OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – If you expect police officers to immediately come to your house if your security alarm goes off, officials say you will want to make sure your system is registered with the police department.

The Oklahoma City Police Department says it does not investigate automatic alarms from security systems that do not have a permit.

“We estimate that less than half of all active security alarm systems in Oklahoma City have a permit with us,” said Maj. Beto Balderrama, with the Oklahoma City Police Department. “The online system we launched earlier this year makes it faster and easier to get a permit.”

Hold-up alarms, panic alarms and fire alarms will always be investigated.

All security alarm systems in Oklahoma City require a permit, which you can buy online. Alarm permits are $27 for the first year, and $17 for renewals.

Home and business owners with a permit are allowed three false alarms annually. Fines for the fourth and fifth false alarm are $82 for police and $135 for fire. The permit is revoked after six false alarms.

Of the 50,000 security alarm calls Oklahoma City police respond to every year, about 98% are false.

Police officers and firefighters depend on information from the permits to contact you in an emergency.