Alarm Company License Requirements

Back to Burglary Alarm Companies Page

  1. Any person engaging in an alarm business in Montgomery County must apply to the FARS of the Montgomery County Department of Police or the designee specified on the application form for a license to operate as an alarm business. Such application must be signed by either
    a) the owner of the business for a sole proprietorship
    b) one partner for a partnership or
    c) a corporate officer for a corporation
    d) and must be approved by the FARS or designee.

    The license application must include, but is not limited to:

    • The name, address, Fax, and telephone number of the alarm business, its business entity (Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, or Corporation), and Employer ID number (EIN).
    • The number of active residential and nonresidential alarm customers in Montgomery County with which the alarm business conducts business.
    • The name, address, and telephone number of the official responsible for the operation of the alarm business in Montgomery County.
    • Background criminal history information.
    • Complete list of associated (contracted) alarm businesses, including name, address, telephone number and alarm business license number, that may alter, install, lease, maintain, monitor, repair, replace, sell at retail, service, or respond to an alarm system in Montgomery County.
    • An alarm business that is incorporated in a state other than Maryland must include on the alarm business license application form the name and address of the Resident Agent located in Maryland.
  2. License applications must be accompanied by an annual, non-refundable processing fee of Two Hundred Dollars ($200), which will be due and payable each year on the anniversary of the issuance of the alarm business license. If the alarm business license has been revoked or suspended, or has expired and been subsequently renewed, a reinstatement fee of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) plus other administrative fees must accompany a reinstatement application.
    • An applicant must not conduct business in Montgomery County until the alarm business license is approved.
    • An applicant must give written notice of any changes to the information contained in the application to the FARS or designee within ten (10) days of the change.
  3. Should an alarm business license be suspended, revoked or refused, the alarm business must notify, by first class mail, within five (5) days, each of its alarm users that the alarm business is unable to request Montgomery County Department of Police dispatch to the user’s alarm system for the duration of the suspension, revocation or refusal. The alarm business must also provide the FARS or designee, by first class mail, within five (5) days, a list containing the name and complete address of the alarm business’s registered alarm users.
  4. A licensed alarm business must not enter into a contract regarding their business in the county, as defined in Section 1.1, with an alarm business that does not have a valid alarm business license.
  5. The owner, partner or corporate officer of an alarm business must conduct a criminal history background check on all employees of the alarm business involved in the sale, installation, monitoring or maintenance of an alarm system. The background check must cover the past seven (7) years.
  6. Any licensee or applicant who requests a hearing to show cause why an alarm business license should not be revoked or suspended or the license application should be granted or renewed, as provided for in Chapter 3A, Section 3A-8(b) of the Montgomery County Code, must include an appeal filing fee of $150.00.