Alarm Permit in Scottsdale, AZ
Permit Summary
Alarm Permit Basics
Alarm Systems Covered
Chapter 3 applies broadly to alarm/security systems in Scottsdale, including devices used to detect smoke, fire, hazardous materials, or unauthorized entry, and systems that alert others to fire, medical or other emergencies or unlawful acts. The ordinance expressly includes silent, panic, holdup, duress, robbery, burglary, automatic-dialing and audible systems. Statutory exclusions include motor-vehicle and boat audible alarms, telephone call diverters and systems not intended to alert public safety, water-flow alarms, manually activated emergency-medical and check-welfare systems, and stand-alone battery-operated smoke or carbon-dioxide alarms not connected to an alarm/security system.
Who Must Register
The alarm user is responsible for obtaining the permit. In a multi-unit building, the owner/manager is responsible for systems protecting the building, common areas, the owner's or manager's units, and tenant units unless a written agreement makes a tenant responsible; a tenant with such an agreement must obtain the permit for the tenant's system.
Monitoring Rules
For a monitored alarm/security system, the alarm user must give the City the monitoring business's identifying and contact information within 10 workdays of the service agreement and report changes within 10 workdays. The alarm user must notify the monitoring company of the Alarm User Permit number within 10 workdays after receiving the permit. Automatic dialing devices generally may not be programmed to a City government telephone number. For an accidental activation, the City directs users to contact the alarm company promptly and use the registered password/passcode to cancel the alarm.
Registration & Renewal
Registration Timing
The controlling ordinance requires the alarm user to apply no later than 10 workdays after the alarm/security system is placed into operation.
Permit Validity
An Alarm User Permit is valid for one year from the date the system had an unpermitted activation or was placed into operation, or from the date the alarm user electronically submits or signs the permit application, as applicable.
Renewal Rules
Permits are renewable annually for a $10 renewal fee. Renewal also requires payment in full of outstanding fees and service charges from prior permit periods; the charges are not prorated or transferable. If the permit is not renewed within 120 days after expiration, or within another period determined by the director, it is cancelled and a new application is required for the same system and premises.
Multiple System Rules
An Alarm User Permit is required for each premises in the city where an alarm user operates one or more covered systems, and a separate permit is required for each alarm/security system with a separate control panel at the premises. Multi-unit buildings follow the owner/manager and tenant responsibility rules in Chapter 3.
Transfer / Change Rules
Alarm User Permits are not transferable between persons or premises. Required changes to alarm-user information must be reported to the City within 10 workdays. For monitored systems, changes to the monitoring business or termination of monitoring must also be reported within 10 workdays. Permit cancellations must be submitted in writing by the permit holder and identify the permit number and effective cancellation date.
Alarm Company Requirements
Alarm Company Rules
An alarm user may not hire, use or contract with an alarm business or alarm agent that is not authorized by the State of Arizona to provide alarm/security-system services. Scottsdale also requires monitored alarm users to identify their monitoring company to the City and to provide the monitoring company with the Alarm User Permit number.
False Alarms & Penalties
False Alarm Allowance
For an active permit, the first and second false alarms in a permit period have no service charge. A newly installed system with a new control panel and all new components receives a 30-day service-charge exemption if the City receives the permit payment within 10 workdays after the system is placed into operation. A permit holder may also obtain an Alarm User Awareness Class waiver certificate that can waive one qualifying activation, service charge or unpermitted fee subject to the ordinance's timing, frequency and payment conditions.
False Alarm Penalties
For a valid permit, the third false alarm is $50, the fourth is $75, the fifth and sixth are $100 each, and the seventh and each later false alarm are $200 each. Charges are due within 30 days of the statement/notice. Seven or more false alarms during a permit period are considered alarm/security-system abuse and can lead to corrective-action requirements, alarm-user awareness training and permit-revocation proceedings; unpaid service charges or unpermitted fees may also become a lien on the premises.
Unpermitted Alarm Penalty
Each false activation while a system is operated without an active Alarm User Permit carries a $50 unpermitted fee in addition to any applicable false-alarm service charge. Operating, monitoring or using an alarm/security system without first obtaining the required permit is also an offense under Chapter 3 and is punishable as a class 2 misdemeanor.
Dispatch & Appeals
Dispatch / Response Rules
A false alarm is an activation that results in police or fire dispatch to the premises with no evidence of a crime or emergency as determined by public safety personnel. For accidental activations, the City instructs users to contact the alarm company immediately to cancel rather than calling police. After alarm/security-system abuse, a written administrative or civil consent order may include suspension of public-safety response to alarm activations. The ordinance also states that the City is not liable for failure or neglect to respond appropriately to an alarm activation.
Appeal Rules
A permit holder may request written review of an unpermitted fee, activation or service charge; the director must receive the request no later than 45 days from the date the item was billed. If aggrieved by the director's decision, the permit holder may request a hearing within 20 workdays; the hearing is to be set within 20 workdays of the request, and the hearing officer's decision is due within 10 workdays after the hearing. A party aggrieved by the hearing officer's decision may appeal to superior court within 30 calendar days.
What Alarm Users Need to Know
Requirements
An alarm user must obtain an Alarm User Permit no later than 10 workdays after a covered alarm/security system is placed into operation, keep the permit at the premises and make it available to city representatives upon reasonable request, maintain the system in good working order, and notify the City of required information changes within 10 workdays. Covered systems must also comply with the technical and operational standards in Scottsdale Revised Code Chapter 3.
Exemptions
Scottsdale Revised Code Chapter 3 excludes audible alarms used in motorized transportation; telephone call diverters and systems not intended to alert public safety personnel; water-flow alarms; manually activated emergency-medical and check-welfare alarm/security systems; and stand-alone battery-operated smoke or carbon-dioxide alarms that are not wired or otherwise connected to an alarm/security system. Activation and permit fees do not apply to City-owned alarms.
Documents / Information
The application requires the alarm user's or business's name, service address, mailing address, telephone number and email address if applicable, current monitoring-company name and phone number, alarm-system type, and whether the installation is new. A paper/email application also requires the applicant's signature and date. Reapplication after permit revocation requires additional documentation showing recent inspection and service, correction of false-alarm causes, and successful completion of alarm-user awareness training.