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New Bedford Alarm Permit: Cost, False Alarm Fees and How to Register
New Bedford's city code requires owners of alarms meant to bring police to register the alarm and an emergency contact with the city; the $25 registration fee is waived if the alarm user lives at the home. After the second false alarm police respond to, the police chief sends a written warning; the third costs $50, the fourth $100, the fifth $150, the sixth $200, the seventh $250 and each one after that $300. Fire alarms have the same fines under a separate fire ordinance with their own count, and each count resets to zero only after 12 consecutive months without a false alarm. You won't be fined for a police false alarm that's cancelled before police arrive.[1,2]
New Bedford alarm permit at a glance
| Who needs a permit | Alarms at homes and businesses inside New Bedford city limits.[1] |
|---|---|
| Which alarms are covered | Any alarm meant to bring police to a criminal act, whether it signals police directly, goes through a monitoring company, or sounds a siren or light that police are expected to respond to. City-owned alarms and vehicle alarms are excluded. This registration rule is in the police alarm ordinance; fire alarm false alarms are fined under a separate fire ordinance.[1,2] |
| Residential permit fee | New: Free (if the alarm user lives at the home), $25 (if the alarm user doesn't live at the home)[1] |
| Fee exemptions | The $25 registration fee is waived if you live at the home. You won't be fined if the alarm is cancelled before police arrive, and an alarm only counts as false if police find no sign of a crime or attempted crime. Testing an alarm without telling police first counts as a false alarm.[1] |
| Free false alarms | Burglar alarms: 2; Fire alarms: 2 in a period that restarts once you go 12 months without a false alarm[1,2] |
| If you have no permit | Not confirmed. The code doesn't say police will stop responding to unregistered alarms. |
| Runs the program | New Bedford Police Department (burglar alarms) and New Bedford Fire Department (fire alarms)[1] |
| When to apply | Not confirmed. The code requires registration but doesn't say by when (for example, before the alarm is turned on). |
False alarm fees in New Bedford
False alarms are counted over a period that restarts once you go 12 months without a false alarm[1,2]. Each fee below is charged per false alarm.
Residential burglar alarms (police false alarm fines; counted separately from fire alarms)
| False alarm | Fee |
|---|---|
| 1st–2nd | Free[1] |
| 3rd | $50[1] |
| 4th | $100[1] |
| 5th | $150[1] |
| 6th | $200[1] |
| 7th | $250[1] |
| 8th and each after | $300[1] |
Residential fire alarms (Fire Department false alarm fines under the separate fire ordinance; counted separately from burglar alarms)
| False alarm | Fee |
|---|---|
| 1st–2nd | Free[2] |
| 3rd | $50[2] |
| 4th | $100[2] |
| 5th | $150[2] |
| 6th | $200[2] |
| 7th | $250[2] |
| 8th and each after | $300[2] |
If false alarms keep happening: Not confirmed. The code doesn't describe suspending or revoking an alarm registration or stopping police response after repeated false alarms.
Charges without a permit
- $50 — charged as a fine for not registering a police alarm with the city under the police alarm ordinance (city code 17-14); this is separate from the false alarm fines. The same $50 fine applies to an auto-dialer that calls police or fire lines, testing without telling police first, or a siren without a 25-minute automatic shut-off.[1]
How to get or renew a permit in New Bedford
- The code says to submit your information to the City of New Bedford but doesn't name an office or address.
- We didn't find an online alarm registration portal for New Bedford. Contact the New Bedford Police Department to ask how to register.
- Give your permit number to your alarm monitoring company.
- Not confirmed. The code doesn't mention renewing your alarm registration.
Who files: The owner of the premises.[1]
Good to know
- Self-installed and self-monitored systems: No separate rule. Self-installed or unmonitored systems are covered if they make an audible or visible alarm police are expected to respond to; automatic dialers that call police or fire lines directly are banned.[1]
- Panic and hold-up alarms: No separate panic or hold-up rule; any alarm triggered by a criminal act falls under the same registration and false-alarm rules.[1]
- Before police are sent: Not confirmed. We didn't find a New Bedford rule requiring alarm companies to verify an alarm before calling police.
- Not sure which rules apply to your address?: Not confirmed. We didn't find an official address lookup. If your mailing address says New Bedford, confirm you're inside city limits.
Business and other non-residential alarms
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| New permit | $25 — registration under the police alarm ordinance (city code 17-14); the code doesn't say how long a registration lasts[1] |
| Alarm | False alarm | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Burglar alarms | 1st–2nd | Free[1] |
| Burglar alarms | 3rd | $50[1] |
| Burglar alarms | 4th | $100[1] |
| Burglar alarms | 5th | $150[1] |
| Burglar alarms | 6th | $200[1] |
| Burglar alarms | 7th | $250[1] |
| Burglar alarms | 8th and each after | $300[1] |
| Fire alarms | 1st–2nd | Free[2] |
| Fire alarms | 3rd | $50[2] |
| Fire alarms | 4th | $100[2] |
| Fire alarms | 5th | $150[2] |
| Fire alarms | 6th | $200[2] |
| Fire alarms | 7th | $250[2] |
| Fire alarms | 8th and each after | $300[2] |
Avoiding false alarms
- Make sure everyone who has a code knows how to disarm the system and cancel an alarm.
- Keep your monitoring company's contact list up to date so they can reach someone quickly.
- Let your monitoring company know before guests, contractors or pet sitters use the house.
- Check that doors and windows are fully closed before you arm the system.
- Replace low sensor batteries promptly.
Thinking about a professionally installed, monitored system? See how SafeStreets installation works.
SafeStreets serves this area: home security in New Bedford.
Sources
- City of New Bedford (Municode), New Bedford Code of Ordinances, Ch. 17, Sec. 17-14. Telephonic and burglar alarm systems — History note ends 'Ord. of 4-24-25(1), § 1'; Municode version May 18, 2026 (current) viewed 2026-10-28. §17-14. library.municode.com. Checked October 28, 2026.
- City of New Bedford (Municode), New Bedford Code of Ordinances, Ch. 17, Sec. 17-14.1. Fire alarm nuisances — History note 'Ord. of 5-22-25(1), § 1'; Municode version May 18, 2026 (current) viewed 2026-10-28. §17-14.1. library.municode.com. Checked October 28, 2026.
Updates
- October 28, 2026 — first published from official sources.