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Bexar County Alarm Permit: Cost, False Alarm Fees and How to Register
Homes in unincorporated Bexar County need a Sheriff's Office alarm permit before operating an alarm. It costs $40 a year, a figure the county's alarm program still lists in 2026. Five false alarms per permit term are free and the 6th through 9th cost $75 each. From the 10th, the county's 2012 rules say $75 and its 2026 program FAQ says $150. Confirm with the county before you pay.[1,2]
Bexar County's alarm rules were last revised in January 2012. The county's alarm permit program FAQ (2026) confirms the $40 home permit, but lists higher false-alarm fees than the rules from the 10th false alarm (and from the 6th for an alarm without a permit). Where they differ, we show both. Confirm current amounts with the county at (855) 694-8282 before you pay.
Bexar County alarm permit at a glance
| Who needs a permit | Unincorporated Bexar County only. Homes inside San Antonio or any other incorporated city follow that city's rules instead.[1,3] |
|---|---|
| Which alarms are covered | Any alarm system (burglar, hold-up, heat or motion sensor). Systems built only for fire or smoke are exempt.[1] |
| Residential permit fee | New: $40 Renewal: $40 · valid 12 months[1,2] |
| Fee exemptions | Not confirmed. The county rules list no senior, disability or veteran exemption. |
| Free false alarms | 5 in each permit year[1] |
| If you have no permit | The county rules say the Sheriff may not respond to an alarm unless a permit has been issued and not revoked.[1] |
| Runs the program | Bexar County Sheriff's Office Alarm Detail (registration and billing through the county's alarm permit portal, run by CentralSquare Technologies)[4,5,1] |
| When to apply | Before the alarm is operated.[1] |
False alarm fees in Bexar County
False alarms are counted over each permit year[1]. Each fee below is charged per false alarm.
Residential false alarms (with a permit)
| False alarm | Fee |
|---|---|
| 1st–5th | Free[1] |
| 6th–9th | $75[1] |
| 10th and each after | Sources differ $150 each in the county alarm program's FAQ (2026); $75 each in the county's alarm rules (revised January 2012)[2,1] |
If false alarms keep happening: A permit may be revoked if the alarm has more than 9 false alarms in a permit term (counting the 5 free ones), if fees go unpaid 45 days after a notice, or if the permit is not renewed in time, among other grounds. The county must send written notice, and you can request a hearing in writing within 10 days. The county's alarm program also says an address can be put on non-response status for unpaid fees or more than 10 false burglar alarms in 12 months; reinstating requires paying all outstanding fees plus a reinstatement fee (amount not published).[1,2]
Charges without a permit
- $75 — charged for each of the first five false alarms at an alarm without a valid permit. Operating an alarm without a permit is also a Class C misdemeanor.[1]
- Sources differ From the 6th false alarm without a valid permit: $150 each in the county alarm program's FAQ (2026); $75 each in the county's alarm rules (revised January 2012)[2,1]
How to get or renew a permit in Bexar County
- Apply or renew online at www.crywolfservices.com[5].
- Prefer paper? Download the application (PDF)[5].
- Questions: call the Bexar County Sheriff's Office Alarm Detail at (855) 694-8282[5].
- Mail the application with a check or money order to Bexar County Sheriff's Office Alarm Permits, PO Box 842841, Dallas, TX 75284-2841.[5]
- Give your permit number to your alarm monitoring company.
- Renew before the permit expires. A permit runs 12 months, ends on the last day of the twelfth month, and the renewal term starts on the first day of the next month. The Sheriff's Office sends notice at least 30 days before expiration, but you must renew even if no notice arrives.[1]
Who files: The person who will hold the permit, or an agent or employee applying for them. The permit holder must own or have the legal right to occupy the property.[5,1]
Good to know
- Self-installed and self-monitored systems: Not confirmed. The county rules cover local alarms that only sound or flash at the property as well as monitored ones. They do not say whether self-installed equipment is treated differently.[1]
- Panic and hold-up alarms: Hold-up and panic alarms are covered by the same permit and the same false-alarm fees as burglar alarms.[1]
- Before police are sent: Not confirmed. The county's 2012 rules do not require an alarm to be verified before deputies are sent. They also say a permit does not guarantee a response.[1]
- Not sure which rules apply to your address?: Not confirmed. We did not find a public address lookup in the county sources we reviewed. If you are not sure whether your address is inside a city, call the county's alarm program at (855) 694-8282.[5]
- State law: County alarm permits in Texas are authorized by Local Government Code Chapter 233, Subchapter D, which does not apply to alarms on premises inside an incorporated city.[3]
- Nearby rules differ: City of San Antonio has its own permit and fees. See San Antonio alarm permit rules.
Business and other non-residential alarms
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 San Antonio.
Sources
- Bexar County, Rules Governing the Regulation of Alarm Systems in Unincorporated Bexar County, Texas — Revised January 2012. Secs. 1.01, 2.01, 2.05, 5.01, 6, 12.01-12.02, 13.01. www.bexar.org. Checked October 27, 2026.
- Bexar County Sheriff's Office Alarm Permit Program (run for the county by CentralSquare Technologies), Bexar County Sheriff's Office Alarm Permits: Frequently Asked Questions — PDF created March 19, 2026 (file metadata); no revision date printed. Registration cost; false alarm fines; non-response; permit term. www.crywolfservices.com. Checked October 27, 2026.
- State of Texas, Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 233, Subchapter D (county regulation of alarm systems). Secs. 233.091–233.098. tcss.legis.texas.gov. Checked October 26, 2026.
- Bexar County (portal run by CentralSquare), Bexar County Alarm Permit Program (online portal). Registration and renewal. www.crywolfservices.com. Checked October 27, 2026.
- Bexar County Sheriff's Office, Bexar County Sheriff's Office Alarm Permits application. Instructions and contact. www.bexar.org. Checked October 27, 2026.
Updates
- October 27, 2026 — first published from official sources.