People search “how much does a bodyguard cost” expecting a number and find a wall of “it depends.” The honest answer is that it does depend — but on a short, understandable list of things, and once you know them you can read any quote and tell whether it is fair. This guide explains how bodyguards and executive protection are actually priced, what pushes the cost up or down, and how to get a quote that means something.
How protection is billed
Hourly, with a minimum
Short assignments are billed per agent per hour with a minimum block — typically several hours — because an agent cannot take another job around a two-hour dinner. Events, nightlife, shopping escorts, medical appointments and airport meet-and-greets fall here.
Daily rates
Multi-day details — a visiting executive’s week, a family’s season, a residential detail — are billed per agent per day, usually defined as a 10- or 12-hour day with overtime beyond it, or on a 24-hour basis when agents are on site around the clock.
Retainers
Ongoing protection for a principal or family is priced as a weekly or monthly retainer covering a defined schedule, with a team that knows the family, the house and the routine.
Expenses
Vehicles, travel (flights, hotels, per diem for agents traveling with you), event credentials and special equipment are billed separately and listed in the estimate.
What drives the price
Armed or unarmed
An armed agent holds the Florida Class G firearms license on top of the Class D license, carries more insurance exposure and is usually more experienced. Expect a higher rate. Many details run unarmed — presence, planning and de-escalation are the real tools — and a reputable agency will say so when it applies.
One agent or a team
A single agent suits a low-profile principal with a predictable schedule in a low-threat environment. When there are multiple venues, vehicles, family members or a real threat, you need an advance agent, a close agent and a driver — and the cost scales with the number of people. The itinerary and the threat assessment, not ego, should set the size.
Experience and specialization
Agents with military or law enforcement backgrounds, executive protection certifications, medical training, language skills, or experience with celebrities, high-net-worth families or children command higher rates. Female agents for low-profile coverage of spouses and children are a specialized request.
Duration and predictability
A fixed schedule over weeks or months costs less per hour than a same-day call for tonight. Last-minute and overnight work carries premiums.
Drivers and vehicles
A protective driver is an agent; the vehicle is separate. Discreet luxury SUVs and sedans with a security driver are billed by the day. See travel security.
Travel
Agents traveling with you outside South Florida are billed for travel days plus expenses. Coverage abroad is coordinated with partner agencies at local rates.
Season and events
Art Basel, the Miami Grand Prix, Music Week, the holidays: demand spikes, availability shrinks, and last-minute bookings cost more. Book early.
Advance work
Route planning, venue reconnaissance and liaison before a visit are billed as hours but save far more than they cost in a complex itinerary.
Typical scenarios
- One agent for an evening event — hourly, minimum block; unarmed or armed by preference.
- A visiting executive for three days — one or two agents on daily rates plus a driver and vehicle; advance work the day before.
- A family for the season — a retainer covering a residential officer, a protection agent for the principal and a female agent for the children, with drivers as needed.
- A public figure under a specific threat — a team with an advance agent, close protection and driver, armed, with 24-hour residential coverage; the most expensive configuration because it should be.
- A shopping or medical day — one agent hourly, often a female agent for discretion.
Where cheap protection comes from — and why to avoid it
A rate that is dramatically lower than the market usually means one of these: an unlicensed “bodyguard” (a crime in Florida and no insurance if something happens), a security guard with no protection training being called a bodyguard, an agent working alone on a job that needs two, or a company that is not paying its people — who then leave mid-contract. Protection is one of the few purchases where the downside of saving money is measured in people getting hurt.
How to get an honest quote
- Describe the principal, the dates, the itinerary, the concern and any known threat.
- Ask what configuration the agency recommends and why — and what they would leave out.
- Get a written quote with rates, minimums, overtime, expenses and cancellation terms.
- Verify the agency’s Florida Class B license and the agents’ Class D (and G if armed) licenses on the state lookup; ask for the certificate of insurance.
- Meet the lead agent before the first day.
Bodyguards and executive protection in Miami
FSO Guard provides bodyguards, executive protection, VIP and celebrity security, female agents and protective drivers across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach — licensed, insured, in English, Spanish and Russian. For a written quote call (786) 659-5011 or message us on WhatsApp; we reply the same day. Related: how much security guards cost in Miami.
