How to Cancel Your Alarm Permit When Moving

Alarm permits don't cancel themselves when you move. If you leave an active permit at your old address, you may continue receiving renewal bills — and worse, fine notices for false alarms triggered by the new occupant long after you've moved out. Here's exactly what to do, and when.

When to Cancel

Cancel your alarm permit on or shortly before your official move-out date — the day you return keys, close escrow, or end your lease. Don't cancel too early (while you're still living there and relying on the monitored alarm), and don't leave it open indefinitely after moving.

If you're moving to another address in the same city: cancel the old permit and register a new one for the new address simultaneously. The same permit number does not follow you — permits are address-specific, never person-specific.

How to Cancel Your Permit

• Log into your city's alarm permit portal

  Use the same portal where you registered or renewed. Most portals have a "Cancel Permit" or "Close Account" option in the account settings. If you can't find it, look for a contact form or the alarm management unit's phone number.

• Submit a cancellation request with your move-out date

  Include: your permit number, service address, and your official move-out or closing date. Some cities ask for a forwarding address to send any final correspondence. Provide a real one — if a fine arrives dated before your move-out, you'll need to dispute it and they'll mail the decision to that address.

• Request a cancellation confirmation in writing

  Ask the city to send you an email confirmation that the permit has been cancelled and the date of cancellation recorded. This protects you if a fine is assessed at your old address after that date — you have written proof the permit was closed.

• Notify your monitoring company

  Call your monitoring company's customer service line and inform them you're terminating service at the old address. Ask them to remove the permit number from your account and confirm no further police dispatches will be made from your old address under your account. Get a cancellation confirmation from them as well.

Setting Up Your New Permit

If your new address is in a city that requires an alarm permit, register before your monitoring service activates at the new address. Ideal timing:

• 1–2 weeks before move-in: Register online at the new city's portal (most allow pre-registration before occupancy)
• On moving day: Provide your new permit number to your monitoring company when they update your account address
• Within 1 week of move-in at latest: Registration submitted and confirmation requested

If your new city is different from your old city, start fresh — check whether the new city even requires a permit using our permit check guide and find the new city's portal on our city pages.

Complete Alarm Permit Moving Checklist

• Identify your move-out date
• Log into old city's alarm permit portal
• Submit permit cancellation request with move-out date
• Save cancellation confirmation email/screenshot
• Notify monitoring company to remove old address from your account
• Get written confirmation from monitoring company that old address dispatch is cancelled
• Check whether new city requires an alarm permit
• Find new city's registration portal (use our city pages)
• Register for new permit at new address (can do before move-in)
• Provide new permit number to monitoring company when updating service address
• Confirm with monitoring company that new permit number is in dispatch profile
• Set calendar reminder for new permit renewal (November 1st)

Special Considerations When Selling Your Home

If you're selling rather than renting, a few additional considerations apply:

• Disclose the alarm permit at closing: Include the permit number in your seller's disclosures if required in your state. Inform the buyer that they need to register in their own name after closing — the permit does not convey with the property.
• Cancel on or after closing date: Don't cancel the permit before closing — if the home is vacant with an active alarm and a false alarm occurs during the sale period, you want to be registered to minimize fines. Cancel on the actual closing date.
• Inform the buyer verbally: Many buyers don't know that alarm permits exist. Tell them directly: "The city requires an alarm permit. Your permit number is [number] but it's in my name — you'll need to register in yours." Leave the city's registration portal URL for them. This good-faith gesture is also useful if they later claim they never had the information.
• Confirm no outstanding fines before closing: Log into your permit account and confirm there are no unpaid false alarm fines. Unpaid fines can become liens on the property in some cities — resolve them before closing.

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