Fire Alarm Operational Permit (FAOP)

Since 2009, the City of Redmond has offered a form of third-party verification of fire alarm central station service called the fire alarm operational permit (FAOP). The FAOP enhances the fire department's ability to respond to emergencies by listing contact and basic system information while satisfying the NFPA 72 requirements for central station service documentation. 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, all fire alarm systems must have a current Fire Alarm Operational Permit (FAOP); no additional premise certificates are required by Redmond Fire for documentation of central station service.

When an FAOP is Required

A new FAOP is required in the following situations: 

1. Installation of a new fire alarm system.
2. Completion of an annual fire alarm confidence test report.
3. A change of prime contractor or building ownership.

Prime Contractor Requirements 

Redmond Fire requires that the building owner select a fire alarm service company as the prime contractor for the fire alarm system in a building. The selected company must be listed as a provider of central station service by UL, Intertek (ETL), or FM Global. The prime contractor is responsible for the fire alarm system and provides the elements of central station service. Read more about the components of central station service here. 

FAOP Application Process

• All FAOPs are processed and generated through The Compliance Engine. 
• To apply for a fire alarm operational permit, complete the FAOP Application (PDF). Both the building owner/agent and the fire alarm contractor are required to sign the declarations on the application. 
• Current systems: A new FAOP application is required to be submitted annually with a confidence test report to The Compliance Engine. 
• New fire alarm systems: An FAOP application is required to be submitted upon successful pre-testing of the fire alarm system. An issued FAOP is required to obtain fire permit sign-off by a fire inspector. 
• New service provider for the fire alarm system mid-inspection cycle: An updated FAOP application is required to be submitted to The Compliance Engine. View our tip sheet for this process here. 
• Generally, the FAOP will be issued 3-5 business days after the application is submitted to The Compliance Engine.

Fees

Each one-year FAOP costs $100. The FAOP fee is assessed during the submission of an alarm test report ($12) into The Compliance Engine for a total of $112.

When do I get my FAOP?

The permit is generated by The Compliance Engine the night after a fire code official reviews and accepts a report, regardless of whether the status of the system was marked compliant or deficient. The permit will be emailed to the default contact listed in The Compliance Engine. Contractors and TCE premise users may access a generated FAOP by logging into The Compliance Engine. View our tip sheet on retrieving an issued FAOP from The Compliance Engine here.