Security guard management software for New York City security companies

The New York metro area has more security guards than any other in the US, and from 2027 New York City sets its own minimum pay for them. Schedule guards, prove they were on post and keep clients informed, in one platform.

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What software do New York City security companies use to manage guards?

New York City security companies use security guard management software to schedule guards, verify they were on site, record patrols and incidents, and report to clients. ForceVera does this in one platform: shifts published to guards' phones, a geofenced time clock, QR patrol checkpoints, incident and daily reports, dispatch and a client portal.

ForceVera in New York City: key facts

  • ForceVera costs $169 a month for up to 25 guards (Basic), $449 a month for up to 100 guards (Pro) and $1,099 a month for up to 500 guards (Enterprise).
  • ForceVera is priced per company by the number of guards; admins, dispatchers, supervisors and client users are not counted.
  • From January 1, 2027, New York City's Local Law 61 of 2026 sets security guard minimum pay: $33.70 an hour for armed guards, $22.20 for unarmed guards who meet its training and service requirements, and $18.87 for other unarmed guards.
  • New York City's security guard pay schedule calls for time and a half after an 8-hour day and after 40 straight-time hours in a work week.
  • The New York–Newark–Jersey City metro area had 142,760 security guards in May 2025, at a mean wage of $22.18 an hour (BLS).

Prices in US dollars before tax, as of October 2026. Other figures from the official sources on this page, checked October 2026.

New York City rules

What is different for security companies in New York City?

New York State registers security guards (see our New York page). On top of that, New York City has its own pay law for guards, fire certificates that building security staff often need, and rules for hotels and for changes of contractor.

Local Law 61: guard minimum payLocal Law 61 of 2026 sets workplace protections for certain private-sector security guards in New York City: a minimum wage from January 1, 2027, paid time off from January 1, 2028 and supplemental benefits from January 1, 2029. Employers must give guards a copy of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection's (DCWP) Notice of Employee Rights.
The 2027 pay scheduleFrom January 1 to April 30, 2027: $33.70 an hour armed; $22.20 unarmed, for guards who have completed 12 months of employment, FDNY F-01, F-03 and F-04 certifications, FDNY Building Evacuation Supervisor training and 2 hours of customer service training; and $18.87 for other unarmed guards (0 to 36 months of employment, or new hires). From May 1 to June 30, 2027: $34.65, $23.15 and $19.68. DCWP publishes the next schedule by July 1, 2027.
Overtime under the scheduleThe schedule calls for time and a half the regular hourly rate after an 8-hour day and after 40 straight-time hours in a work week.
FDNY F-01: fire guardWhen a building's fire protection system is out of service, a fire watch is kept. After four hours, those patrols may only be done by fire guards holding an FDNY certificate of fitness.
FDNY F-89: fire and life safety directorHigh-rise office buildings and hotels must have a fire and life safety director on the premises during regular business hours. The certificate needs a 31-hour course; the fee is $25 and $15 to renew every 3 years.
Hotels and changes of contractorHotels with more than 400 rooms must have at least one security guard on duty whenever a room is occupied. When a building changes owner or contractor, the Displaced Building Service Workers Protection Act generally requires keeping the existing building service workers, security officers included, for 90 days.
New York City in numbers

How many security guards work in the New York City area?

The New York–Newark–Jersey City metro area employed 142,760 security guards in May 2025, 15.04 for every 1,000 jobs, at a mean wage of $22.18 an hour (US: $20.42).

142,760 guardsNew York–Newark–Jersey City metro area (BLS, May 2025)
$22.18 an hourMean wage for security guards in the metro area (BLS, May 2025)
15.04 per 1,000 jobsSecurity guards per 1,000 jobs in the metro area

Which New York rules apply in New York City?

Licensing is set by the state: New York Department of State, Division of Licensing Services. New York's licensing, training and overtime rules are on our New York page, and the New York City rules above apply on top of them.

How ForceVera helps

How does ForceVera help security companies in New York City?

Hours for daily and weekly overtimeTimesheets show each guard's hours and pay rate shift by shift and export to CSV or Excel, so payroll can apply the 8-hour-day and 40-hour-week overtime. ForceVera does not check pay against Local Law 61.
Registration cards on fileKeep a photo of each guard's New York security guard registration card on their ForceVera profile. ForceVera does not check registrations or FDNY certificates, or track expiry dates.
Schedules on every guard's phonePlan the week by site and guard, including recurring and overnight shifts, publish it to the guard app and send reminders before each shift.
Proof guards were on postGuards clock in and start breaks only inside the site's geofence with a PIN; leaving the site, going idle or clocking out off site is flagged.
Proof of patrolPrinted QR checkpoints that guards scan from the guard app, with missed tours listed on the dashboard.
Reports clients trustBranded daily reports emailed to clients; incident and daily activity reports with photos from the guard app are coming soon.

ForceVera keeps records; it does not make a company compliant with city or state law. See all features or see pricing.

FAQ

What else do security companies in New York City ask?

What is the minimum wage for security guards in New York City?

From January 1 to April 30, 2027, DCWP's schedule under Local Law 61 sets $33.70 an hour for armed guards, $22.20 for unarmed guards who meet its service, certificate and training requirements, and $18.87 for other unarmed guards. The rates rise on May 1, 2027, and DCWP publishes the next schedule by July 1, 2027.

Do New York City security guards need FDNY certificates?

For some work, yes. Fire watch after a fire protection system has been out for four hours needs an F-01 fire guard certificate, and high-rise office buildings and hotels need an F-89 fire and life safety director on site during business hours. The higher unarmed pay rate also requires F-01, F-03 and F-04 certificates.

Do New York City hotels need a security guard?

Hotels with more than 400 rooms must have at least one security guard on duty whenever a room is occupied.

Does ForceVera calculate Local Law 61 pay?

No. Timesheets show each guard's hours and pay rate and export to your payroll system, which should apply the minimum rates and overtime. ForceVera does not check pay against the law.

Is this legal advice?

No. This page summarizes official New York City pages as of October 2026. Rules change and exceptions apply, so check the official sources or ask an employment lawyer.

Which official sources does this page use?

Checked October 2026. City rules change, so confirm them with the agency before you rely on them. This page is general information, not legal advice.

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