Security and Fire Alarm Installers

Topic:
CRIME; FIRE SAFETY; LICENSING; SAFETY (GENERAL);
Location:
LICENSING;

OLR Research Report


February 25, 2004		2004-R-0265
SECURITY AND FIRE ALARM INSTALLERS

By: Daniel Duffy, Principal Analyst

You asked what other states have laws requiring security and fire alarm installers to be licensed.

SUMMARY

We identified 18 states with statutory or regulatory provisions requiring security or fire alarm installers to be licensed. In some cases, the state’s public safety department administers the law. In others, the state’s trade licensing agency administers it.

FOUR APPROACHES

Among the states we identified, there are four basic approaches to licensure: anti-theft, quality assurance, a combination of anti-theft and quality assurance, and fire prevention.

Anti-theft

The anti-theft approach:

• requires licensees to undergo a criminal records check,

• requires employees to register and carry an identification card, and

• registers a company’s central and branch offices.

Table 1 shows that Alabama, Arkansas, Michigan (for security alarm installation) Montana, Texas, Utah, and Virginia take this approach.

Quality Assurance

The quality assurance approach:

• authorizes the electrician’s licensing authority to issue licenses and

• may not require licensees to undergo a criminal records check.

Table 1 shows that Hawaii and Maine have taken this approach.

COMBINATION ANTI-THEFT AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

The combined approach takes features from both approaches. It:

• requires licensees to undergo a criminal records check,

• requires employees to register and carry an identification card,

• registers a company’s central and branch offices,

• authorizes the electrician’s licensing authority to issue licenses and

• may not require licensees to undergo a criminal records check.

Table 1 shows that Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island have taken this approach.

FIRE PREVENTION

Five states have provisions restricting who may install fire alarms: Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Nebraska, and Vermont. In Louisiana, the State Fire Marshall’s office issues the license. In Michigan, the Labor Department issues the license.

Table 1: Features of Alarm Installer Licensing Laws

*STATE*	*CITE*	*AGENCY*	*ELECTRIC LICENSE*	*CRIMINAL RECORDS CHECK*	*EXAM*	*IDENTIFICATION CARD*	*OFFICES* *REGISTERED*
Alabama	Ala. Admin. Code § §304-X-1-. 01 through . 05	Electronic Security Board of Licensure	Not required	Required, may include fingerprinting	Yes	Issued to employees of licensed companies	Yes
Arkansas	Ark. Code § 17-40-102 et seq.	Board of Private Investigators and Private Security Agencies	Not required	Required, with fingerprinting	Yes	Issued to registrants	No
California	Bus. & Prof. Code § 7590 et seq.	Department of Consumer Affairs	Not required	Required, with fingerprinting	Required of managers	Issued to owners, partners, and managers	Yes
Florida	Fla. Stat. § 489. 501 et seq.	Department of Business and Professional Regulation	Local license required	Required	Required of operators	Issued	No
Hawaii	Haw. Rev. Stat. § 448E-1 et seq.	Board of electricians and plumbers	Required	Not required	Required	Not issued	No
Louisiana	La. Rev. Stat. § 40: 1653	State Fire Marshall issues registrations to install fire alarm systems	Not required	Not required	Required, electrical contractors are exempt	Not issued	Yes
Maine	Me. Rev. Stat. T. 32 § 1101 et seq.	Electricians’ Examining Board	Fire alarm installation restricted to electricians	Not required	Required	Not issued	No
Massachusetts	Mass. Gen. Laws, Ch. 147, § 57 et seq.	Commissioner of Public Safety issues licenses to install security systems	Required as a prerequisite	Required	No	Not issued	No
Michigan	Mich. Comp. Law § 338. 1051 et seq. , 338. 881a et seq.	Department of Consumer and Industry Services issues licenses for security alarm installation; Department of Labor issues licenses for fire alarm installation	Not required for security alarm installers; type of engineering degree required for fire alarm installers	Required with fingerprinting for security alarm installers	Not required; required of fire alarm installers	Issued to security alarm contractors	Security alarm offices must be registered.
Montana	Mont. Code § 37-60-101 et seq.	Board of Private Patrol Officers and Investigators	Electricians are may install security alarm systems under the direction of a licensed alarm installer	Required	Not required	Issued	Yes
Nebraska	Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-2102 et seq.	State Electrical Board	Required to install fire alarm systems	Not required	Required	Not issued	No
New Jersey	N. J. Stat. § 45: 5A-1 et seq.	Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors	Limited electrical license	Required, with fingerprinting	Required	Issued	Yes
New York	N. Y. Gen. Bus. § 69-l et seq.	Department of State	Not required, but electric license holders can install fire and security alarm systems if they register	Required, with fingerprinting	Required	Issued	Yes
Rhode Island	R. I. Gen. Laws § 5-57-1 et seq.	Department of Business Regulation	Not required, electricians may be licensed by Department of Labor to install alarms	Required, with fingerprinting	Required	Issued	No
Texas	Tex. Occ. Code § 1701. 001 et seq.	Commission on Private Security	Not required	Required, with fingerprinting	Required	Issued	Yes
Utah	Utah Code § 58-55-101 et seq.	Alarm System Security and Licensing Board	Not required	Required, with fingerprinting	Required	Issued	No
Vermont	Vt. Stat. § 3201 et seq.	Electrician’s Licensing Board issues licenses to install fire alarms	Master electrician license holders are exempt from requirement to obtain limited alarm license	Not required	Required	Not issued	No
Virginia	Va. Code § 9. 1-138 et seq.	Department of Criminal Justice Services, Board	Not required	Required, with fingerprinting	Required	Issued	No

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