The Ultimate Guide to SAG-AFTRA Theatrical Rates

This article has been updated to 2025 rates UPDATED: July 17 2025

Hiring SAG actors can be daunting for any producer—especially when you’re just getting started. There are many rules, rate types, and forms. As a result, we created a one-stop reference so producers can easily find what they need regarding SAG-AFTRA theatrical rates. This is not intended to replace the Entertainment Partners Paymaster.

What’s here? You’ll find high-level tables followed by detailed rate breakouts, along with rules and penalties by agreement. We cover day and weekly player schedules, meal and rest penalties, overtime, 6th/7th day and holiday pay rules, and more.

Important effective dates: The rate tables below include columns for 07/01/2022–06/30/2023, 11/09/2023–06/30/2024, 07/01/2024–06/30/2025, and 07/01/2025–06/30/2026.

You can always find the latest union rates on our website with our latest edu articles.

Theatrical Basic Agreement (> $2 M)

Applies: Films shooting entirely within the U.S. with a total budget > $2,000,000, as well as films shooting outside the U.S.
Provided by sagaftra.org.

Basic Agreement Theatrical Rates PDF

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Becoming a SAG-AFTRA signatory is the first step before production to hire SAG-AFTRA actors. Apply as a SAG-AFTRA Signatory and follow the steps to get started.

Below are the Basic Agreement rates (day, weekly, background, stand-ins, etc.). Pension & Health (fringes) follow the tables.

Day Performers’ Rates — Theatrical Basic

Weekly Performers’ Rates — Theatrical Basic

Multiple Picture Performers — Theatrical Basic

Background Actors — Theatrical Basic

Special Ability Background — Theatrical Basic

Stand-Ins / Photo Doubles — Theatrical Basic

Stunt Performers — Theatrical Basic

Pension/Health/IA CF: 21% of gross for principals; 20.5% for background.
Background minimum count (Schedule X-I/X-II): Los Angeles 30-mile zone: 57 (LA), 40 (NY), 25 (other) — see Basic Agreement.
Meal penalties: $25 / $35 / $50 per successive half-hour (or fraction).
Meal timing: 1st meal within 6 hrs of first call; 2nd within 6 hrs of return from 1st; each meal ≥ 30 min (deduct actual up to 1 hr).
NDB: 15 minutes within 2 hours of call; note start/finish on production report.
Per diem (overnight): Breakfast $14, Lunch $21, Dinner $35 (Full day $70).
Forced-call (rest invasion): 1 day or $900 (whichever is less). Must give a 56-hr weekend (may drop to 54-hr on studio shoots).
Night premium: None, except ADR/looping = +10% per straight-time hour worked 8 pm–6 am.

Low Budget Agreement — LBA (< $2 M)

Applies: Films shooting entirely in the U.S. with total budget < $2,000,000.
Diversity-in-Casting Incentive: Raises cap to $3,000,000.
Provided by sagaftra.org.

Low Budget Rates PDF

Performers — Low Budget

Stunt Coordinators — Low Budget

Background — Low Budget

Special Ability Background — Low Budget

Stand-Ins / Photo Doubles — Low Budget

Pension/Health/IA CF: 21% (principals); 20.5% (background).
Background minimum count: First 30 union BG only; remaining may be non-union (stand-ins may be included).
Meal penalties / timing / NDB / per diem / forced-call / weekend / night premium: Same terms as Basic (see above).

Moderate Low Budget Agreement (< $700,000)

Applies: Films shooting entirely in the U.S. with total budget < $700,000.
Diversity-in-Casting Incentive: Raises cap to $950,000.
Background Actor Incentive: Raises cap by $112,000.
Provided by sagaftra.org.

Modified Low Budget Rates PDF

Performers — Moderate Low Budget

Stunt Performers — Moderate Low Budget

Stunt Coordinators (< “Flat Deal” Minimum) — Moderate Low Budget

Stunt Coordinators (“Flat Deal”) — Moderate Low Budget

Background — Moderate Low Budget

Special Ability Background — Moderate Low Budget

Stand-Ins / Photo Doubles — Moderate Low Budget

Pension/Health/IA CF: 21% (principals); 20.5% (background).
Background minimum count: Average 3 SAG-AFTRA background per production day.
Meal penalties / timing / NDB / per diem / forced-call / weekend / night premium: As above.
Rest: Performers must receive 12 hours between workdays.

Ultra Low Budget Project — UPA (< $300,000)

Applies: Projects shooting entirely in the U.S. with a maximum budget < $300,000. (Effective July 2025.)
Provided by sagaftra.org.

Ultra Low Budget Rates PDF

Performers — Ultra / UPA

Stunt Coordinators (< “Flat Deal”) — Ultra / UPA

Stunt Coordinators (“Flat Deal”) — Ultra / UPA

Pension/Health/IA CF: 21% (principals); 20.5% (background).
Meal penalties / timing / NDB / per diem: As above.
Rest: 12 hours between workdays.
Forced-call rest invasion: Treat every invaded hour as a full extra day (≥ current day rate, e.g., $241–$249).
Weekend: 56-hr weekend (may drop to 54-hr on studio shoots).

Short Project Agreement — SPA (< $50,000)

Applies: Projects with max budget < $50,000, total run time ≤ 40 minutes, and 30 days max of principal photography. (Effective July 2025.)
Provided by sagaftra.org.

Things to know (SPA):

Up-front actor pay is freely negotiable (must meet wage laws).

Stunt coordinators: Use current Schedule K-I / K-II / K-III from the Basic Agreement.

Deferred pay: If later sold/shown commercially, all deferred wages must be paid.

Principals: ≥ 20% of Basic day rate per day worked (minimum deferred).

Background: ≥ 75% of Basic day rate per day worked (minimum deferred).

Performers — SPA

Stunt Coordinators (< “Flat Deal”) — SPA

Stunt Coordinators (“Flat Deal”) — SPA

Background — SPA

Special Ability Background — SPA

Stand-Ins / Photo Doubles — SPA

Pension/Health/IA CF: 21% (principals); 20.5% (background).
Meal penalties: $25 per half-hour (or fraction).
Meal timing / NDB / per diem / weekend: As above.
Rest: 12 hours between workdays.
Forced-call: If an hour of rest is invaded, it pays as a full extra day.

SAG Rest Periods

Daily Rest Periods for Day and Weekly Performers:

Studio Zone: 12 hours.

Not Overnight Location Outside Studio Zone: 12 hours may be reduced to 10 hours where exterior photography is required on such location, on the day before and the day after such a reduced rest period. This is applicable once every fourth consecutive day.

Overnight Location: 12 hours may be reduced to 11 hours on any two non-consecutive days in a workweek.

Weekly Rest Period:

All performers are entitled to one weekly rest period of 56 hours. The following are exceptions:

A 56 hour rest period may be reduced to a 54 hour rest period, provided the call time for the first day of the new workweek is no earlier than 6 am.

A 36 hour rest period is allowable on a six-day location workweek.

Forced Call:

A violation of either daily or weekly rest periods is a forced call. The penalties are:

Day Performers: Daily rate or $900, whichever is less per violation

Weekly Performers: One day’s pay or $950, whichever is less per violation

SAG Meal Penalties

SAG Performers must receive a meal within every 6 hours of work or there is a penalty

SAG Basic, Low and Modified Low Budget $25 first ½ hour, $35 for 2nd ½ hour, $50 for 3rd on.

SAG Ultra Low Budget $25 for every ½ hour or fraction thereof

SAG Schedules Details

It is helpful to have all that information regarding how much to pay a performer, but there are other details to consider. SAG has a separate schedule for each performer depending on how much and how you pay them. Why does this matter you might ask? It is important because items like overtime, 6th and 7th day and holiday pay can vary depending on the schedule. A general rule of thumb is, The less you pay over scale the more that performer can earn on those items: OT, 6th and 7th day pay etc. However, the more over scale you pay a performer means more caps on those items.

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I have put together a detailed table of the terms for each of those items according to the Schedule of the performer.

*Schedule B, 1.5x after 44 hours worked in 5 days, or after 48 hours worked in 6 days for overnight locations, less daily overtime paid.

The other Schedules below (H,I,J,K) are for specific performer types and fall under one of the above schedules (A, B, C, or F) depending on the term and rate of pay.

Schedule H - Stunt Performer
When a performer does stunt work, during the term of that stunt work they will fall under this schedule. They are entitled to receive a Stunt Adjustment for any stunt work beyond the scope originally negotiated and that adjustment becomes part of their base rate and affects overtime, 6th, 7th, and Holiday pay amounts.

Schedule I - Airplane Pilots
Pilots have unique overtime of 1.5x after 8 hours with no ceiling, no weekly overtime. They are entitled to receive a Flight Adjustment for any hazardous work beyond the scope originally negotiated and that adjustment becomes part of their base rate and affects overtime, 6th, 7th, and Holiday pay amounts.

Schedule J - Dancers
Dancers are any performers who are professionally trained and doing choreographed routines requiring rehearsals. This can also include skaters and swimmers as well. Here are the unique rules for this schedule:

They can receive hazardous pay for dangerous activities, $100 per day or $125 if only working one day.

Dancers receive $11.50 per day for being required to use their own footwear for the performance.

Dancers must get 10 minutes of rest for each hour of rehearsal or shooting unless shooting is continuous up to 90 minutes and then they must receive at least a 15 min. break.

Schedule K - Stunt Coordinators The only unique item for these brave people is that their rest provision is 9 hours, not the normal 11 or 12 hours depending on location.

SAG Travel Rules

Note: Please note there are exceptions to transportation rules under the SAG-AFTRA Low Budget theatrical agreements. Contact a SAG rep for more info.

Overtime:

Overtime caused by travel time is computed at a rate of, 1.5x, time and one half.

Mileage:

Mileage is payable at $ .30 per mile to the performer if the performer is required to report to a location within or outside of the 30 mile Hollywood or San Francisco Studio Zones or eight-mile zone in New York. There are, however, exceptions as follows:

No mileage is payable for a 10-mile radius from a point designated by the Producer once during the theatrical production period within the 30 mile Los Angeles zone. The producer should notify their business representative of their designated point prior to the commencement of principal photography.

No mileage is payable if the Producer provides the Performer with transportation to a location outside of the Studio Zone.

Pay for Non-working Travel day to an Overnight Location

Day Performers:
When traveling to or from the location on a day when no services are rendered, the performer shall be paid for a full day.

Weekly Performers:
There are exceptions applicable to some weekly performers. Please contact a SAG-AFTRA business representative for specific questions.

Flight Insurance:

The Producer must provide coverage of not less than $100,000 for travel by commercial airlines and $250,000 for travel by helicopter. If the producer is unable to provide such coverage, he or she is required to reimburse the performer in full the purchase price of such insurance after showing proof of purchase by the performer.

Transportation Provisions:

When a performer is required to fly at the request of the Producer, all flights shall be business class when available and, if not available, first class. However, coach class* air travel is acceptable in the following circumstances:

• For domestic flights that are less than 1,000 air miles when the flight is non-stop; • For non-stop flights between LA and Vancouver; • For non-stop flights that are less than 1,000 miles between the US and Vancouver or between the US and Toronto; • If a substantial number of the company is being transported; • If 6 or more performers travel together in the same class on the same flight; or • For auditions and interviews.

*Producer must provide elevated coach class (e.g., Economy Plus, extended legroom, etc.) when available. Performers who travel by coach class shall be reimbursed by Producer for baggage fees and costs of in-flight meals provided performer submits receipts and requests for reimbursement within 30 days after the flight.

Per Diem:

On overnight locations, in addition to lodging, the Producer will provide a per diem meal allowance to be paid prior to the day or week of work. The minimum per diem amounts are as follows and only applicable if meals are not provided by the Producer.

Breakfast $14 / Lunch $21 / Dinner $35 (full day $70) if you don’t provide meals.

What are common SAG “bumps” to budget?

- Wardrobe supplied by talent: $12 per outfit / $18 formal

- Agency commissions: +10% typical (fringe-able)

- Wet/smoke/dust/snow work: +$50.24 per day (BG), $100 hazard premium (principals)

- Personal auto / picture car: IRS mileage + $18–$35 flat bump

- Stunt upgrades: If non-stunt is asked to perform stunt activity, a negotiated stunt bump applies and P&H still accrues.

- Night ADR: +10% per straight-time hour (8 pm–6 am, Basic)

Concluding Data, Now what?

Knowing what to expect when you embark on a production that uses SAG Talent is extremely important. My goal here is to make sure you have easy access to most of the pertinent information you needed for a SAG set.

When it finally comes to start your project making sure your production is compliant with all the SAG, and other Unions’, rules, rates, and regulations can be very challenging.

That ‘s why we are here. The other reason is so that you can run your payroll up to 25X faster and eliminate hundreds of hours of grunt work on payroll weekly. So get started now!