Candidate and officeholder security

Campaign funds may be used to pay for the reasonable cost of security measures for a federal candidate, federal officeholder, member of their family and employees — as defined in 26 CFR 31.3401(c)-1 — of the candidate’s campaign or the federal officeholder’s office, so long as the security measures address ongoing dangers or threats that would not exist irrespective of the individual’s status or duties as a federal candidate or officeholder.

Payments must be made at the usual and normal charge

Payments for security measures must be made at the usual and normal charge for such goods and services. Usual and normal charge means, in the case of goods, the price of those goods in the market in which they are ordinarily purchased and, in the case of services, the hourly or piecework charge for the services at a commercially reasonable rate prevailing at the time the services were rendered.

Examples of security measures

Security measures that campaign funds may be used to pay for include, but are not limited to:

• Non-structural security devices such as hardware, locks, alarm systems, motion detectors and security camera systems.
• Structural security devices such as wiring, lighting, gates, doors and fencing, so long as such devices are intended solely to provide security and not to improve the property of increase its value.
• Security personnel that are bona fide, legitimate and professional.
• Cybersecurity software, devices and services.