Have An Alarm System? Then You Need An Alarm Permit From Harris County

First, let me say that Constable Walker will be at the WCID89 meeting on 8/3/10 to make a presentation. You are welcome to attend. If you have any questions you'd like to ask her, please submit them to me at jroot@wcid89.org before 10AM tomorrow morning.

Second, I am passing on some information here that the Sheriff requested. I know it's likely to just make you mad, given the lack of service that the Sheriff provided while under contract to the District. But, it is good information. If you have a monitored alarm system (one where the security company calls you when the alarm goes off) you will need to present them with your alarm permit. Please note that all the CAPITAL LETTERS in the rest of this posting are not me shouting at you. They were put in by the Sheriff on his information letter regarding alarm permits. And now, I copy and paste it for your reading pleasure...

PERMIT MUST BE ISSUED BEFORE ALARM SYSTEM IS ACTIVATED TO AVOID FEES AND/OR FINES (Note from me: I didn't have my permit the first year (2005) I had the alarm system because I didn't know anything about it. This house was the first one I ever had an alarm installed. But my monitoring company, Brinks Security, contacted me and said I needed to fax a copy of my alarm permit to them. I had no problem getting the alarm permit without extra fees or fines. But maybe the policy has changed in the last 5 years to include some sort of penalty charge. Every year when the permit is about to expire, I get a postcard from the County Auditor telling me to pay my $10 renewal fee, along with a due date.)

$35.00 New permit for residential and non-residential alarm sites

$10.00 Annual renewal for residential and non-residential alarm sites

$50.00 Reinstatement for residential and non-residential alarm sites

Incomplete or illegible applications will be returned. Applications received without the permit fee will be returned. PERMIT FEES are not required for government offices or for residential alarm sites if the permit holder is sixty-five (65) years of age or older. (Note from me: You can get a copy of the application in a Word document format by clicking here and then clicking on Forms and then on Alarm Permit Application.)

PERMIT TERM: An alarm system permit shall be valid for a twelve (12) month period from the date of issuance as stated on the permit, and shall expire on the last day of the twelfth month. The beginning for the renewal permit term shall be the first day of the month following expiration.

PERMIT RENEWAL: The permit holder, on or before the expiration of the alarm system permit shall submit to the Alarm Detail a renewal permit application, as promulgated by the Harris County - Alarm Detail, along with the applicable renewal fee.

CHANGE OF INFORMATION IN PERMIT APPLICATION: The permit holder has an affirmative duty to amend any information contained or attached to the permit application that has changed or is out of date and filed with the Alarm Detail within thirty (30) days after the information changed or was out of date.

ANY PERSON OR ENTITY OPERATING AN ALARM SYSTEM WITHOUT A PERMIT IS SUBJECT TO A SERVICE RESPONSE FEE OF $75.00 FOR EACH FALSE ALARM. In addition to the service response fee, a citation may be issued and a fine imposed by the Justice of the Peace Court for operating an alarm system without a permit.

REVOCATION OF ALARM SYSTEM PERMIT: An alarm system permit may be revoked if the permit holder:

(a) has violated a provision of Chapter 237, Texas Local Government Code (County Regulation of Alarm Systems), any provision of the Revised Rules Governing the Regulation of Alarm Systems within Harris County, Texas (“Rules”), or any order of Harris County Commissioner’s Court pertaining to the Rules;

(b) has failed to make payment in full to Harris County for any fees, fines, charges, costs and/or court judgments entered by a court of competent jurisdiction within forty-five (45) days of the date the Alarm Detail has mailed a notice to the permit holder;

(c) accrues more than nine (9) false alarms, including the first five (5) charge free false alarms, during the term of the permit;

(d) accrues three (3) or more false alarms subsequent to a reinstatement renewal permit during the remainder of the then current permit term;

(e) is required to attend alarm abuser class as set forth in Section 17 of the Rules, and has failed to satisfy this requirement prior to the expiration date of the current permit term;

(f) fails to renew the alarm system permit prior to the expiration;

(g) fails to update the alarm system permit application;

(h) submits payment by check or credit card made to Harris County, and is dishonored or charged back.

BILLING INFORMATION: Locations with a valid permit are allowed five (5) false alarms each permit year (issue/expiration date on permit) without charge.

EACH FALSE ALARM AFTER THE FIVE (5) FREE FALSE ALARMS ARE CHARGEABLE AND WILL BE ASSESSED AT $75.00 FOR EACH RESPONSE BY A COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

For all payments to the Alarm Detail for fees, fines, charges or costs, payment by check or money order should be made payable to the HARRIS COUNTY TREASURER and sent to:

HARRIS COUNTY ALARM DETAIL
9418 JENSEN DRIVE, SUITE A
HOUSTON, TX 77093