is worth it first. For the full process, see our SIA ACS hub and the SIA ACS guide.
In this guide
- The 3 cost layers of SIA ACS in 2026/27
- SIA ACS cost calculator by company size
- Layer 1: SIA application fee bands
- Layer 2: the £25 annual fee per officer
- Layer 3: assessing body day rates
- Indirect costs that catch applicants out
- Worked comparison: 8, 20, 65 and 180 officers
- Budget checklist before you apply
- Frequently asked questions
What are the 3 cost layers of SIA ACS in 2026/27?
You pay ACS costs to two different organisations. The SIA charges the statutory fees. An SIA-approved assessing body charges for the assessment. No assessing body can waive or reduce the SIA’s fees.
- SIA application fee (one-off per application). You pay it in full when you submit your application through your SIA online business account. It covers the SIA’s processing and checks, and it is non-refundable. You also need to renew your approval every three years by going through the same application process again.
- SIA annual fee (£25 per licensable individual deployed). You pay it after you are approved, then every year as part of re-registration, when you submit your annual return. It is also non-refundable.
- Assessing body fees. British Assessment Bureau (part of Amtivo), NSI or SSAIB assesses your business against the ACS standard, and you pay them direct. Each body sets its own fees. You are assessed every year, and the SIA will withdraw your approval if you do not pay your assessing body.
The SIA’s fees are the same whether you choose the standard route or the passport route. What changes between the two routes is the assessment.
SIA ACS cost calculator: pick your company size
Choose the profile that is closest to your business. Each card adds the SIA’s 2026/27 fees to an assessment estimate priced at the maximum day rates GOV.UK publishes. The number of assessment days is our estimate for a standard-route business with one office and one or two licensable activities. Your assessing body will set the actual number when it quotes. All figures exclude VAT, travel and any consultancy support.
SIA ACS fee and assessment cost calculator
Select the number of licensable staff you deploy.
8 licensable officers deployed
Year 2 and 3: about £1,300 to £2,000 a year (£200 annual fee plus your annual assessment). In the renewal year, add the application fee again.
20 licensable officers deployed
Year 2 and 3: about £2,150 to £2,750 a year (£500 annual fee plus your annual assessment). In the renewal year, add the application fee again.
65 licensable officers deployed
Year 2 and 3: about £3,825 to £5,000 a year (£1,625 annual fee plus your annual assessment). In the renewal year, add the application fee again.
180 licensable officers deployed
Year 2 and 3: about £7,800 to £9,000 a year (£4,500 annual fee plus your annual assessment). Multi-site businesses and extra licensable activities usually need more assessment time.
How the estimates are worked out: the application fee plus the annual fee (headcount × £25) plus assessment days priced at GOV.UK’s maximum rates. For example, 1.5 days means one full day plus one half-day. At SSAIB’s maximum rates that is £1,125 + £675 = £1,800. Assessing bodies can charge less than the maximum, so get written quotes from all three.
How do SIA ACS application fee bands work?
The application fee depends on how many licensable staff are in your organisation. These are the current bands on the SIA’s Apply for ACS approval page:
| Licensable staff in your organisation | SIA application fee | When you pay it |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 10 | £400 | When you apply, then again when you renew (every 3 years) |
| 11 to 25 | £800 | When you apply, then again when you renew |
| 26 to 250 | £1,600 | When you apply, then again when you renew |
| Over 250 | £2,400 | When you apply, then again when you renew |
The fee is non-refundable, including when an application is not approved. Before you apply, check that you meet the eligibility rules. You must supply at least 2 licensable operatives in each activity you are applying for. All security operatives you deploy must hold a valid SIA licence. From 1 July 2026 the SIA also added a rule: the people you deploy on regulated activity must be employees, or employees for tax purposes. Our guide to SIA ACS payroll compliance explains what that means for PAYE.
Why did the SIA ACS annual fee rise to £25 per officer?
The Home Office laid a statutory instrument in Parliament on 27 April 2026. From 1 June 2026 it raised the annual fee per licensable individual deployed from £15 to £25. The SIA’s announcement says this is the first rise in the annual fee in the history of the scheme. The SIA says it must set fees to recover the full cost of running the ACS, and that fee recovery for the scheme had fallen below the level it is allowed to run at. It also says the change has nothing to do with HMRC’s PAYE decision or its Martyn’s Law work.
| Licensable individuals deployed | Annual fee at £15 | Annual fee at £25 (from 1 June 2026) | Increase per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | £150 | £250 | +£100 |
| 25 | £375 | £625 | +£250 |
| 50 | £750 | £1,250 | +£500 |
| 100 | £1,500 | £2,500 | +£1,000 |
| 250 | £3,750 | £6,250 | +£2,500 |
The annual fee is separate from individual licence fees. Since 1 April 2026 an SIA licence application costs £204. If you apply for additional licences on the same day and the same application form, each one is discounted by 50% to £102 (this discount does not apply to vehicle immobiliser licences). If you pay licence fees for your officers, put them in your budget as a separate line.
Assessing body day rates: NSI vs SSAIB vs British Assessment Bureau
The SIA does not usually assess you itself. It partners with three assessing bodies: British Assessment Bureau (a subsidiary of Amtivo Group Limited), NSI and SSAIB. The SIA’s Understanding ACS assessments guidance publishes these maximum day rates:
| Assessing body | Full day in person (max) | Half day in person (max) | Half day remote (max) |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Assessment Bureau | £1,100 | £600 | £600 |
| NSI | £1,100 | £550 | £550 |
| SSAIB | £1,125 | £675 | £500 |
The number of days matters more than the rate. The assessor reviews your self-assessment workbook, staff list, contracts and sector breakdown before the visit. On the day they may visit your head office, control room and some operational sites, interview staff (sometimes including sub-contractors) and speak to your customers. More staff, sites and licensable activities usually means more days. Normally no more than 25% of an assessment can be done remotely without SIA approval.
You can choose between two routes:
- Standard route: you complete the ACS self-assessment workbook, apply first, and are assessed against the ACS standard only. The SIA says this assessment will probably cost less than the passport route.
- Passport route: a UKAS-accredited certification body assesses you against the ACS standard and other standards (such as ISO 9001) together, and you apply after the assessment. The SIA currently accepts the NSI ACS Passport Scheme. It can be better value if you want several certificates from one assessment.
Contact NSI, SSAIB and British Assessment Bureau directly for written quotes based on your scope.
Indirect costs that catch applicants out
None of these costs are SIA fees, but they often decide whether your first assessment goes smoothly.
Plan for these before you apply. Each one is a common reason for improvement needs at the first assessment.
1. BS 7858 screening files
The SIA says your assessor uses BS 7858 as the benchmark for how you screen and vet staff. If your files have unexplained gaps in employment history, missing references or incomplete checks, fixing them takes staff time. Allow for that before you book your assessment. See our guide to BS 7858 screening.
2. Buying British Standards codes of practice
Your assessor checks how well you understand and apply the codes of practice that cover your work. Examples include BS 10800 (the general code for security services), BS 7499 (static guarding), BS 7984 (keyholding and response) and BS 7960 (door supervision). Buy current editions from BSI for the activities you are applying for. Prices vary by standard and BSI membership.
3. Payroll and employment status
If any of your licensable staff are paid as self-employed contractors, moving them onto PAYE adds employer National Insurance, holiday pay and pension costs. Put these into your pricing before you apply.
4. Internal time and improvement needs
Someone in your business has to complete the self-assessment workbook, gather evidence and attend the assessment. If your assessor raises improvement needs, you have 6 months from SIA confirmation of eligibility to have your assessment and address them. After approval, you have 6 weeks to address improvement needs from each annual assessment. Ask your assessing body whether a follow-up visit is charged.
5. Consultancy (optional)
You do not need a consultant to apply. The SIA asks businesses to contact it before seeking third-party advice, and it does not approve or endorse consultants. Some businesses still choose support to save internal time. If you do, ask for a fixed price and check exactly what it covers. Our self-assessment workbook guide will help you judge how much you can do yourself.
Worked comparison: 8, 20, 65 and 180 officers
| Cost line (excl. VAT) | 8 officers | 20 officers | 65 officers | 180 officers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SIA application fee | £400 | £800 | £1,600 | £1,600 |
| SIA annual fee (£25 × headcount) | £200 | £500 | £1,625 | £4,500 |
| Assessment days (our estimate) | 1 – 1.5 | 1.5 – 2 | 2 – 3 | 3 – 4 |
| Assessment at GOV.UK max rates | £1,100 – £1,800 | £1,650 – £2,250 | £2,200 – £3,375 | £3,300 – £4,500 |
| Year 1 estimate | £1,700 – £2,400 | £2,950 – £3,550 | £5,425 – £6,600 | £9,400 – £10,600 |
| Year 2 and 3 estimate (per year) | £1,300 – £2,000 | £2,150 – £2,750 | £3,825 – £5,000 | £7,800 – £9,000 |
The SIA fee lines are fixed. The assessment lines are estimates that will change with your sites, activities and chosen assessing body. Indirect costs such as screening, standards and payroll changes are not included.
Budget checklist before you apply
- Count the licensable staff you deploy, so you know your application band and your annual fee.
- Check every operative holds a valid SIA licence, and you supply at least 2 licensable operatives in each activity you are applying for.
- Confirm the people you deploy are employees or employees for tax purposes.
- Decide between the standard route and a passport scheme, based on the other certificates you want.
- Get written quotes from NSI, SSAIB and British Assessment Bureau. Ask about days, remote time, travel and follow-up visits.
- Review your BS 7858 screening files and buy the codes of practice that apply to your work.
- Add the application fee again in your renewal year (every 3 years).
Frequently asked questions
How much is the SIA ACS fee per security officer in 2026?
Since 1 June 2026 the SIA annual fee is £25 per licensable individual deployed, up from £15. You pay it after approval and then every year when you re-register.
Did the SIA ACS application fee also increase on 1 June 2026?
No. The 1 June 2026 changes were to the annual fee and to the terms of the discount on additional individual licences. The application fee bands are still £400, £800, £1,600 and £2,400.
Which SIA ACS assessing body is the cheapest?
On published maximum rates, British Assessment Bureau and NSI charge up to £1,100 for a full day in person and SSAIB up to £1,125. For half days, NSI is lowest in person (£550) and SSAIB is lowest for remote (£500). The total depends on how many days each body needs for your scope, so compare written quotes.
Do I have to pay the £25 fee for subcontractors and agency guards?
The fee is charged per licensable individual you deploy. Approved contractors may only sub-contract to other approved contractors unless the SIA gives permission. The people you deploy on regulated activity must be employees or employees for tax purposes. Confirm with the SIA through your online business account how to count anyone you are unsure about before you submit your annual return.
Is the SIA ACS application fee refundable if we fail?
No. The SIA says both the application fee and the annual fee are non-refundable.
Sources: SIA, Apply for ACS approval (updated 16 October 2026); SIA, Understanding ACS assessments (updated 24 June 2026); SIA, Keep your ACS approval (updated 28 September 2026); SIA, Understanding the passport route to ACS approval; SIA, Fee changes for SIA licensing and approval services; SIA, Apply for an SIA licence. Last checked: 22 October 2026.
Want a costed ACS plan for your business?
ESC Support Ltd helps security companies prepare for ACS assessment: workbook evidence, BS 7858 screening files and day-to-day compliance. The SIA makes the approval decision. We help you get ready for it.