Page 6 - BFAAM Fall/Winter 2023

WHEN DO YOU NEED TO PULL A PERMIT TO INSTALL
A SECURITY SYSTEM?
DANIEL G. DECKER, CFPS, SET, CPP BFAAM DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
According to the Private Security Business and Security Alarm Act, PA 330 of 1968 and the Security Alarm Systems Act, PA 580 of 2012, local units of government may not require
additional licensing or permits when a Security Alarm Contrac- tor is licensed or registered under either of these Acts. However, since most local jurisdictions are not familiar with the language of the security alarm licensing and registration legislation, it isn’t always a persuasive argument that our state license/registration pre-empts local permit requirements.
Fortunately, through the efforts of the Burglar and Fire Alarm As- sociation of Michigan, the language that local licensing and per- mits cannot be required for Security Alarm Contractors licensed or registered by the State is included in the Skilled Trades Regu- lation Act of 2016, also known as PA 407 of 2016. This Act con- solidated multiple Acts into a single document that applies to Electrical Contractors, Fire Alarm Contractors, Sign Contractors, Mechanical Contractors, Boiler Inspectors and Installers, Build- ing Officials and Inspectors, and Plumbing Contractors. Section 7 of this Act deals with electrical concerns, including licensing and permit requirements from municipalities. Section 733 addresses local licensing and permits, and states that any local ordinance “shall not require any of the following:...The procurement of a li- cense or permit by a provider to install, maintain, replace, or ser- vice a security alarm system. As used in this subdivision, “security
alarm system” means that term as defined in section 2 of the Se- curity Alarm Systems Act, 2012 PA 580, MCL 338.2182, or section 2 of the Private Security Business and Security Alarm Act, 1968 PA 330, MCL 338.1052”. (PA 407 of 2016, Section 733(2)(c)). So now it is very clearly spelled out in an Act that code officials are very fa- miliar with, that requiring permits for the installation of a security system is specifically prohibited.
In the previous (2014 NEC) code cycle, this was also noted in the Part 8 Electrical Code Rules as an exemption from permit require- ments, and it disappeared in the current (2017 NEC) code cycle. Jason Wadaga and I attended a public hearing in September 2023 on the proposed rules for next (2023 NEC) code cycle, and sub- mitted a request to include this exemption in the new Part 8 Elec- trical Code Rules. Lance Ash, Chief Electrical Inspector for the State of Michigan Bureau of Construction Codes, followed up with us, and explained that because the language in the Skilled Trades Regulation Act (PA 407 of 2016) specifically prohibits requiring licenses or permits for security alarm systems, there was no longer a need to address it in an administrative rule when the Act already specifically addressed the issue.
I am not issuing any guarantees you will not be requested to pull a permit for a security alarm installation, however, referring the requestor to PA 407 of 2016, Section 733(2)(c) may resolve that issue. If it does not, then it becomes an issue where the advice of your attorney would be appropriate!
DANIEL G. DECKER, CFPS, SET, CPP IS THE BFAAM DIRECTOR OF GOV- ERNMENT AFFAIRS AS WELL AS TREASURER OF THE BOARD OF DIREC- TORS. HE CAN BE REACHED AT DANDECKER@SAFETYSYSTEMSINC.NET.
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6 BURGLAR AND FIRE ALARM ASSOCIATION OF MICHIGAN