Alarm Permits

The City of Salem strongly supports the purchase, installation, and use of alarm systems by city residents and businesses.

With the number of alarm installations in the city growing, false alarms can present a major problem.  Associated with the problem comes the danger posed to officers and citizens alike during police/fire response.

To counter this, Salem City Council established an Alarm Ordinance SRC Chapter 38 . This ordinance requires:

1) All alarms which are designed to notify someone outside of the home/business of fire, to have an Alarm Permit. There are two types of alarm systems that the ordinance covers: fire-monitored or universal (both police- and fire-monitored).  Police only monitored systems do not currently require an Alarm Permit.

2) Repeated, preventable false alarms are assessed a fee. The assessed fee increases as the number of preventable false alarms increase.

3) That a false alarm which resulted from circumstances beyond the owner's control or unanticipated mechanical failures which are promptly repaired may be excused.  See the ordinance (beginning 38.170) for what may be considered a chargeable false alarm and what is considered an excusable alarm.

4) The alarm permit fee is $25.00 (new and renewal unless otherwise indicated).  The term of the permit is 1 year from issue date for universal alarms (residential and commercial) and for fire-monitored alarms for commercial.  The term of the permit is 2 years for fire-monitored alarms for residential. 

5) Renewals are processed monthly for those permits expiring in the upcoming month.  Renewal letters and invoices are sent out to all residential/commercial applicants.  If you live in a home that has a fire-monitored alarm system but you were not the applicant on the previous year's permit and you plan on continuing fire-monitoring service, please apply for a new permit at the City's Permit Application Center at 555 Liberty St SE, Room 320 or call 503-588-6256 for more information.

The ordinance is not intended to generate monies to cover the cost of the City's response to alarms. It is intended to encourage alarm owners to train employees or family members in the proper use of the system and to keep it in good repair.

IMPORTANT NOTE:  new commercial (i.e. business complexes, etc) and multifamily (i.e. apartment complexes, etc) construction may require an Alarm Permit.  Non-sprinkled multifamily construction with 16 units or more require fire-monitored alarms - and - sprinkled multifamily construction with less than 16 units but with 20 or more sprinkler heads installed also require fire-monitored alarms.  Commercial construction with 20 or more sprinkler heads installed requires fire-monitored alarms.

The City hopes the ordinance is not a deterrent to you.  It is not intended to be.  If we can be of assistance to you or if you have any questions regarding the alarm ordinance, please do not hesitate to contact the Permit Application Center at 503-588-6256.