Short answer: In Tennessee, a company that sells, installs, services or monitors alarm systems or security cameras needs an Alarm Systems Contractor company license from the state, regulated by the Alarm Systems Contractors board within the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance. That includes cameras used to detect burglary, theft or fire. To check one, search the company's name or license number on the state's public lookup at verify.tn.gov, then confirm three things: the license is active, it is in the company's legal name, and its classifications (burglar alarm, fire alarm, CCTV, monitoring) match the work you are hiring them to do.
It takes about five minutes, and it is worth doing before anyone runs cable through your building or gets the codes to your alarm.
Who needs a license in Tennessee?
Tennessee law defines an alarm systems contractor as any person or company that sells or attempts to sell, installs, services or monitors alarm systems. The definition also covers cameras used to detect fire or burglary. In practice, that pulls in most commercial security work: intrusion alarms, fire alarms, video surveillance and alarm monitoring.
The state licenses three levels of people and companies:
- The company. The business itself holds the Alarm Systems Contractor license.
- A qualifying agent. Every licensed company must have a designated qualifying agent who has passed a background check and a state exam and is responsible for the company following state law. The company and its qualifying agent must hold the same classifications.
- Registered employees. Employees with access to alarm records, diagrams, plans or other sensitive information must be registered with the state and pass a background check, and the company must register them within 30 days of hire. State rules require registered employees to wear their identification card visibly while working for the contractor.
Tennessee does not offer license reciprocity with other states, so a company licensed in Georgia or Alabama still needs a Tennessee license to do this work here.
What do the license classifications mean?
A Tennessee alarm license is issued with one or more classifications. The company can only do the kinds of work it is classified for.
| Classification | What it covers | Why it matters to you |
|---|---|---|
| Burglar Alarm | Intrusion and other alarm systems for emergencies other than fire | Needed for door contacts, motion sensors, panic buttons and intrusion panels |
| Fire Alarm | Systems that detect and respond to fire, heat or smoke | A company without it should not be working on your fire alarm |
| CCTV | Closed-circuit television and video surveillance | Covers business security camera systems |
| Monitoring | Receiving alarm or video signals from other locations | Applies to companies that operate a monitoring center |
Access control is not its own classification on the state's licensing page. Card readers and electric locks often connect to alarm panels, cameras and fire alarm releases, though, so ask any access control installer which Tennessee license they work under. The state's exclusions do let locksmiths install self-contained, single-door electromechanical locks that are not part of an integrated system without an alarm license.
How do you look up a security company's license?
The state's lookup tool is called Verify Public Search. The layout changes from time to time, but the process works like this:
- Go to verify.tn.gov. It opens the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance public license search. The state says the results are updated daily.
- Search by business name or license number. Try the company's legal name and any "doing business as" name. If the company's ads or trucks show a license number, search that too. Contractors are required to display their certification number on advertising, service vehicles and correspondence.
- Open the matching record and check the status. You want an active license, not expired, suspended or revoked. Note the expiration date.
- Check the classifications. Make sure they cover the work in your proposal. A fire alarm job needs the fire alarm classification, a camera job needs CCTV.
- Check the name and city. The licensed name should match the company on your contract. A license in a different name may mean the work is being subcontracted.
- Look for disciplinary history. The lookup may show public disciplinary actions, and the board also publishes a Disciplinary Action Report on its consumer page at tn.gov.
- Check the technicians. Ask to see the registration ID cards of the people who will work in your building, or call the board to confirm an employee's registration.
If you can't find a company or something doesn't match, contact the Alarm Systems Contractors program through the contact details on the board's page at tn.gov/commerce/regboards/alarm.
What should you ask a security contractor before you sign?
- What is your Tennessee license number, and which classifications does it include?
- Will your own registered employees do the work, or will you use subcontractors? If subcontractors, what are their license numbers?
- Who is your qualifying agent?
- Can you send a certificate of insurance? (Licensed contractors must carry insurance that meets state requirements.)
- Who owns the equipment and the system programming if we part ways?
- What is the contract term, and what does it cost to cancel?
- Who monitors the system, and where?
- Can we talk to current commercial customers?
What are the red flags?
- No license number on the proposal, website or trucks. State rules require it to be displayed.
- The license is in a different company's name and nobody can explain the relationship.
- Classifications don't match the job, such as a camera-only company quoting fire alarm work.
- An out-of-state company with no Tennessee license. There is no reciprocity.
- Technicians who won't show an ID card or don't know who their qualifying agent is.
- Pressure to sign today, or a contract that hides the term length, auto-renewal or cancellation fee.
- Vague answers about who owns the equipment and the passwords. That makes it hard to change providers later.
If you are already locked in with a provider that fails these checks, our guide to switching security providers covers how to move without leaving your building unprotected.
FAQ
Does a security camera installer need a license in Tennessee?
Often, yes. State law covers companies that sell, install or service cameras used to detect fire, burglary, theft and similar events, and CCTV is one of the license classifications. Check that the installer's license includes CCTV, and ask the board if you are unsure whether your project is covered.
Can an electrician install my alarm system?
Tennessee's exclusions allow licensed electrical contractors to do alarm work if it is less than half of their gross annual revenue. Even then, ask what experience they have with your system type and who will support it after installation.
What if I find a company working without a license?
You can file a complaint with the Department of Commerce & Insurance through the File a Complaint link on the alarm board's consumer page. The department reviews unlicensed activity, but it cannot act as your attorney or get you a refund.
Does a license mean the company does good work?
No. A license shows the company met the state's requirements and is accountable to the board. It doesn't replace references, reviews and a clear contract.
Check us first
Turner Security holds Tennessee Alarm Contracting Company licenses #319 (Turner Security, Fire & Video LLC, Chattanooga) and #1998 (TechCore Inc. d/b/a Turner Security, Smyrna), both active and both covering burglar alarm, CCTV and fire alarm. License #319 was first issued in 1994. You're welcome to look both up before you call us. Then read about our family company, see what our customers say and ask us for a free security assessment.
