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Asheville Alarm Permit: Cost, False Alarm Fees and How to Register
Asheville requires a police alarm permit for every home and business burglar or holdup alarm, monitored or not; it costs $25 to register online and $10 a year to renew. Fees are counted by false alarm day (all false alarms in a 24-hour period count as one): you get two free false alarm days each July-June year, then $50 each for the 3rd-5th, $100 for the 6th-7th, $250 for the 8th-9th, and $500 from the 10th on. Without a permit, the first police response brings a warning and 10 working days to register, and each later one costs $100 on top of any false alarm fee.[1,2,3]
Asheville alarm permit at a glance
| Who needs a permit | The permit rule covers alarms inside Asheville city limits. Homes in unincorporated Buncombe County are not covered by the city's rule.[2] |
|---|---|
| Which alarms are covered | You need a permit for any burglar or holdup alarm meant to bring police, whether or not it is monitored. Each separate building or tenant needs its own permit. Alarms in a vehicle or worn on a person aren't covered unless the vehicle or personal alarm is permanently kept at a site, and the program says life alert (medical alert) systems don't need registering.[2,4] |
| Residential permit fee | New: $25 (renewed yearly; the program FAQ says permits run July 1 to June 30, while the city code counts a permit year from the date it is issued) Renewal: $10 (yearly)[4,3] |
| Other permit charges | Late: $25 (per invoice once it is 30 days past due)[4] Reinstatement: $50 (to restore police response or a revoked permit, plus all unpaid fees)[2] |
| Fee exemptions | We found no fee waivers for seniors or low-income households. Alarms caused by severe weather don't count as false alarms, and test signals don't count if police were told about the test and didn't respond. Cancelling through your alarm company also keeps an alarm off your record, but the sources word this differently: the city code says before police arrive, while the city's alarm page says at least one minute before an officer arrives. Fees are counted by false alarm day, so all false alarms in the 24 hours after the first count as one. New systems have 30 days after installation to apply for a permit before the no-permit charges apply.[1,3,2] |
| Free false alarms | 2 false alarm days in each July-to-June year (all false alarms in the 24 hours after the first count as one day)[1,3,2] |
| If you have no permit | If police respond to an alarm that has no permit, the first response brings a warning and 10 working days to get one; each later response costs $100, on top of any false alarm fees. A new system has 30 days after installation to apply before these charges apply. The city can also stop sending emergency services for any violation of the alarm rules.[3,2] |
| Runs the program | Asheville Police Department False Alarm Reduction Program (registration, billing and payments handled for the city by CentralSquare Technologies' CryWolf service)[1,2,5] |
| When to apply | Apply within 30 days of installing an alarm. If you move into a place with an alarm, apply within 10 business days.[2] |
False alarm fees in Asheville
False alarms are counted over each July-to-June year[1]. Each fee below is charged per false alarm.
Residential false alarms (with a permit)
| False alarm | Fee |
|---|---|
| 1st–2nd | Free[1] |
| 3rd–5th | $50 (per false alarm day: all false alarms in the 24 hours after the first count as one)[3] |
| 6th–7th | $100 (per false alarm day: all false alarms in the 24 hours after the first count as one)[3] |
| 8th–9th | $250 (per false alarm day: all false alarms in the 24 hours after the first count as one)[3] |
| 10th and each after | $500 (per false alarm day: all false alarms in the 24 hours after the first count as one)[3] |
If false alarms keep happening: Asheville can stop sending emergency services to your alarm for any violation of the alarm rules, a material false statement on the permit application, fees unpaid 90 days after they're assessed, or too many false alarms, which the sources count differently: the city code says more than 10 in any 12 months, while the program FAQ says 10 or more within 365 days and doesn't count calls where a crime was reported. Before revoking a permit the city must mail written notice 30 days in advance. Separately, emergency services may stop responding to a runaway alarm (three or more unfounded signals in 24 hours) until it's fixed. To restore response, the code lets the city accept proof of one or more of these: an inspection showing the system works, retraining, an online alarm class, or payment of all fees plus a $50 reinstatement fee; the FAQ says you'll pay all fees and the reinstatement fee and resubmit an application.[3,4,6,2]
Charges without a permit
- $100 — charged for the 2nd and each later alarm police respond to without a permit (the 1st brings a warning and 10 working days to get a permit; a new system has 30 days after installation to apply). On top of any false alarm fees.[3]
How to get or renew a permit in Asheville
- Apply or renew online at www.crywolfservices.com[1].
- Questions: call the Asheville Police Department at 833-981-4012[4].
- Address: Online at crywolfservices.com/ashevillenc. Mail (payments and appeals): City of Asheville, PO Box 935989, Atlanta, GA 31193-5939.[5]
- Give your permit number to your alarm monitoring company.
- Renew your permit every year for $10 on the alarm program website. Update your contact details within 30 days of any change.[4,5,2]
Who files: The person who owns, rents or occupies the property applies for the permit, not the alarm company. If you move into a place with an alarm, you must apply for your own permit within 10 business days.[2]
Good to know
- Self-installed and self-monitored systems: Yes, DIY and unmonitored alarms need a permit too. If your alarm only sounds locally, it must shut itself off after 15 minutes, or you can be charged an extra $50.[1,2,3]
- Panic and hold-up alarms: Panic and holdup alarms need the same permit and have the same false alarm fees. For fire, panic and robbery-in-progress alarms, your monitoring company doesn't have to make the second confirmation call before requesting dispatch.[6]
- Before police are sent: Before asking police to respond, your monitoring company must call the alarm site or you to check whether the alarm is real; if that first call doesn't reach someone who can properly identify themselves, it must make a second call to a different number. The second call isn't required for fire, panic or robbery-in-progress alarms, or when a crime in progress has already been verified. This is call verification, not a requirement for video or eyewitness proof, and the code doesn't promise a police response.[6,2]
- Not sure which rules apply to your address?: Not confirmed. We did not find an official address lookup on the city's alarm permit page or the alarm program website. If you are not sure whether your home is inside Asheville city limits, check with the city before you register.
Business and other non-residential alarms
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| New permit | $25 — renewed yearly; the program FAQ says permits run July 1 to June 30, while the city code counts a permit year from the date it is issued[4] |
| Renewal | $10 — yearly[4] |
| Late fee | $25 — per invoice once it is 30 days past due[4] |
| Reinstatement | $50 — to restore police response or a revoked permit, plus all unpaid fees[2] |
| Alarm | False alarm | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| False alarms | 1st–2nd | Free[1] |
| False alarms | 3rd–5th | $50 (per false alarm day: all false alarms in the 24 hours after the first count as one)[3] |
| False alarms | 6th–7th | $100 (per false alarm day: all false alarms in the 24 hours after the first count as one)[3] |
| False alarms | 8th–9th | $250 (per false alarm day: all false alarms in the 24 hours after the first count as one)[3] |
| False alarms | 10th and each after | $500 (per false alarm day: all false alarms in the 24 hours after the first count as one)[3] |
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 Asheville.
Sources
- City of Asheville / Asheville Police Department, Get a security alarm permit (City of Asheville service page). web page. www.ashevillenc.gov. Checked October 28, 2026.
- Asheville City Council (codified by American Legal Publishing), Asheville Code of Ordinances, Chapter 13 Police, Article II Rules and Regulations for Police Alarms (Secs. 13-31 to 13-41) — Each section's history note: Ord. No. 4384, § 1, 6-22-2021. Code supplement 2026 S-5, current through Ordinance 5257, passed 8-25-2026.. Secs. 13-31 to 13-41. codelibrary.amlegal.com. Checked October 28, 2026.
- City of Asheville (American Legal Publishing), Asheville Code of Ordinances Ch. 13 Art. II (American Legal), Secs. 13-33 to 13-37 page — 2026 S-5. Secs. 13-33 to 13-37. codelibrary.amlegal.com. Checked October 28, 2026.
- City of Asheville Police Department alarm program (CentralSquare/CryWolf), City of Asheville Police Department - Frequently Asked Questions (False Alarm Reduction Program PDF). FAQ PDF. www.crywolfservices.com. Checked October 28, 2026.
- City of Asheville alarm program, operated by CentralSquare Technologies, Asheville False Alarm Reduction Program portal (CryWolf, by CentralSquare Technologies). vendor portal home. www.crywolfservices.com. Checked October 28, 2026.
- City of Asheville (American Legal Publishing), Asheville Code of Ordinances Ch. 13 Art. II (American Legal), Secs. 13-38 to 13-41 page — 2026 S-5. Secs. 13-38 to 13-41. codelibrary.amlegal.com. Checked October 28, 2026.
Updates
- October 28, 2026 — first published from official sources.