Who Displays Residential Alarm Permits?

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Brian Rhodes
•Jun 12, 2013
IPVMU Certified

In my local city, the code requires that every intrusion alarm system is permitted by the city. The code also clearly states that the permit number be displayed, residence or commercial property alike, according to this citation:

(from: OKC's Municipal Code)

If every system were permitted according to code, most front doors or entries would look like this:

I've seen maybe three doors out of thousands that comply with this code. Frankly, I understand why!

How about you? In your area, what do residential alarm permit requirements do you see? Are they required? Is displaying them required?

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Brian Rhodes
•Jun 12, 2013
IPVMU Certified

Also, that's not my house! Count me among the 'noncompliant majority'...

SW
Sarit Williams
•Jun 12, 2013

I'm with you Brian. Interesting discussion..prompted me to look up the requirements in my county! According to Harris county (located in Houston, TX) I should let them inspect it upon request. Here is the full document for other Harris county folks.

A snippet: "(2) Residential permit holders shall keep the permit at the alarm site and shall produce such permit for inspection upon request of any County law enforcement official. Nonresidential permit holders shall post the permit in a conspicuous place that is in public view."

I'm obviousely the resident in this case, non-residential I assume, is discussing business owners where it makes more sense to post for public view.

I learned something new, thanks!

JH
John Honovich
•Jun 12, 2013
IPVM

What is the rationale for displaying the permit?

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Brian Rhodes
•Jun 12, 2013
IPVMU Certified
In reply to John Honovich

To validate your permit is current and paid up?

???

SW
Sarit Williams
•Jun 12, 2013
In reply to John Honovich

Each permit has a begin and end date and if the permit is expired the responding officers have the right to cite the homeowner the full cost of the visit whether it was a valid alarm or not.

CP
Carlton Purvis
•Jun 12, 2013

When I lived in Fairfax County, they made people register because they started assessing fines for false alarms ("fees start at $100 and can increase to $3000 per false alarm"). Here's that info. Nothing in the ordinance that I could find about displaying a permit though. I wonder what the rationale is too.

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Brian Rhodes
•Jun 12, 2013
IPVMU Certified

^^^ "To Protect and Serve... as long as you're paid up."

JH
John Honovich
•Jun 12, 2013
IPVM

How much does the permit cost? Does the user pay directly or is this done through the alarm provider?

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Brian Rhodes
•Jun 12, 2013
IPVMU Certified

In OKC, it is $27 to permit a new panel, and $17 annually afterward. Payable to the city. Monitoring companies/ installers don't manage permitting.

SW
Sarit Williams
•Jun 12, 2013

In Houston, TX the fee is a mere $10.00 per year and that allots me 3 false alarms per 12-month period. Should I exceed 3 false alarms I will be charged a minimum of $75.00 per incident.

The permit is applied to and renewed directly through the Harris County Sherriff’s office; my alarm company never asked to even see it.

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