• Site Map
You must have an alarm permit—it’s the Law. LAPD officers handle 6,000 to 7,000 alarm calls each month, and over 90% are determined to be false alarms. Every alarm user, residential and business, can do his or her share to reduce false alarms and to help preserve police resources.
Whether your alarm system is for your home or for a business, you must:
To obtain an alarm permit, you can apply online, contact us, or visit an Office of Finance branch office before 3:00 p.m..
Provide your alarm company with your permit number and updated emergency contact information.
Post a copy of your permit number on the premises, at or near the main entrance, so that the responding officer can identify your contact information.
Under the revised Alarm Ordinance, the City will no longer respond to alarms free of charge. In addition to recovering the $115 fee for service, escalating penalties will be imposed for multiple false alarms:
| False Alarms | Fees & Penalties | |
|---|---|---|
| With Permit | No Permit | |
| 1st | $115 | $215 |
| 2nd | $165 | $315 |
| 3rd | $215 | $415 |
| 4th... | $265 | $515 |
If you believe your alarm activation was not false, you may appeal to the Board of Police Commissioners. For more information, contact the Los Angeles Police Commission Alarms Section at (213) 485-2931 or www.lapdonline.org/alarms to learn about your rights and responsibilities, appeals, and to obtain printable documents.
© Copyright 2005 City of Los Angeles. All rights reserved. For licenses to use these materials or to report infringement, please contact the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, Intellectual Property Counsel, 200 North Main Street, City Hall East, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
