APA Rates Explained

What is the APA agreement?

The APA (Advertising Producers Association) Recommended Terms are the standard pay framework for UK commercial film and TV crew. Adopted by most production companies making advertisements, music videos, and corporate content in the UK, they set minimum day rates, overtime rules, travel pay, and penalty clauses that protect crew from being underpaid for long or difficult days.

If your deal memo says "APA terms" or "APA rates apply", this document governs what you should be paid.

Who do APA terms cover?

APA Recommended Terms apply to freelance crew on UK commercial productions where the production company has agreed to use them. They do not automatically apply to long-form drama or feature films, which operate under separate industry agreements. When in doubt, check your deal memo or confirm with the production coordinator.

Standard APA shoot day

The Basic Working Day is 11 hours in total: 10 working hours plus 1 hour for lunch. Your basic daily rate (BDR) covers the full 11 hours. Every hour worked beyond that is overtime, paid on top of your BDR.

A Continuous Working Day has no built-in break and runs for 9 hours. Overtime applies after 9 hours from call time. Overtime is charged per minute and rounded up to the nearest 30 minutes.

Overtime grades and rates

APA overtime is not a flat rate. Your overtime coefficient is determined by your basic daily rate (BDR):

• Grade I (BDR up to £444): 1.5× basic hourly rate (BHR) per overtime hour
• Grade II (BDR £445–£676): 1.25× BHR per overtime hour
• Grade III (BDR £677 and above): 1.0× BHR per overtime hour, the same as the normal hourly rate

Your BHR = your BDR ÷ 10. After midnight, all grades are paid at 3× BHR (triple time) until wrap, regardless of grade.

Travel time and mileage

Travel time is always paid at your basic hourly rate (single time), regardless of the time of day or day of the week. On a non-shooting travel day, travel time is paid at BHR with a minimum call of 5 hours.

Mileage is paid at 50p per mile, calculated from W1F 9SE (for London-based productions). Mileage is not payable for locations within the M25. Outside the M25, mileage is calculated to the location and back.

Meal breaks and penalty clauses

Crew must be given a first break of 1 hour beginning no more than 5½ hours after work commences. If the break is delayed, a £10 penalty is payable. If the break is missed entirely (meaning 6½ hours pass without a break from main unit call) the day converts to a Continuous Working Day and the provisions of Section 2.2 apply.

If a meal break is given late or missed, compensation is either a free meal or a £7.50 meal allowance. A second break of 30 minutes follows within 5½ hours of the end of the first break. Overtime is charged per minute, rounded up to the nearest 30 minutes. There is no separate "grace period" concept in the APA terms.

Triple time after midnight

Under Section 4.4 of the APA Recommended Terms, all overtime worked between midnight and 5am, and continuously until wrap, is paid at 3× basic hourly rate. This applies regardless of grade and can significantly increase the total owed on late-running shoots.

How CrewDock automates APA calculations

Every APA calculation is built into CrewDock: overtime grades, travel time, meal break penalties, triple time after midnight, and mileage. Enter your BDR, call time, wrap time, and any travel or expenses, and CrewDock calculates your correct total instantly. You can then generate a PDF invoice or push the job directly to Xero, FreeAgent, or QuickBooks.

No spreadsheets. No manual overtime arithmetic. No missed penalty clauses.