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Content current as of 04/30/25

Alarms

Learn about Alarm System Operator and Monitored Alarm Device licensing requirements, False Alarm Response Fees, frequently asked questions about false alarms, and inquiries on alarm permits.

Alarm System Operators

An Alarm System Operator license is required for any person to operate or provide an alarm monitoring service within the jurisdictional limits of Tacoma. This includes any person who monitors alarm devices installed within the jurisdictional limits of Tacoma, even if such monitoring is conducted from a location outside the city limits.

Once an Application for City of Tacoma Business License and Supplemental Application has been submitted, please email a Device List (in an Excel format) that includes the name and address of each alarm user in Tacoma, the date the monitoring service began at the address, and the name of the monitoring company if different than the Alarm System Operator.

Monitored Alarm Devices

A Monitored Alarm Device license is required to be paid by an Alarm System Operator for every monitored alarm system in the City or to monitor such an alarm system, directly or indirectly, via telephone, cable wire, wireless, video, electric, or other form of connection to or by any outside entity or source.  The city will assess a license fee based on the number of alarm users provided in the Device List. The Monitored Alarm Device license applies to each device, with one control panel counting as a single device

False Alarm Response Fee

Alarm system operators will be assessed a false alarm response fee for every police response to a monitored alarm that is registered to the alarm system operator that is determined to be a false alarm. No fee shall be assessed if the responding units are canceled before arrival at the scene.

Quick Links 

Look Up Address 
Monitored Alarm Supplemental 

False Alarm Frequently Asked Questions

A false alarm means that police units were dispatched to a location with an active monitored alarm device to determine whether there is evidence of a crime or other activity on the premises that would warrant a call for immediate police assistance or investigation and when the police unit arrives, there is no criminal activity occurring or no evidence of recent criminal activity on the premises. An alarm shall be presumed to be false if responding officers do not locate evidence of intrusion, commission of an unlawful act, or emergency on the premises that might have caused the alarm to sound.

Effective January 1, 2025, false alarm fees are billed depending on the number of occurrences in a 12-month period. False alarm fees continue to be billed to the monitoring alarm company of the alarm user.

  • First or Second Occurrence: $115
  • Third or Fourth Occurrence: $215
  • Fifth or Sixth Occurrence: $265
  • Seventh or Subsequent Occurrence: $315

No.

No.

Yes, the alarm companies may choose to pass along the false alarm fee to their alarm users.

National and local statistics have proven that raising fines paid directly by homeowners and businesses has had no significant impact on reducing the number of false alarms. Alarm-monitoring companies have enjoyed the benefit of police response to their customers’ alarms without any accountability for the accuracy or reliability of those alarms.

Tacoma’s intent with this law is to hold alarm-monitoring companies accountable for false alarms, education to their customers to reduce false alarms, and reduce the number of unnecessary police and fire responses.

If you feel that a false alarm fee has been assessed incorrectly, please contact your alarm company.  Alarm companies are required to dispute false alarms on their customer’s behalf by submitting a written request within 60 calendar days from the fee assessment date.

 

For commercial premises, the request must include time-stamped audio or video evidence showing human presence and a high probability that a criminal offense was in progress. Please note that alarms triggered solely by sensor or motion activation will not qualify as supporting evidence for fee cancellation. If supporting evidence is not provided, the review request will be dismissed

If your premises has three or more false alarms in a 12-month period, the false alarm fee increases. Additionally, if your premises has more than four false alarms in a 12-month period, one or more of the following may occur:

  1. No Response to Alarm: The City may issue a “No Response” designation, which would suspend police response for up to a 12-month period (excluding hold-up, robbery, and panic alarms).
  2. Private Security Responsibility: During a “No Response” period, the alarm operator or user will need to arrange for private security if necessary.

ECC is a process that alarm operators must follow to verify an alarm before calling the police. It’s not needed if the system has live video/audio showing a crime in progress or if someone on-site reports a crime. If the first contact attempt fails, a second attempt must be made, unless the alarm is for a fire, panic, robbery, or is already verified.

An alarm monitoring company must verify the alarm before requesting police. This can be done in one of these ways:

 

1. Phone Confirmation: The alarm operator contacts someone at the premises who confirms a possible crime is in progress.

2. Real-Time Video/Audio: The premises has live video or audio showing evidence of a crime.

3. Two Zones Triggered: The alarm system confirms two zones have been triggered, and the alarm operator completes Enhanced Call Confirmation (ECC).

4. Older Systems: For older systems, the alarm operator must still complete ECC and receive two or more signals within ten minutes.

A verified alarm is an electronic security system event in which a trained central station operator utilizing a standardized protocol has determined the presence of human(s) and the high probability that a criminal offense is in progress.

You can fill out a public records request on the South Sound 911 website or go to the South Sound 911 public counter located at 945 Tacoma Avenue South, Tacoma, WA 98402.

Alarm Permit Frequently Asked Questions

No. Alarm companies are responsible for paying a $40 annual device fee for each of their alarm users’ systems.

Yes the alarm company may choose to pass along the alarm device fee to their alarm user.

The City of Tacoma allows subscribers to switch alarm companies without charging the new monitoring company a device fee if the device fee was paid within the calendar year by the previous alarm company.