City of St. Petersburg False Alarm Program   Click to View the Ordinance
Permit Fees False Alarm Charges Appeal Process
Registration/Renewal Fees :
  1. Residential : $0.00
  2. Commercial : $0.00


Registration Duration and Renewal:

      All permits registering between the month of January and August will expire annually on December 31 of the same calendar year. All permits registering between the month of September and December will expire on December 31 of the following calendar year.

      Renewal notice will be sent to alarm users in the month of October notifying them that their permit will be automatically renewed on permit expiration date for the following calendar year.

Permit Transfer:

       Permits cannot be transferred from one location to another or from one person to another.


Late fee for Registration or Renewal:

      Not Applicable.
Billing Type:
  1. All false alarms will be accumulated and will be charged in the calendar year. False alarms occurring within 48 hours (using the Time Received in the CAD file) will be counted as a single false alarm.

Burglary/Robbery/Panic Hold Up/Duress/Other – Registered location Fine Schedule

  1. Residential / Commercial:

    1. 1st to 2nd false alarm: $0.00

    2. 3rd false alarm: $50.00

    3. 4th false alarm: $100.00

    4. 5th false alarm: $200.00

    5. 6th to 7th false alarm: $300.00

    6. 8th to 9th false alarm: $400.00

    7. 10th false alarm and more: $500.00 each

Burglary/Robbery/Panic Hold Up/Duress/Other – Unregistered/expired permit location Fine Schedule

  1. Residential / Commercial:

    1. 1st false alarm: $0.00

    2. 2nd false alarm: $200.00

    3. 3rd false alarm: $400.00

    4. 4th false alarm and more: $500.00 each

All false alarm invoices will be due within 30 days from the invoice date.

Late fee for False Alarms:

  1. A late fee of $15.00 shall be charged if the alarm user fails to pay the false alarm fines within 30 days from the invoice date.

Additional Fees (case-on-case basis):

  1. When responding to an alarm at which there are no individuals present on the premises, and there is evidence of a break in, attempted break in, tampering with the security alarm system, or circumstances which the officer reasonably believes requires the presence of the responsible party, the responsible party or authorized representative will be contacted and required to respond to the premises within 45 minutes, for the purposes of conducting a security check of the premises and resetting the alarm system. If the responsible party or authorized representative is not available after notification is attempted or fails or refuses to respond to the premises as required herein, the responsible party shall be assessed a fine of $40.00, notwithstanding that it is later determined that the alarm activation was not a false alarm or alarm malfunction.
  1. Step 1: Administrative Review: An alarm user (or responsible party) has a right to contest a false alarm fine via an Administrative Review. A responsible party may request an administrative review by the City’s Enforcement Official within fifteen (15) calendar days of the date of the notice of false alarm or fine to determine the responsible party's eligibility for cancellation of the fine pursuant to any of the criteria provided in Ordinance. All Administrative Review requests shall be screened by PM AM (appeals@PMAM.com) to ensure the request meets the timeframe above to file for an Administrative Review and the criteria outlined in the Ordinance. Within the same fifteen (15) calendar days of the date of the notice of false alarm or fine, it is the responsibility of the responsible party to provide any and all paperwork or evidence required by the Enforcement Official City in order to prove the responsible party qualifies for any of the fine cancellation criteria. Provided the request meets the criteria, PM AM will forward the request and supporting documents to the City email (FalseAlarms@stpete.org) entitled “Alarm Administrative Review Request”. The Enforcement Official shall provide a written decision upholding or cancelling the fine to the responsible party within ten (10) calendar days of the request for administrative review. The responsible party may not file an appeal unless they have timely obtained an administrative review. PM AM will notify the citizen of the Administrative Review decision through the available means of correspondence.
  2. Step 2: Appeals: Subsequent to an Administrative Review, an alarm user (or responsible party) has a right to appeal the decision rendered by the Enforcement Official under the Administrative Review. A responsible party may file an appeal within ten (10) calendar days of the date of a written determination of the Enforcement Official to uphold any false alarm fine, to contest the determination of the Enforcement Official. All appeals will be screened by a PMAM customer service representative to ensure the request meets the timeline and administrative review criteria for an appeal. The appeal shall be in writing on such forms provided by the City and accompanied by a copy of the determination of the Enforcement Official and an appeal fee of $35.00, which shall be directed to the City Clerk’s office (727) 893-7448 located at 175 Fifth Street North, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701. The City Administrator or designee shall hold a hearing within 20 calendar days from the date the responsible party files the request for a hearing with the City Clerk. The responsible party shall be given notice of the hearing and shall have the opportunity to present evidence on their behalf, to cross-examine any witnesses, and to be represented by counsel. Within ten calendar days of the hearing, the City Administrator or designee shall issue a written determination affirming or denying the action taken by the Enforcement Official and advising the responsible party of the action needed. The written determination shall be final and conclusive.
  3. The City will be responsible for all mail responses sent to the permit holder once the appeal is filed at the City clerk’s office.
  4. Step 3: Post Appeal: If the responsible party is unsuccessful in their administrative review or appeal, the responsible party shall have 30 calendar days from the date the Enforcement Official or the City Administrator or designee issued the written determination, whichever is later, to satisfy the requirements set forth in the written determination.
  5. Appeals Address:Appeals@PMAM.com
  6. City Email for Administrative Reviews: FalseAlarms@stpete.org
Non-Compliance
    N.A.
Exempt Locations Revocation / Suspension Reinstatement Process
  1. The City will provide a list of exempt locations which shall be considered exempt from all provisions of the Ordinance. In addition, it shall not be a violation of the ordinance to test an alarm system under the following conditions: (1) Where there is no visual, audio, electronic or other indication of the alarm which can be seen, heard or received beyond the boundaries of the property upon which the test is occurring; or (2) Where there is a visual, audio, electronic or other indication of the alarm which can be seen, heard or received beyond the boundaries of the property upon which the test is occurring, and one of the following two precautions are observed: a). Adequate measures are taken to ensure that anyone seeing, hearing or receiving the indication of an alarm will not report it either directly or indirectly to the City as an alarm requiring assistance of the Police or Fire Department of the City; or b). The Police or Fire Department of the City is notified, in writing, in advance of the test and is instructed not to respond by the responsible party for the property upon which the test is to occur.

Excessive false alarm:

  1. N.A.

Excessive False Alarms:

  1. N.A.
Address Important Links
City of St. Petersburg False Alarm Program
P.O. Box 141235
Irving, TX 75014-1235

Contact Number: 1-877-603-8674
  1. Ordinance
  2. Permit Application Form
  3. Citizen Site