I will bet significant money that a LOT of folks in Wichita Falls are not following this because I had no idea it was a thing.

So this morning I happened to see a story out of San Antonio where a woman was charged $200 for not having a permit for her alarm system in her house. A permit for an alarm? I had never heard of such a thing.

Wichita Falls Law

So I was curious, does Wichita Falls have a similar law on the books? Yes and actually it it much worse. "The City of Wichita Falls requires all residences and businesses with burglar or panic alarms to be registered with the Police Department. Failing to register an alarm may result in penalties of up to $500 a day."

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$500 a day?! I have thought about installing different security options at my house throughout the years. I thought I just call up one of those companies and they install the system and we're good to go. No, no, no. You must first have a $25 permit from the city to have that alarm. By the way, that $25 counts for homes and businesses within city limits.

Renewal Process

That's right, it's not done yet. You have to pay a yearly renewal fee so that your permit is valid. That will cost you $15 a year to stay up to date.

Your Alarm Can Cost You MORE Fines in Wichita Falls

Now these are what I believe people should be fined for in Wichita Falls when it comes to their alarms.

$50 for each false alarm notification in excess of (3) false alarms but fewer than (6). A $75  fee if the location has more than (5) false alarms but fewer than (8). A $100 fee if the location has (8) or more false alarms in the twelve-month period.

Obviously if your alarm is wasting police, fire, or medical resources. You should be fined for that.

How Do You Get a Permit?

You fill out this form, then mail it to

WFPD Alarm Section

710 Flood Street

Wichita Falls, Texas 76301

Be sure you attach a money order or check with that $25 to get your annual permit. If you have any questions, please call 940-720-5059 the city says. You can check out some more info on alarm permits on the city's website.

I thought the lady out of San Antonio had it bad, Wichita Falls is not messing around when it comes to their permits.