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If you have a home or business in Travis County, you need to be aware of a few things...

In accordance with Section 46 of the Travis County Procedures, all residential and business alarms must be registered with the Travis County Sheriff's Office. Failure to register an alarm is a Class C Misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500.

Keep in mind that a properly maintained and operated alarm system can protect your family and property from danger. However, a malfunctioning or abused system can do just the opposite. Up to 95% of the alarm calls that our officers respond to are false. The responses take the officers away from proactive patrol efforts in the community. Therefore, it is our goal to work with alarm owners to reduce the number of false alarms so that we may do our job and be there when an actual emergency occurs. The alarm policy of Travis County is designed to ensure that local law enforcement has your alarm on record so that we can contact you if there is a problem. It also has rules for owners so that alarms are properly installed and operated.

First, determine whether you live in an unincorporated area of the county. The policy does not effect people who live in cities, just rural areas. We do not require registration of alarms that are in the following city limits - however, these communities may have their own ordinances or rules and if you live in one of these areas you should contact your local police department;

* Austin
* Bee Caves
* Jonestown
* Lago Vista
* Lakeway
* Manor
* Mustang Ridge
* Pflugerville
* Rollingwood
* Sunset Valley
* Westlake Hills

All residences and business with alarms must register by January 1st of each year. The permit is good for one calendar year and must be renewed. The fees are $25 for residential property and $50 for business. Alarms are non-transferable and fees are not prorated. Each permit holder is allowed 5 free false alarms before a fine will be imposed. The fine for a false alarm after five is $75. You will be issued a permit and it must remain on-site. Your alarm must have a 30-minute shut off feature. The permit holder, or a designee, must be able to deactivate or reset the alarm if needed. The permit holder is responsible for the maintenance of the alarm and for the training of persons in its use. Our Community-Based Policing Officers can assist you if you have questions about problems with your alarm and they can give you tips on ways to make sure that you do not have false alarms.

You can download the application (Microsoft Word) or obtain one by calling the Alarm Unit at (512) 854.4768.