Alarm Permit in Long Beach, CA
Permit Summary
Alarm Permit Basics
Alarm Systems Covered
The City's current permit page covers home and business alarm systems that directly or indirectly signal the Long Beach Police Department to respond. The current application identifies silent burglary, audible burglary, and silent robbery alarms.
Who Must Register
The person maintaining or having the covered alarm installed on premises under their control must obtain the permit. Because alarm permits are non-transferable, a new home or business owner must apply for a new permit.
Monitoring Rules
When an alarm is reported to the City's Communications Center, the report must identify the alarm type, alarm address, type of business or premises, the company or answering service reporting the alarm, and the reporting employee. Automatic dialing devices may not be programmed to dial emergency or call-for-service numbers serving the Communications Center, and regulated alarm systems generally may not terminate in the Communications Center except systems protecting City, County, State, or Federal properties.
Registration & Renewal
Permit Validity
Residential alarm permits have a three-year renewal period. Commercial alarm permits have a one-year renewal period and renew annually.
Renewal Rules
Residential permits renew every three years at the City's currently published $46 fee. Commercial permits renew annually at the currently published $41 fee.
Multiple System Rules
The City's alarm standards require the alarm address to identify the exact protected location, such as the specific building or portion of a building, and not a group of buildings. The current public alarm page and application do not publish a separate consolidated multi-system permit rule.
Transfer / Change Rules
Alarm permits are non-transferable. A new home or business owner must re-apply for an alarm permit.
Alarm Company Requirements
Alarm Company Rules
The permit application requires the alarm installation company's and alarm service company's names, addresses, and telephone numbers. When an alarm has been activated, the alarm business and/or permittee must have an alarm agent or other person in responsible control present at the location within 30 minutes after the City's Communications Center or Long Beach Police Department requests a response.
False Alarms & Penalties
False Alarm Allowance
The first false alarm in the rolling 12-month period is free. Charges begin with the second false alarm; the 12-month period is measured from the date of a false alarm back through the preceding 12 months.
False Alarm Penalties
Current City charges in a rolling 12-month period are: first false alarm free; second $158; third $193; fourth $235; fifth $404; and sixth and each subsequent false alarm $548.
Dispatch & Appeals
Dispatch / Response Rules
For an activated alarm, the alarm business and/or permittee must have an alarm agent or other responsible person at the location within 30 minutes after being requested by the City's Communications Center or the Long Beach Police Department. The City's standards also prohibit programming automatic dialers to call emergency or call-for-service numbers serving the Communications Center.
Appeal Rules
After each false alarm, the permittee receives written notice of the response and the number of false alarms attributed to the system in the preceding 12 months. Within 10 days of the notice, the permittee may submit written evidence that the response was not a false alarm; if no evidence is submitted within that period, the alarm response is treated as a false alarm.
What Alarm Users Need to Know
Requirements
A home or business alarm system that directly or indirectly signals the Long Beach Police Department to respond requires an Alarm System Permit. Submit the City application with payment, keep the alarm system in good repair, comply with the City's alarm standards, and file and keep current an Emergency Notification Card with the Long Beach Police Department.
Exemptions
An alarm system that does not directly or indirectly signal the Long Beach Police Department does not meet the permit trigger stated on the City's current alarm-permit page and application. The current public application and alarm-permit page do not state a broader general user exemption.
Documents / Information
Submit the completed Alarm System Permit application and payment. The form requests the applicant's name and phone number, alarm type, residential or mailing address, business and alarm address when applicable, government-ownership status, alarm installation and service company information, and emergency-contact information. Permitted premises must also file and keep current an Emergency Notification Card with the Long Beach Police Department.