Having general terms and conditions drafted for security companies: costs and process

Having general terms and conditions for security companies drafted by a specialized SME lawyer typically costs between €500 and €1,500, depending on the number of services (property security, events, alarm response) and the degree of customization required for the liability and personnel provisions. The process usually takes one to three weeks: an intake meeting, draft, one round of revisions, and delivery with an explanation regarding the provision of the terms. This provides you with the assurance that the provisions regarding damage, theft, Wpbr personnel, payment, and confidentiality align with your actual work and will hold up in the event of a dispute.

The short answer

• Costs: €500 – €1,500 with an SME lawyer; more for many services or complex risks.
• Lead time: usually 1 – 3 weeks.
• Process: intake, draft, revision round, delivery with explanation for handover.
• What you get: terms and conditions tailored to your services (liability, Wpbr personnel, payment, confidentiality).
• When applicable: own liability or personnel agreements, multiple service types, or updating old terms and conditions.

What determines the price?

The price for having general terms and conditions drafted for security companies depends on the complexity of your business. A company that only provides static object security has a clearer risk profile than a company that also combines events, mobile surveillance, and alarm response.

• Number of services: each service has its own liability profile that must be translated separately.
• Tailored liability: aligning with your insurance coverage takes extra work but prevents uninsured gaps.
• Consumer or business: for private customers, the black and grey lists must be checked.
• GDPR component: if you work with camera footage, a data processing agreement is often required.

The process step by step

1. Intake: the legal expert maps out your services, client types, and insurance.
2. Concept: drafting terms and conditions with provisions regarding scope, liability, personnel, payment, and confidentiality.
3. Correction round: you read along, ask questions, the lawyer incorporates the adjustments.
4. Delivery: final set plus explanation regarding declaring correct application and handing over.

What you receive

A good assignment delivers more than a document. Expect:

• Terms and conditions tailored to your services, with security as a best-efforts obligation.
• A limitation of liability that aligns with your policy (maximum, exclusion of consequential damage, reporting obligation).
• Personnel provisions in accordance with the Wpbr, including right of substitution and recruitment prohibition.
• Payment terms regarding installments, interest, additional work, and indexation (Private Security Collective Labour Agreement).
• A confidentiality clause and, where necessary, a reference to a GDPR processor agreement.

Do it yourself, buy a model, or have one drawn up?

• Writing it yourself: cheapest, but risky. An error in the liability clause or a lack of documentation renders the terms worthless in the event of a claim.
• Ready-made model: €0 – €150. Works only if it is up-to-date and your services align with it exactly; otherwise, it is a false sense of security.
• Have it drafted: €500 – €1,500. Custom work that aligns with your work and your policy, with an explanation of validity.

For a security company, where a single theft or fire can lead to a substantial claim, the investment in customization almost always outweighs the risk of unlimited liability.

What to look out for when choosing a lawyer

Choose a lawyer who knows the security industry and understands the Wpbr, the Private Security CLA, and liability insurance in the sector. Ask for a fixed price and a round of revisions, and whether the explanation regarding the provision of the documentation is included. Brief example: a medium-sized security company combined on-site security with events; by having both types of services drafted separately, liability for crowd management remained within the insured coverage, rather than being open to uninsured claims.

Honest recommendation

Have your terms and conditions drawn up if you wish to establish your own liability, personnel, or payment agreements, combine multiple service types, or work with outdated terms and conditions. The investment of €500 – €1,500 is small compared to an unlimited claim in the event of damage or theft.

When do you *not* need a lawyer? When you can use a current, professional industry model without modification and your services align perfectly with it, or if you only want to understand how the terms and conditions work. As soon as customization or alignment with your insurance is required, legal guidance pays for itself.

Read more: what are general terms and conditions for security companies and drafting general terms and conditions for security companies. Or view the general terms and conditions for security companies.

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