PERMITS AND APPLICATIONS.

Austin City Code tit. 4, ch. 4-2, art. 2

in effect

Austin City Code § 4-2-11 PERMIT REQUIRED.

§ 4-2-11 - PERMIT REQUIRED. (A) A person shall obtain a permit issued by the director before the person operates an alarm system. (B) A person must obtain a separate permit for each alarm site. (C) A permit holder shall: (1) keep the alarm permit at the alarm site; and (2) produce the permit for inspection at the request of a City employee. Source: 1992 Code Sections 8-6-20(A) through (C); Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. No. 20210422-053, Pt. 3, 5-3-21; Ord. No. 20240718-007, Pt. 2, 10-1-24.

Austin City Code § 4-2-12 PERMITS FOR A SYSTEM IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.

§ 4-2-12 - PERMITS FOR A SYSTEM IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX. (A) The owner or property manager of an apartment complex shall obtain a principal alarm permit if an alarm system is operated in: (1) a residential unit on the premises, whether the alarm system is furnished by the owner or property manager or contracted for by an individual tenant; or (2) a non-residential area of the apartment complex, including a common tenant area, office, storage, or equipment area. (B) A tenant of an apartment complex shall obtain an individual alarm permit before the tenant operates or causes the operation of an alarm system in the tenant's residential unit. (C) Alarm Sites at an Apartment Complex. (1) Each residential unit is considered a separate alarm site. (2) Non-residential areas, including a common tenant area, office, storage, or equipment area are considered a singular alarm site. Source: 1992 Code Sections 8-6-21(A) and (B); Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. No. 20240718-007, Pt. 3, 10-1-24.

Austin City Code § 4-2-13 PERMIT APPLICATION AND RENEWAL.

§ 4-2-13 - PERMIT APPLICATION AND RENEWAL. (A) A person who owns, leases, occupies, or manages an alarm site shall file an application for a permit and the application fee under this chapter with the Police Department on a form approved by the director. (B) A permittee shall file an application to renew a permit not later than 30-days before its expiration. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-6-22(A) and 8-6-24; Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. No. 20210422-053, Pt. 4, 5-3-21; Ord. No. 20210930-023, Pt. 1, 10-11-21.

Austin City Code § 4-2-14 PERMIT TERM.

§ 4-2-14 - PERMIT TERM. (A) A permit issued under this chapter is effective for 12 months from the date of issuance. (B) The director shall issue a permit effective on the earlier of: (1) the date the application is processed; or (2) if the Police Department has responded to a false alarm notification at the alarm site subject to the application, the date of the first false alarm notification. (C) A permit issued under this chapter is non-transferable and non-refundable. Source: 1992 Code Sections 8-6-22(C), (D), and (E); Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. No. 20210930-023, Pts. 1, 2, 10-11-21.

Austin City Code § 4-2-15 FEES.

§ 4-2-15 - FEES. (A) A permittee, including the holder of a principal alarm permit, shall pay to the Development Services Department: (1) the permit fee; (2) a late payment fee, if the person fails to pay the permit fee by its due date; and (3) other fees related to a permit, including a false alarm service fee assessed under Section 4-2-21 (False Alarm Notification). (B) The fees assessed under this section are established by separate ordinance. (C) Except for the permit fee, the director may investigate and waive payments of a fee assessed under this section. Source: 1992 Code Sections 8-6-1 and 8-6-4; Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. No. 20210422-053, Pt. 5, 5-3-21; Ord. No. 20240718-007, Pt. 4, 10-1-24.

Austin City Code § 4-2-16 GROUNDS FOR PERMIT DENIAL.

§ 4-2-16 - GROUNDS FOR PERMIT DENIAL. The director may deny an application for a permit if the applicant has: (1) made a false statement on the application; (2) made a false oral statement in connection with the application; (3) failed to pay a fee assessed under this chapter; or (4) had an alarm permit for an alarm site revoked and the violation resulting in the revocation remains uncorrected. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-6-23; Ord. No. 20210422-053, Pt. 6, 5-3-21.

Austin City Code § 4-2-17 PERMIT REVOCATION.

§ 4-2-17 - PERMIT REVOCATION. The director shall revoke an alarm permit if the director determines that: (1) an applicant has made: (a) a false statement made on a permit application; or (b) a false oral statement relating to a permit application; or (2) a permittee has: (a) violated this chapter; (b) failed to pay a fee assessed under this chapter; or (c) failed to maintain the alarm system to minimize false alarm notifications and ensure proper operation of the alarm system. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-6-25; Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. No. 20210422-053, Pt. 7, 5-3-21.

Austin City Code § 4-2-18 REINSTATEMENT OF PERMIT.

§ 4-2-18 - REINSTATEMENT OF PERMIT. The director may reinstate a permit revoked under Section 4-2-17 (Permit Revocation) if the director determines that the applicant: (1) has paid the fees required under Section 4-2-15 (Fees); and (2) operates the alarm system in accordance with this chapter. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-6-27; Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. No. 20210422-053, Pt. 8, 5-3-21.

Austin City Code § 4-2-19 APPEAL FROM DENIAL OR REVOCATION.

§ 4-2-19 - APPEAL FROM DENIAL OR REVOCATION. (A) If the director denies an application or revokes a permit, the director shall notify the applicant or permittee in writing. (B) Not later than the 10th day after the affected person receives notice of an adverse action by the director, the person may file a notice of appeal with the director, including the reason for the appeal. Failure to file a timely appeal under this subsection results in the director's action becoming final. (C) If an applicant or permittee files a timely appeal under this section, the director's action is stayed. (D) The city manager shall appoint a hearing officer to hear the appeal. The formal rules of evidence do not apply at a hearing under this section. The hearing officer: (1) shall make a decision based on the basis of a preponderance of the evidence presented; (2) shall render a decision not later than the 60th day after an appeal is filed; and (3) may affirm, reverse, or modify the action of the director. (E) The decision of the hearing officer is final. Source: 1992 Code Section 8-6-26; Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. No. 20210422-053, Pt. 9, 5-3-21; Ord. No. 20240718-007, Pt. 5, 10-1-24.

Austin City Code § 4-2-20 OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF AN ALARM SYSTEM.

§ 4-2-20 - OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF AN ALARM SYSTEM. (A) A permittee: (1) shall maintain a premise containing an alarm system to ensure the proper operation of the alarm system; (2) shall maintain the alarm system to minimize false alarm notifications; (3) within one hour of notification by the city that an alarm system requires repair or inactivation, shall: (a) respond or cause an alarm system business representative to respond to repair or inactivate the malfunctioning alarm system; (b) provide access to the premise; or (c) provide security for the premise; and (4) may not manually activate an alarm system except to report the occurrence of an event that the alarm system was designed to report. (B) A permittee with a local alarm shall adjust the mechanism to prevent an alarm signal from sounding for longer than 15 minutes after activation. (C) A permittee shall notify the Development Services Department, in writing, if the permittee relinquishes control of the alarm site and cancels the permit. If a permittee fails to notify the Development Services Department, under this section, the permittee shall pay fees associated with the permit, if any. Source: 1992 Code Sections 8-6-2 and 8-6-20(D); Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. No. 20210422-053, Pt. 10, 5-3-21; Ord. No. 20240718-007, Pt. 6, 10-1-24.

Austin City Code § 4-2-21 FALSE ALARM NOTIFICATION.

§ 4-2-21 - FALSE ALARM NOTIFICATION. (A) If an alarm system transmits more than three false burglar alarm notifications within a 12-month period, the permittee shall pay a service fee for the fourth and each subsequent false burglar alarm notification. (1) The service fee for more than three but fewer than six false burglar alarms within the preceding 12-month period is $50. (2) The service fee for more than five but fewer than eight false burglar alarms within the preceding 12-month period is $75. (3) The service fee for eight or more false burglar alarms within the preceding 12-month period is $100. (B) If an alarm system transmits more than two false personal emergency response system (panic button) alarm notifications within a 12-month period, the permittee shall pay a service fee of $100 for the third and each subsequent false personal emergency response system (panic button) alarm notification. (C) Except as provided under subsection (D), a tenant holding an individual alarm permit shall pay a false alarm notification fee related to a transmission from the alarm system in the tenant's unit. (D) A person holding the principal alarm permit shall pay a false alarm notification fee for a false alarm transmission from: (1) a non-residential area of the apartment complex; (2) an unoccupied residential unit; or (3) an occupied residential unit when a tenant has not obtained an individual alarm permit and it is the first alarm transmission. (E) The director may investigate and waive payment of a service fee assessed under this section. Source: 1992 Code Sections 8-6-7 and 8-6-21(C); Ord. 031023-12; Ord. 031211-11; Ord. No. 20210422-053, Pt. 11, 5-3-21; Ord. No. 20240718-007, Pt. 7, 10-1-24.

Source: City of Austin, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/austin/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT4BUREPERE_CH4-2ALSY_ART2PEAPFetched: 10/27/2026