South Carolina - Alarm Code of Laws

Subsection (1) lists grounds on which the department 'may refuse' to issue a license or registration, while subsection (2) is an absolute bar — e.g., an applicant presently under suspension or on probation by a professional licensing entity in this or any other state, or with unresolved complaints or charges pending before any professional licensing board, may not be issued a license or registration.

A burglar alarm applicant must take the Level I training course with a certificate of completion from the National Training School (§ 40-79-230(B)(3)(a)), while a fire alarm applicant may take the Level I course from the National Training School or the Level II course with a certificate of completion from NICET (§ 40-79-230(B)(3)(b)).

Each branch office doing business in this State must have a primary qualifying party assigned to that location exclusively, who may not serve as primary qualifying party for any other business location.

A 'registered employee' is one employed more than thirty days in any given calendar year (and includes a part-time employee with access to customers' records or files), whereas a licensee may use an out-of-state-registered alarm technician for not more than ninety days in any given calendar year, and temporary administrative, monitoring, or customer service personnel working not more than thirty consecutive days, without registration (subject to verification and personnel-file documentation).

When a qualifying party ceases duties or leaves employment, the licensee and qualifying party must notify the department in writing within fifteen days and a substitute primary qualifying party must be obtained within ninety days; for a terminated registered employee, the licensee and the employee must give written notice within thirty days, and if the employee fails to do so the department shall immediately cancel his registration.

A license not renewed after ninety days from expiration is canceled and the applicant must file an initial application and pay applicable fees, with no examination required if the qualifying party otherwise satisfies licensing requirements; by contrast, a qualifying party not listed for any alarm business for four consecutive years must pass any examinations required by the board to become certified.

The licensee must notify the department of a policy cancellation within fifteen days of the date of cancellation, while a new policy must be obtained within thirty days of cancellation; after thirty days of cancellation an initial application must be filed (no examination required if the qualifying party otherwise meets requirements).

The board may require payment of a civil penalty of up to five thousand dollars for each violation, whereas failure to pay monies when due for materials or services becomes a disciplinary ground only when the amount is in excess of five hundred dollars.

An 'alarm business' is an entity licensed by the South Carolina Contractor's Licensing Board (the 'board') to engage in the burglar or fire alarm system business or both; the Department provides administrative support and receives applications, but the license is issued under the board's authority.

Camera, card access, or walk-through systems, vehicle/aircraft/boat devices, responders, self-owned or self-leased installations, and a mechanical contractor holding an electrical contractor's license who designs, installs, and services fire alarm systems are excepted, while burglar and fire alarm systems installed or serviced for others — including an entity installing at its franchisees' stores, or a manufacturer/distributor that sells, markets, services, or installs at a client's residence or business — are regulated.

A canceled or revoked license must be returned to the department within fifteen days of notification, while reapplication is permitted no sooner than one year after revocation, with the applicant meeting all initial licensure requirements and appearing before the board.

Administrative personnel perform daily office functions for the management of an alarm business, monitoring personnel observe the operation and activation of alarm systems from a monitoring station, customer service personnel provide support for customer problems, complaints, questions, and concerns, and an alarm technician performs set-up, installation, repair, alteration, or connection work.