IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR RESIDENTIAL AND NON-RESIDENTIAL ALARM SITES
Per Houston Code of Ordinances, Chapter11, if the Houston Emergency Center or the police department receives an alarm notification from a non-permitted
alarm system, the alarm user/owner/operator and person-in-control of the alarm site shall be charged a penalty for each type of alarm notification and shall be
jointly and severally liable to the City for payment. Please verify the function of your alarm system with your alarm company to avoid penalties associated
with a violation.
RESIDENTIAL ALARM SITE
Permit must be renewed before permit expiration to avoid any penalty that may be associated with a violation.
• Residential Burglar Alarm $50.00 - Permit fee is for residential burglar alarm sites, whether or not it includes a panic alarm.
Residential Permit Transfer requests require permit holder to fill out and submit the Request for Residential Alarm Permit Transfer Form.
Residential changes in ownership require a permit holder cancellation and the new owner must apply for a new permit.
NON-RESIDENTIAL ALARM SITE
Permit must be renewed before permit expiration to avoid any penalty that may be associated with a violation.
• Burglar $118.91 * Administrative fee applies, see below
• Panic/Holdup (known as robbery) $118.91 * Administrative fee applies, see below
• Combination burglar and panic/holdup $237.82 * Administrative fee applies, see below
Non-residential relocations or changes in ownership require permit cancellation and the new owner must apply for a new permit.
ADMINISTRATIVE FEE $29.72 An administrative fee of $29.72 shall be collected at time of application for any license, permit or service for which the
fee is greater than $50.00. This fee is in addition to the fee for the license, permit or service and includes all renewals regardless of whether or not an
application is filed.
RESIDENTIAL FALSE ALARM PENALTIES
• First (3) false burglar alarms are free for a residential burglar alarm permit holder per preceding 12-month period.
• 4th and 5th false alarms are $50.00 each and 6th and 7th alarms are $75.00 each.
• Thereafter each false alarm is $100.00. Permits are subject to revocation and no response after the 7th false alarm.
• First (1) false panic/holdup alarm is free for a residential burglar alarm permit holder per preceding 12-month period.
• 2nd false alarm is $140.09, 3rd false alarm is $280.20, and 4th false alarm is $420.29. The 5th false alarm and above are $560.39 (each).
Non-permitted residential: burglar alarms are chargeable at $116.75 and panic alarms are chargeable at $308.21 per incident.
NON-RESIDENTIAL FALSE ALARM PENALTIES
• Three (3) free false alarm are free for a non-residential burglar alarm permit holder per preceding 12-month period.
• 4th and 5th false alarms are $50.00 each and 6th and 7th false alarms are $75.00 each.
• Thereafter each false alarm is $100.00. Permits are subject to revocation and no response after the 7th false alarm.
• First (1) free false panic/holdup alarm is free for a non-residential panic/holdup permit holder per preceding 12-month period.
• 2nd false alarm is $280.20, 3rd false alarm is $560.39, and 4th false alarm and above are $700.50 each.
Non-permitted non-residential: burglar alarms are chargeable at $233.50 and panic alarms are chargeable at $490.34 per incident.
PAYMENT INFORMATION (We DO NOT accept credit card payments via mail or fax)
1. Online at www.houstonburglaralarmpermits.org use a credit card: Visa, MasterCard, or Discover, debit card or
electronic check.
2. Call 713-581-7410 to make a payment using our Interactive Voice Response system.
3. Mail check or money order payable to:
City of Houston – Burglar Alarm Administration
P.O. Box 203887
Houston, TX 77216-3887
4. In-person payments accepted at the Houston Permitting Center, 1002 Washington Avenue, Houston, Texas 77002.
Houston Permitting Center - Service Counter Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Monday through Friday.
A copy of the alarm permit will be sent to the email address provided during the application process or by postal mail if an email address was not
provided. Please contact our office at 713-581-7410, if you prefer the permit to be faxed to you.
To update permit account information and view alarm details, visit our website and click the NEED USERNAME AND PASSWORD button and enter the
required information. Login information will be emailed to you
.
For additional information, call the Burglar Alarm Administration at 713-581-7410 or visit www.houstonburglaralarmpermits.org.
Our business hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.