Official State of Iowa Website Here is how you know
Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing

DIA becomes DIAL!

On July 1, 2023, multiple programs across four agencies became part of the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA) as a new organizational structure for state government goes into effect. DIA is now the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL). 

Alarm System Licensing

Alarm System Licensing Requirements: 

The state of Iowa requires licensing for the installation, inspection, maintenance, or testing of all fire alarm, nurse call, and security alarm systems that "annunciate" a call. Systems, hard wired or wireless, that send a signal, text, phone call, or the like to local first responders, a monitoring service, security station, or individual require an alarm system license, as defined in Iowa Code 100C and Administrative Rules Chapter 277.  A company installing and/or testing such systems and their employees must be licensed before working in Iowa.

Licensing is NOT required for:

  • a company that is providing monitoring services ONLY.
  • CCTV and video recording systems or card reader/door access systems if no notifications are sent.
  • licensed electricians ONLY when installing wiring and components of an alarm system as a licensed electrician working for a licensed electrical contractor. Final termination at, and all work done with, the alarm panel requires an alarm system license.

Home Base Iowa Act - Connecting Veterans to Careers and Resources

       

      Companies:

      • All contractors who intend to work in Iowa are required to obtain a contractor license.  
      • Contractors must list at least one responsible managing employee (RME) and provide a copy of their current qualifying certification as specified in the matrix below.
      • Contractors will obtain and maintain current registration (or a written exemption) as a "construction contractor" with the Labor Services Division in compliance with Iowa Code chapter 91C and Iowa Administrative Code 875-Chapter 150.  Visit the Iowa Division of Labor - Contractor Registration for more information. 
      • Contractors must provide a copy of the most current certificate of liability insurance on the ACORD form. The ACORD form must show coverage amounts of $1M per occurrence, $1M property damage, and $500K per person.

      A company that does installation and maintenance inspection must select the both endorsements for installation and maintenance inspection on the application.

      RME Endorsement Qualifying Certification Options
      Fire alarm system installation

      Professional Engineer Licensed in Iowa [or]

      NICET level III or higher in Fire Alarm Systems [or]

      ESA level III in Certified Fire Alarm Designer

      Nurse call system installation

      Professional Engineer Licensed in Iowa [or]

      Certificate of Completion of Training from System Manufacturer for each system worked on [or]

      NICET level II or higher in Fire Alarm Systems [or]

      ESA level II in Certified Alarm Technician

      Security alarm system installation

      Professional Engineer Licensed in Iowa [or]

      NICET level II or higher in Fire Alarm Systems [or]

      ESA level II in Certified Alarm Technician

      Alarm system maintenance inspection (maintenance inspection of commercial fire alarm, nurse call, security alarm, and/or dwelling unit alarm systems)

      Professional Engineer Licensed in Iowa [or]

      NICET level II or higher in Fire Alarm Systems [or]

      NICET level II or higher in Inspection and Testing of Fire Alarm Systems [or]

      ESA level II in Certified Alarm Technician

      Dwelling unit alarm system installation

      Professional Engineer Licensed in Iowa [or]

      NICET level I or higher in Fire Alarm Systems [or]

      ESA level I in Certified Alarm Technician 

      Technicians:

      • All technicians who intend to work in Iowa are required to obtain a technician license under a licensed contractor.  They must provide a copy of their current qualifying certifications as specified in the matrix below.
      • All technician trainees who intend to work in Iowa are required to obtain a technician trainee license under a licensed contractor and be supervised 100% of the time on the job site by a licensed responsible managing employee or licensed technician licensed under the scope of work authorized by the license. 

      A technician who does installation and maintenance inspection must select the both endorsements for installation and maintenance inspection on the application.

      Technician Endorsement Qualifying Certification Options
      Fire alarm system installation

      Professional Engineer Licensed in Iowa [or]

      NICET level II or higher in Fire Alarm Systems [or]

      ESA level II in Certified Alarm Technician [or]

      Elite CEU certification in Fire Alarm Installation Techniques

      Nurse call system installation

      Professional Engineer Licensed in Iowa [or]

      Certificate of Completion of Training from System Manufacturer for each system worked on [or]

      NICET level I or higher in Fire Alarm Systems [or]

      ESA level I in Certified Alarm Technician [or]

      Licensed Master Electrician or Journeyman Electrician in Iowa

      Security alarm system installation

      Professional Engineer Licensed in Iowa [or]

      NICET level I or higher in Fire Alarm Systems [or]

      ESA level I in Certified Alarm Technician [or]

      Elite CEU certification in Advanced Electronic Intrusion Technician [or]

      Complete Electrical Academy level I in Electronic Security Technician

      Alarm system component installation

      Professional Engineer Licensed in Iowa [or]

      NICET level I or higher in Fire Alarm Systems [or]

      ESA level I in Certified Alarm Technician [or]

      Licensed Master Electrician or Journeyman Electrician in Iowa

      Alarm system maintenance inspection (maintenance inspection of commercial fire alarm, nurse call, security alarm, and/or dwelling unit alarm systems)

      Professional Engineer Licensed in Iowa [or]

      NICET level I or higher in Fire Alarm Systems [or]

      NICET level I or higher in Inspection and Testing of Fire Alarm Systems [or]

      ESA level I in Certified Alarm Technician [or]

      Complete Electrical Academy level I in Electronic Security Technician

      Dwelling unit alarm system installation

      Professional Engineer Licensed in Iowa [or]

      NICET level I or higher in Fire Alarm Systems [or]

      ESA level I in Certified Alarm Technician [or]

      Elite CEU certification in Alarm Level I [or]

      Complete Electrical Academy level I in Electronic Security Technician

      Technician Trainee 100% supervised by licensed technician or RME while working Trainee in the process of obtaining one of the required certifications to become a licensed technician for installation and/or maintenance inspection.

      Licensing Fees:

      Fee Structure for Contractor License

      • $200 license fee
      • $50 for each endorsement
      • $50 for each responsible managing employee (RME)
      • $35 criminal history background check for each RME

      Fee Structure for Technician License

      • $125 license fee
      • $25 for each endorsement
      • $35 criminal history background check

      Fee Structure for Technician Trainee License

      • $50 license fee
      • $35 criminal history background check (new application and third application for renewal)

       

      Payments can be made online by debit/credit card or eCheck/ACH or by mailing a check or money order payable to the Dept. of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing or State of Iowa and mailed to the Dept. of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, Attention: Alarm Licensing Administration, 215 E 7th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319-0047.

      Criminal History Background Check:

      Stop mailing fingerprint cards!  Use Fieldprint Iowa Livescan network today!

      Use Fieldprint's largest Livescan network in Iowa to schedule secure, electronic submission of your fingerprints for criminal history background checks required by Alarm System licensing.

      Refer to the Program Scheduling Aid below for step-by-step instructions to schedule your Livescan appointment at one of the Fieldprint locations nearest you. 

      Please be sure to use the Fieldprint Code for your license as indicated in the scheduling aids below.

      Alarm licensing - FPIASFMAlarm

      Alarm Licensing Fieldprint Program Scheduling Aid

      For information on fingerprint locations outside our Livescan network, please visit the National Background Information-Fingerprinting Locations website.

      Please visit our License Management System website to find downloadable application forms under the Forms menu.

      You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this form.  A free version may be downloaded from Adobe's PDF Suite website.