Burglary Alarm Customers
The Montgomery County alarm law was adopted because of concerns over police officer safety and to eliminate the misuse of police resources. Unfounded alarm calls also reduce the police department’s effectiveness and undermines our ability to respond to more critical calls.
To learn more about the Montgomery County alarm law or False Alarm Reduction Section (FARS) of the Montgomery County Department of Police, visit our Burglary Alarm page.
Checklist for the Alarm Customer
Have you and/or your alarm company registered your burglary alarm system with the False Alarm Reduction Section(FARS)? It is the responsibility of your alarm/monitoring company to provide you with registration information and the registration form at the time of sale or installation of your alarm system. If you do not have a registration form, please contact your alarm company.
Do you know your alarm company's responsibility towards you, the customer?
Did you renew your registration? Registrations must be renewed every two years at a cost of $10.
Not sure about the false alarm response fee? Need to find out how much to pay FARS?
Relocation or change in ownership of a property? The old registration must be cancelled and a new one issued.
Paying for renewal or response fees?
Walk ins by appointments only! Please call us to make an appointment.Alarm User Registration
- Every burglar alarm system must be registered with the FARS before the system is placed into service. Registration does not apply to smoke, fire, medical, or car alarms.
- It is the responsibility of your alarm/monitoring company to provide you with registration information and the registration form as well as information regarding the alarm law in Montgomery County, Maryland, at the time of sale or installation of your alarm system. Every alarm/monitoring company that conducts business within Montgomery County must be licensed by the FARS and must provide their license number and your registration number to 9-1-1 operators when requesting dispatch to an alarm activation.
- If you do not have an alarm/monitoring company, you may obtain registration information directly from the FARS.
- A non-refundable $30 registration fee must be paid with each initial registration. A separate registration must be obtained for each alarm user and/or location. Registrations must be renewed every two years at a cost of $10. Failure to renew when required will result in no “free” false alarms and the imposition of an additional $100 charge for every false alarm.
- Alarm registrations are not transferable from one alarm user to another or from one location to another. However, if you change alarm companies, mailing address, or contact person information, you are not required to reregister your alarm system. You are required, however, to advise the FARS in writing of said change(s).
- You and/or your alarm company must notify the FARS when there is a relocation or change in ownership of a property. The old registration must be cancelled and a new one issued.
False Alarm Response Fee Schedule
Residential False Alarm Response Fees| False Alarm Occurrence | False Alarm Response Fee | Cumulative Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | $0 | $0 |
| 2nd | $25 | $25 |
| After the 3rd time onwards inspection of system is required plus fee. | ||
| 3rd | $50 | $75 (inspection + fee) |
| 4th | $75 | $150 |
| 5th | $100 | $250 |
| After the 6th time onwards upgrade of the system is required plus fee. | ||
| 6th | $150 | $400 (system upgarde + fee) |
| 7th | $200 | $600 |
| 8th | $250 | $850 |
| 9th | $300 | $1150 |
| 10th | $400 | $1550 |
| 11th | $500 | $2050 |
| 12th | $600 | $2650 |
| 13th | $700 | $3350 |
| 14th | $800 | $4150 |
| 15th & Up | $1000 | $5150 |
| 16th | $1500 | $6650 |
| 17th | $2000 | $8650 |
| 18th | $2500 | $11,150 |
| 19th | $3000 | $14,150 |
| 20th & Up | $4000 | $18,150 |
What Your Alarm Company Should Do For You
In an effort to reduce false alarms, your alarm company is required, by law, to take certain proactive measures.
- Your alarm/monitoring company must attempt to verify every alarm signal, except duress or hold-up, before requesting police dispatch.
- If it is determined that an alarm signal is false, your alarm/monitoring company must immediately attempt to cancel the police dispatch. Don’t let your alarm company tell you that this cannot be done. You cannot personally cancel a police dispatch; this must be done by your alarm/monitoring company.
- Your alarm company must notify you, in writing, within 72 hours, if they have requested a police dispatch to your alarm location.
- Your alarm company must not request police dispatch to an alarm activation until the alarm system is property registered.
- When you have a new alarm system installed in your home or business, your alarm company must provide you with a completed and signed Installation Certificate. This Certificate affirms that:
- the system meets or exceeds installation standards,
- all persons responsible for the operation of the system have been fully trained on its proper use, and
- the alarm company has explained the requirements for registration and has completed and provided the alarm user with a copy of the registration form.
