Residential and Business Alarm Permit Program

Alarms were originally designed to reduce crime, protect lives and property. Properly installed, used and maintained, alarms can be a real asset. When misused, alarms become a liability and have the potential to endanger the safety and welfare of the public, responsible parties and responding agencies.  

To mitigate the challenges associated with alarms, Chapter 8.40 of the Santa Clara City Code, titled False Alarm Regulation, requires residential and business alarms to be registered. 

Failure to acquire an alarm permit in the city is an infraction and may result in additional fees.  It can also be grounds for suspension of police or fire response to an alarm site. 

Types of Alarm Services

When you purchase an alarm, you generally have a choice on the type of monitoring you would like to receive - self-monitoring or professional monitoring.

With self-monitoring the home or business owner monitors the alarm system. If there is a potential threat (e.g. burglary, smoke or carbon monoxide) the emergency contact(s) receives an alert. The home or business owner uses their discretion to determine whether to call emergency services if they believe the threat is genuine. Self-monitoring services do not require an Alarm Permit with the City of Santa Clara.

With a professional monitoring service, a Monitoring Center oversees the alarm system, generally according to packages at varying costs. If a threat is detected a signal is generally sent to a pre-designated emergency contact(s) first. If the emergency contact(s) does not respond to the Monitoring Center, is unable to provide a valid password or feels the threat is genuine, the Monitoring Center will dispatch local emergency services. Professional monitoring services require an Alarm Permit with the City of Santa Clara.

False Alarm Statistics and Response in the City of Santa Clara

In 2020, the Santa Clara Police Department received 3,085 burglar alarm dispatch requests; 460 of these calls were cancelled before an officer arrived and 2,600 were false alarms (e.g. user error, mechanical issue, etc.). Only 25 of the calls were valid.

In each case where a potential residential burglary call is not cancelled, a minimum of two police officers respond to the call for service. Depending on the type of fire related call (e.g. smoke or carbon monoxide), one or two fire apparatus are deployed. In rare cases, both fire and police personnel are sent.

If, on arrival, responding personnel find no evidence of an attempted or actual criminal offense (e.g. broken window, forced door, items missing, people injured) or fire-related matter this is referred to as a False Alarm. Alarm Permit holders are allowed one False Alarm per rolling 12-month period at no charge; from the date of the last False Alarm incident, one year must pass to avoid a charge. Each subsequent False Alarm is assessed according to the City of Santa Clara's Municipal Fee Schedule. Penalties provide some cost recovery to the City and serve as an incentive for alarm owners to maintain their systems and take corrective action to prevent false alarms.

An alarm dispatch request which is canceled by the alarm user or Monitoring Center prior to the time the responding public safety personnel reach the alarm site will not be considered a False Alarm.

Depending on the situation, the time necessary for Public Safety Dispatchers and responding personnel to handle each alarm call varies (e.g. call taker response; resources and equipment en route; time on scene to investigate the situation, connect with the emergency contact(s) to address the situation and/or secure the property; duration to complete the report, if necessary). Each False Alarm, and the reconciliation of such, is costly and takes Public Safety Dispatchers, Police Officers and/or Firefighters away from real emergencies.

What are the Most Frequent Errors that Cause Alarms?

Residential - use of incorrect key pad codes, failure to train other authorized users (e.g. sitters, relatives, children, visitors, etc.), failure to secure doors and windows before turning on alarm, failure to or not know how to cancel alarm with Monitoring Center, etc.

Commercial - use of incorrect key pad codes, failure to train other authorized users (e.g. employees, janitors, delivery personnel, etc.), failure to cancel alarm with Monitoring Center, failure to notify monitoring facility of unscheduled openings or closings (for businesses using set schedules), failure to update authorized personnel list with Monitoring Center, failure to secure doors and windows before turning on alarm, etc.

Equipment Issues - proper application or installation of interior motion detectors, improper application or installation of outdoor beams, improper charging or checking of batteries, faulty equipment (e.g. panels, detectors, key pads, etc.), failure to test smoke detectors on a monthly basis, failure to clean and maintain detectors to prevent accidental activation (e.g. dust, debris, etc.), failure to have sprinkler systems serviced on a regular basis, etc.

The majority of alarm calls can be avoided. Implementing provisions to reduce alarm calls for service allows the City of Santa Clara to more effectively serve and protect you.

What To Do If You Set Off Your Alarm by Accident

Don't panic! Carefully, enter your disarm code to reset your system.

If your alarm is professionally monitored, the individuals you have designated will be contacted from your alarm company's Monitoring Center. Provide the system password or ID card number and respond to their inquiries. Doing so will determine whether the Monitoring Center contacts Public Safety Dispatchers for police and/or fire response.

Do not call 9-1-1 to cancel an alarm activation. If you want to cancel the response, call the non-emergency phone line at 408-615-5580.

Effective January 1, 2021 Third-Party Vendor to Take Over Management of the City's Alarm Permit Program

The City of Santa Clara has retained a third-party vendor, CentralSquare Technologies (CST), to manage the City's Residential and Business Alarm Permit program. CST will be responsible for processing alarm permit registrations, issuing permits, false alarm billing and providing educational materials.

A letter is being sent from CST to existing alarm permit holders on or around January 4, 2021, with instructions on how to establish an account online, using the account number and password provided by CST. A sample of the correspondence (e.g. initial letter, registration form and invoice) is attached. 

The letter from CST also makes mention to the new requirement to renew Residential and Business Alarm Permits annually. Doing so, increases the chances of public safety personnel having accurate contact information (e.g. contact names, telephone numbers, etc.) and special characteristics of the location on file (e.g. medical condition, pets, etc.) to provide more timely and effective service to citizens and help reduce the number of false alarms. Permit holders will receive an invoice approximately 30-45 days in advance of their expiration date as a prompt to update their account information and pay the annual fee of $15.

How to Get Started 

1. Visit www.crywolfservices.com/santaclaraca
2. Use the credentials provided in the letter from CST for the user name and log-in
3. Reset your password and provide a valid email address

This new format will allow residents/businesses the ability to register additional alarm systems, pay fees, update user account information and view all false alarm incidents from the comfort of your home or business.

For inquiries or to register a new alarm, contact CST at (877)665-2983 or email santaclaraca@alarm-billing.com.

Police and Fire Response to Alarms 

The transition to a third-party for management of the City's Alarm Permit program will not impact the Santa Clara Police or Fire Department’s response to calls for service, and is intended to help reduce the number of false alarms received therefore enabling police and fire resources to focus on emergency calls for service.

Feedback related to CST's service should be directed to the Santa Clara Police Department at (408)615-4700 or SCPDalarms@santaclaraca.gov.

Help Your Neighbor Program

Residents facing financial hardship may apply for one-time assistance for payment of their annual alarm permit renewal fee from the Help Your Neighbor Program. To be considered, contact the Santa Clara Police Department at 408-615-4700.

Residents interested in donating funds to the Help Your Neighbor Program can do so online.